FIRST SOLIDARITY SHABBAT: SUCCESSFUL! PARTICIPANTS WANT MORE…….. by Michele Shugarman
Our Kulanu Solidarity Shabbat Service and the dinner that followed on June 14th at Temple Beth Sholom shined another light on Anti Semitism in the world and in our community.
I think our Service and Conversation that night helped our congregation learn that we in KULANU have your backs. So many participants have provided favorable feedback that we will consider having periodic dinners throughout the year and continue our discussions. Below is a summary of our dinner conversations.
In a nutshell, the dinner participants acknowledged the dramatic increase in antisemitism since October 7th and shared how their own lives have been impacted. Most of the group have personally witnessed antisemitic attacks since childhood.
The general conclusion was that many non-Jews display antisemitism by choice or by chance. In addition, the group was also heart-sick by the events on college campuses and by “state sponsored” misinformation. Participants felt there was too much complacency and lack of caring by the population in general. They also expressed a genuine fear of what the U.S. elections will forebode. While our concerns are great, it is clear that there are many ways that Temple Beth Sholom and the KULANU Taskforce can help. Our conversations with attendees at the dinner included discussion of constructive ideas such as the following:
More volunteers for Mitzvah Meals (to show TBS cares about the community of all faiths)
Planning an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Find ways for TBS youth joining together with kids of other faiths for activities and discussion
Holding more meetings involving the whole congregation to address antisemitism
Facilitate conversations to help our youth deal with what is going on
Encourage periodic discussion groups with outside speakers
Establish a hot line for addressing antisemitic incidents
Facilitate recurring small group discussions on antisemitism
Initiate other external projects to reach out to the community to work for “peace and understanding”
Initiate conversations for “what to say when you don’t know what to say”
In summary there was wonderful enthusiasm for our Kulanu Solidarity Service and Dinner Conversations. Let us know your ideas on how TBS and KULANU can better serve the TBS Congregation and/or help you and your family. We invite you to join us in future KULANU activities. Michele Shugarman, Organizer of Solidarity Shabbat Kulanu Task Force
“If there were ever a moment to break the glass and pull the alarm labeled ‘Never Again,’ that time is right now…We can’t assume American Jewish life will continue to be a comfortable life – unless we do something now…unless we transform ourselves from observers to activists, from onlookers to advocates.”Jonathan Greenblat, President ADL
