A December Message From the Great Neck Clergy Association
December ushers in a season of joy and solidarity for many faith groups throughout our country. Aside from the material aspect of gift giving, each faith will highlight the expressions and buzz words which reflect the holiday spirit: Peace, good will, understanding, mutual respect and honor.
Unfortunately, these expressions often represent ideal rather than reality.
The ongoing tensions in Ferguson, Missouri remind us about the evils of a racial inequality which still persists in the United States.
Escalating terrorism not only poses a global threat, but it leads to a climate of suspicion; whereby too many of us succumb to the dangers of racial profiling.
Throughout the world, we ignore egregious human rights violations as if they reflect inevitable tensions which have no resolution.
Even within our own Great Neck community, we co-exist with people of various religious and ethnic groups, yet we demonstrate little interest in getting to know one another.
In the name of religion we become intolerant; rejecting the holiday message of brother and sisterhood which our specific faiths purport to teach and uphold.
We preach absolutes; denigrating anyone whose faith ‘conflicts’ with our own. We condemn what we do not know or understand. More disturbing is the fact that we have no desire to understand…
This season, I hope we can begin to heal the wounds which obstruct peace on earth and good will toward our neighbors.
Instead of merely speaking and preaching, maybe we can take time to listen and to learn from one another. Instead of self-righteous indignation directed at anyone who dares to believe in a manner different from our own, maybe we will pledge to understand the tenets of other faith groups with tolerance and open-mindedness. Instead of hostility in word and in action, maybe we can transform such hostility into a call for honest and respectful conversation.
Perhaps our conversation will not yield agreement, but at least it will enable us to sit down together in friendship and mutual respect.
Instead of cavalierly quoting phrases about international understanding; I hope this season we pledge to embrace those phrases as a means of bringing the world closer together.
Rabbi Michael Klayman
Lake Success Jewish Center
Great Neck Clergy Association
