How can we unite if we don’t care?
One of the most phenomenal aspects of living through historic times in Israel is watching the Jewish people unite. I distinctly remember my grandfather relaying how during the Yom Kippur War, the entire nation hummed with a distinct energy as the Jewish people united for our survival.
That same energy has coursed through our nations’ being since October 7th, as political and religious rivals unite with one common cause- to defeat evil.
But uniting- a true union- is not an easy thing to achieve. How can we truly put aside our differences when we really are so…different?
I believe what I witnessed this past weekend is the key to true unity.
Over sixty-five Nitzavim Fellows in Israel gathered last Shabbos to spend a weekend learning how to become leaders on college campuses. One of the challenges we presented was for them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes by acting as if they had never before experienced a Shabbos.
As Sarah and Andrew curiously questioned ancient religious practices like blessing the wine before the meal, Matan and Sophia were forced to pause and consider a point of view vastly different from their own. And in seeking to understand a different view point before responding, our students were forced to look at a habitual practice from an entirely new angle.
They discovered that beyond their own view point, lie multiple other vantage points that need to be explored, understood and considered in order to affect change. They learned that seeking first to understand where someone else is coming from is crucial to be truly understood. This shift in their approach creates a compassionate exchange…and compassion creates true unity.
As we nurture the next generation of leaders for Israel and the Jewish people on campus, I see that encouraging our students to think beyond themselves, to try and experience where someone else is coming from, is the key to fostering compassion and ultimately, true unity for the next generation of leaders for Israel and the Jewish people.
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