Audio: Interview with Rabbi David Ellenson

To dear David Ellenson - as always brilliant, knowledgeable, articulate and on-target on urgent issues of Jewish life in Israel and in North America. The news of Chillul Ha-shem continuing with the ostracism of a bereaved father in Israel, who happens also to be a Reform Rabbi - brings agony to my soul. As we strive to bring “tikkun olom” to the non-Jewish world what must we do to bring peace and acceptance within our own people? Your discussion of social action leading non-Jews and ubtutored, unaffiliated Jews back to our ranks is important. But equally urgent is that Jews must present ourselves as joined through “ahava,” through shared particularity, religious practices and acts of “tikkun.” In our world emphasizing the individual can we not join in the basic need to recover some of our lost numbers? The fate of the Jewish people and our peoplehood requires that we find a way to love those in our faith with whom we dissent - and what must each of us do to advance that goal?
The second urgent issue that you raise of Jewish status was so important to raise. The cases you cited, Rabbi Ellenson, brought important light to the issue of commitment - the raison d’etre for inclusion.
Thank you, AJC, and Steve Bayme. Love and hugs to Rabbi E. Esther Lerner Brenner