By Rabbi David Ariel-Joel
Rabbi David Ariel-Joel of The Temple (photo supplied)
What is the biggest challenge for our community in Louisville, Kentucky? How can we meet this challenge?
There is a wonderful debate in the Babylonian Talmud asking: What is the most important principle of Judaism? What principles should guide every Jewish person in their life? What kind of Jewish community do we want to live in?
Some rabbis place justice, charity, kindness, connection with God, and personal integrity, at the center. In the end, they succeed in agreeing on one principle—a golden principle that should guide us in every way, as individuals and as a community. “A righteous person shall live by their beliefs/ principles/ faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Each person should live according to their beliefs, principles, and faith. And we should not judge others based on theirs.
When I was the director of the Reform movement in Israel, we issued a sticker which is still stuck to my office door today, “A person shall live by their beliefs/ principles/ faith.” The words are written in rainbow colors.
And how does this relate to our community in Louisville, Kentucky?
The Jewish community in Louisville—and indeed every Jewish community in the United States—faces a significant challenge: How do we remain united within a big tent that is open to different opinions, beliefs, and principles?
It is clear to all of us, I hope, that we should not divide the community by political affiliation. Jews who hold conservative political opinions, and Jews who hold liberal or progressive political opinions, can and should sit and pray together, be part of the same synagogue, and certainly belong to the same broader Jewish community.
Our challenge as a community is to extend this principle to our relationship with the State of Israel as well. The fact that I am inextricably linked to Israel, and that I love and support the people of Israel, should not prevent me from praying alongside someone who feels differently. Whose beliefs and principles are different from mine. Our great challenge is to preserve our tent—our community—and resist the temptation to exclude those who do not share our opinions.
We must include everyone, regardless of political stance or their stance on Israel.
In his essay on tolerance, Voltaire, a 17th-century French philosopher, explains the value of tolerance by recognizing and coming to terms with the imperfection of humanity. Tolerance demands restraint, reflects humility and uncertainty, and seeks agreement, compromise, and concession. A tolerant person does not necessarily sympathize with the positions with which they reconcile; rather, they place the value of tolerance above their own convictions and personal beliefs. The phrase “A person shall live by their beliefs/ principles/ faith” is a refined expression of this concept. Tolerance means accepting the right of every member of our community to live by their beliefs, rather than attempting to force them to accept ours.
As Jews, we believe that there is more than one way to be Jewish. There are many teachings within our tradition and within our Torah, and it is our responsibility to find the Torah that speaks to us—not to impose our interpretation on others.
May it be a great year for our Jewish community. And may we continue to go from strength to strength.
Amen
Talmud Bavli, Makot 23b-24a
Rabbi Simlai taught: 613 mitzvot stated to Moses …. “
…. Isaiah came and established upon six, as it is written: “He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands from holding of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing blood, and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil” (Isaiah 33:15). …
Micah came and established upon three, as it is written: “It has been told to you, …, what is good, and what the Lord does require of you; only to do justly, and to love kindness and caring, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Isaiah then established upon two, as it is stated: “So says the Lord: Observe justice and perform righteousness” (Isaiah 56:1). … Habakkuk came and established upon one, as it is stated: “A righteous person shall live by their beliefs/ principles/ faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
David Ariel-Joel is Senior Rabbi at The Temple