A Symbol of Unity in Fractious Times

by Daniel E, Levenson, ALM

May 20, 2010 

One of the things that makes the Massachusetts  Synagogue Council unique is that it consistently brings together Jews of different denominational affiliations to not only talk about issues of common concern, but  to engage in learning and celebration with one another. In these difficult and fractious times within the American Jewish community, when we so often find ourselves at odds over Israel, forms of ritual observance and the nuances of Jewish cultural identity, it’s encouraging to see that there are people here in Boston who are actively working to bring the Jewish people together.

I had my first glimpse into the work of the council when I attended their annual Unity Shabbaton in August of 2008. Over the weekend I spent with the leaders from this group, as well as a number of lay leaders from synagogues throughout the Commonwealth, I had a chance to see firsthand how Director Alan Teperow and former council president Anita Zetlan Redner worked to create a space in which participants from all Jewish backgrounds felt both welcome and challenged. In talks, text study and discussion groups, the council demonstrated clearly that by strengthening the lay leadership of congregations, the Jewish community as a whole will grow and improve.

This ethos of inclusion was certainly on display this past Monday night at their annual gala, held at Temple Shalom in Newton, as the council honored three individuals for their work in the Jewish community with testimonials, music and humor. The three honorees included Arlene Remz, who received a community service award for her work in Jewish education as the director of the Gateways: Access To Jewish Education program, while Aliza Kline, director of Mayyim Hayyim and her husband Rabbi Bradley Solmsen, director of high school programs at Brandeis University received the K’lal Yisrael Award.

One unexpected highlight of the evening was a surprise visit from Governor Deval Patrick who made a few short remarks at the start of the program, and then took a seat in the front row of the synagogue sanctuary and stayed for the rest of the evening. Standing on the bima, Governor Patrick said that he wanted to thank the honorees for their work in community building, and praised the singing of Cantor Judith Ovadia, who opened the ceremony with a musical tribute to the honorees.

The Massachusetts Synagogue Council, and the work it does, is vital because it helps us see that the things we hold in common are still so much greater than the things that threaten to drive us apart. Their continued existence is proof-positive that such collaborations are not only possible, but necessary if we are to maintain a sense of common purpose across the denominational lines we have drawn between ourselves.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2010.