Lip RAH PORTION 1
'PASSPORT]
PHOTOS I
Jewish Diversity Is
Our Source Of Unity
RABBI IRWIN GRONER
Special to The Jewish News
0
n this Sabbath, we
begin reading the
Book of Bemidbar
(Numbers), which describes
the episodes and experiences
that the Children of Israel
underwent in their journey
through the wilderness for 40
years.
sidrah
week's
This
describes the arrangement
and order in which the
Israelites encamped and
journeyed in their march from
Egypt to Canaan. In the
center of the camp was the
Ohel Moed, the tent of
meeting, containing the Ark
of the Covenant, guarded by
Shabbat Bemidbar:
Numbers 1:1-4:20
the Levites. Round about it
were stationed the rest of the
tribes, each of them distin-
guished by its own banner,
each marching with its own
group.
What was the purpose of
these regulations? Why
should each tribe march
under its own standard? As
we answer these questions,
we may find light in resolving
some of the problems which
concern us in our communal
life.
The Torah recognized that
the Jewish people were to be
grouped according to tribes
rather than as a uniform folk.
Judaism acknowledges the
wide variety of interests, the
differences of the souls of peo-
ple, the latitude in the courses
of life one may choose. And
yet, within this multiplicity,
there is a unity based on a
common attachment to the
central sanctuary. Although
tribe was distinct from tribe,
they were to be bound
together. Each was to main-
tain its separate identity, and
still share in the unity of the
whole.
That is the ideal of a
flourishing and vigorous com-
munity. Yet, we persistently
neglect it. We want every
member of the community to
march under one banner.
Each group declares, "We
alone possess the true
understanding of the Jewish
heritage, the Jewish way of
life."
We fail to make provision
for differences in tempera-
Irwin Groner is rabbi of Cong.
Shaarey Zedek.
ment, upbringing, education
and belief. We refuse to admit
the elementary fact that what
suits one Jew may not suit
another. We demand that all
should be alike, or rather,
that others should be like us.
The consequence of this at-
titude is the creation of divi-
sions in our community, often
mutually hostile. Such at-
titudes are a source of
weakness among us. Our
energies and resources are
dissipated in mutual
criticism and recrimination,
rather than in unified effort
on behalf of our common goal,
to strengthen the Jewish peo-
ple in its journey to spiritual
fulfillment.
Consider the scene in the
wilderness — the ark in the
center, round about it on all
sides the 12 tribes. Every
Israelite was in his place
under the tribal banner to
which he was attached. By
such arrangement and in
such formation, the sanc-
tuary was property guarded;
and thus, the people marched
on to their goal.
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If Moses had tried to
obliterate the differences and
had demanded uniformity it
is certain that internal
troubles would have constant-
ly arisen to disturb the na-
tional unity. But by wisely
recognizing the tribal distinc-
tions, he secured oneness.
This explains a remarkable
phenomenon in Jewish
history. Our flexibility and
mutual respect prepared us
for the outlook that there is
not necessarily one Jewish
response to the problems of
the times, but many alter-
natives. German Jewry dur-
ing the Middle Ages address-
ed their concerns differently
than the Spanish-Jewish com-
munities, each responding to
the conditions posed by their
particular societies. It is not
the same true of the condi-
tions posed by their par-
ticular societies. Is not the
same true of the divergent
programs and ideologies of
the Reform, Conservative and
Orthodox movements, and
other movements as well? I
believe it is a blessing that
one is not forced into a
religious compartment, but
rather has the power of choos-
ing the way of Jewish obser-
vance and belief that ex-
presses his convictions.
Unity is more important
than similarity, and unity can
only be secured by respect for
diversity.
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