Posts Tagged ‘Temple Sinai’

My Event at Temple Sinai

April 28th, 2008

We had our first public showing of a condensed version of the show in front of an audience at Temple Sinai, a reform(liberal) synagogue in Toronto.

They seemed enthusiastic even though the material challenged some of their assumptions. We had a Q and A after , some wanted to set me straight and paint a picture in which the traditional positions were fleshed out again. Others wanted to know more about the issues of race and class and security over all other considerations among other topics.

I challenged them to look beyond simple notions of good guys and bad guys and Israel right or wrong because I believe that so many people in the middle east want and need to be seen not as the enemy but as human. I have been attacked at times for being naive. I am not. I am a student of the situation and a believer in the Jewish values of loving the stranger and standing for social justice, not just for the other but for so many in Israel who live in poverty and suffer systemic prejudice. My people Sephardim (arab land Jews for the most part). People were animated and the organizers thanked me even though they were nervous that I would offend some.

All in all a good night.

rb

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