From the President’s Desk
Happy Celebration of Yom Kippur!
Wishing all of our Jewish Friends good fasting! Isn’t it interesting how many commonalities there are between the major religions? Fasting and charity being some. Through physical fasting, you are showing obedience and sacrifice. And through charity, you are showing goodwill to your fellow citizens and a sacrifice of material possessions.
Multicultural Jews and Summer Camp
Who hasn’t heard the question – Is Jewish a race or a religion? Well, it’s most certainly now just a religion, as more diversity is in Judaism than ever before.
There is a Summer Camp for Multicultural Jewish children called Camp Be’chol Lashon that has been going on since 2010 in Northern California. Camp Be’chol Lashon – Be’chol Lashon (globaljews.org)
Racially and culturally diverse kids from all over the world come for 2 weeks to celebrate their religious identity as diverse Jews.
Part of the story of the founding is about a Jewish family adopting an African-American little boy and raising him Jewish. Then you think of all of the interracial and interreligious marriages that occur today, and you can see where multicultural Jews are becoming a bigger part of the religion.
How will this change the religion long-term? Who knows. But it’s interesting to think that an over 5,000-year-old religion is still developing and changing in various ways.
Serene Erby
President