Big Tent Judaism

An Inspirational Film

Congregation Neve Shalom of Metuchen, New Jersey welcomed Max Rubin with open arms to its pre-school. While his cerebral palsy may have forecast a host of challenges for some school administrators, Neve Shalom saw an amazing opportunity.

A recent article in the New Jersey Jewish News describes how Max’s parents doubted Neve Shalom would be able to accommodate his needs, but the synagogue rose to the occasion and never said, “no.” From hiring a personal aide to resurfacing the playground, the synagogue worked tirelessly to create a welcoming Jewish educational experience for all, including Max. In the end, with Max graduating shortly, Neve Shalom recognized that everyone benefitted from his presence. As Nursery School Director Martha Mack stated:

“When we first started we thought this would only benefit Max, who is a typical kid—bright, funny, a real all-star. What we didn’t realize is what it would do for us, his classmates, his peers. Max truly gave us a gift—the gift of inclusion.”

Our hope is that Jewish organizations across the country can appreciate the impact of inclusion—that welcoming all and lowering barriers to participation by accommodating specific needs can benefit everyone. Max’s parents hope that many others can learn from Neve Shalom’s example. In honor of his graduation from Nursery School, his parents hired a team of professional film-makers to create a short film documenting the community’s efforts toward inclusion. “Saying Yes: The Story of Max Rubin” premiered last week and will hopefully serve as inspiration for schools and organizations everywhere to say “Yes.”

We at JOI love the idea of sharing steps towards inclusion with colleagues at other organizations. If you’re interested in sharing your success story “welcoming all” or learning from the triumphs of others, we invite you to join the Big Tent Judaism Coalition of nearly 300 organizations committed to greater inclusiveness.

An Open Letter to President Barack Obama

Dear President Obama,

We were thrilled to read about your recent proclamation naming the month of May Jewish American Heritage Month. As an organization devoted to outreach, we appreciate your act of inclusion, and as American Jews we are honored to be recognized in such a meaningful way.

As we read your kind words, we couldn’t help but notice what we think might have been an oversight at the bottom of the proclamation. We hate to be nitpicky, but it was signed “in the year of our Lord two thousand nine.” With all due respect Mr. President, as Jews, the year of our Lord is currently fifty-seven sixty-nine. Hey, we all make mistakes.

We assume that upon learning of your error you will promptly sign a new proclamation. And when you do, please give credit to the “Jewish Outreach Institute.” Feel free to add the following: “JOI’s attention to detail in this matter has taught me just how important language is when trying to create a community that is inclusive to all.”

This is not to say we aren’t grateful for your gesture. We are. Your good intentions have been duly noted, and we look forward to helping you navigate the complicated and nuanced world of outreach.

Respectfully,
The Jewish Outreach Institute

Female Torah Scribes

Should gender matter when it comes to writing a Torah? Should it matter if the person holding the quill, carefully transcribing each letter and mark, training for years to learn the correct method is a man or a woman? Some believe that a kosher, “synagogue ready” Torah can be written by only men, but Jen Taylor Friedman disagrees. Working from an apartment in the Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale, Friedman, the first female Torah scribe, was recently profiled in The Riverdale Press.

Friedman earned the distinction two years ago and has sold two Torah scrolls since. Detractors believe she is out of bounds, and that according to Jewish law women are simply ineligible to write a Torah. While Friedman has the utmost respect for Jewish law, she believes that a in the grand scheme of things it should be “Torah first, politics second.”

She has also moved beyond writing and has started teaching other “aspiring female scribes,” including former JOI staff member Julie Seltzer. We see this as a positive step forward in terms of creating a more inclusive Jewish community because it adds an additional avenue for the expression of Jewish identity, even as we acknowledge and respect that more traditional understandings of Jewish law will not accept such a Torah as kosher. What do you think? Are there lines in terms of gender equality that cannot be crossed? This question continues to be grappled with, even in the Conservative and Orthodox movements.