OUTREACH AND DIFFERENCES

By Mark Zarecki in Ottawa

 Judaism is not monolithic but rather very rich in diversity, with an eclectic mix of philosophies and practices.  During the exodus from Egypt, we saw 12 tribes leaving, connoting 12 different ways of being Jewish.  All 12 were recognized as valid and accepted.  When we arrived in Israel, some tribes did not settle in the land.  There was much negotiation amongst the leadership, resulting in some tribes settling outside.  Even the fact that the old City of Jerusalem had many gates of entry to the Temple Mount signifies recognition of Jewish diversity. 

Diversity is an advantage to us as a people.  It enriches our experiences and has been a key factor in our survival over the ages.  The trick is to appreciate and respect each other for the differences, taking advantage of the riches of multiplicity.  Rather than treat it as a weakness, by quarrelling and arguing over the “right path” being Orthodoxy, Haredi, Chassidic, Conservative, Reform or Reconstructionist, (I apologize to those I had to leave out in order to keep this a reasonable length), we have to see it as a strength that can contribute to the debates and struggles of identity and assimilation.  Each person has their own way of looking at life and has their own needs.  As a community, we must offer everyone something to embrace, not to necessarily impose our own concepts of need. 

In such an eclectic community, there cannot be only one way to do “outreach’.  It is a fallacy to think that one approach can address everybody’s needs.  One will attract those people who respond to that one particular way, leaving the balance of the community “not reached”. 

If we, as the Ottawa Jewish community, are serious about addressing the issues of assimilation, the first thing we have to do is to identify the many derechs (paths) people are on and validate their quest, offering them tools to define their own comfortable path towards Jewish identification.  It requires a change in the role of a synagogue, to one as a community/outreach centre that is committed to creative learning and welcoming the stranger.  This is not meant to be a theological change.  It also requires a vibrant JCC as a centre of learning and Jewish conversation, not only as a non-sectarian phys. Ed. facility.  Every communal institution requires accommodations at every level for welcoming the poor, seniors, immigrants, those with disabilities, and the alienated.

Most of all, effectively addressing the issues of assimilation requires individuals – each and every one of us – to (1) take the time and have a Jewish conversation with his or her self, (2) identify and change the prejudices we may not even realise are affecting our perspective, and (3) shift our paradigm and see our personal role in enriching this community by embracing its diversity. 

Mark Zarecki is the Executive Director of Jewish Family Services of Ottawa.  This editorial first appeared in the JFS Newsletter in June 2006 and is reprinted with his permission