SAN DIEGO — Albert Einstein once observed, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” For several years I’ve been imagineering – well, truth be told, I’m always imagineering – but in particular, I’ve been prying into a vision of I’ve had of a “United Kehilla of San Diego.” Please, no eye rolling, just grow with this. I mean go with this. No, I categorically mean grow with this. I’ll explain.
The Chief Rabbis of the World, together today, sent a letter in which they said, “This Shabbat – the Shabbat before Pesach – is called Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It was first celebrated at the birth of the Jewish people, moments before the dawn of our deliverance from Egyptian slavery. Every Jewish family, alone in their homes in Egypt, sat fervently anticipating the united dream of deliverance and nationhood. 3,332 years later, this Shabbat HaGadol, we too sit, isolated in our own homes, once again united in our fervent prayer for relief from the global pandemic that has shaken our world to its core.”
We are in very challenging, emotionally charged, what I’ve called in a number of columns here and elsewhere, “sandpapering,” times, certainly unprecedented in our lifetime. I believe we are being given the opportunity to thrive and grow through this extraordinary period. It is clear that we are being asked once again, on this Shabbat HaGadol, to share in a beneficial “united dream of deliverance and nationhood.” The way to grow through this is to see through a proper lens, to see that what’s being asked of us is to prioritize our connections with, and to serve, each other, for the benefit of the other, for Am Yisrael, for the greater world, and for ourselves.
What’s this daring, audacious, maverick idea I’m floating? I’d like our wonderful San Diego community to unite and create a “United Kehilla of San Diego.” Let’s identify the path that is there for the Orthodox shuls in San Diego, and perhaps all synagogues, to become “One Shul.” One “United Kehilla of San Diego.”
No, this idea isn’t original. Four Orthodox shuls in Long Beach and Lido Beach came together several years ago to coordinate the formation of a United Kehillah. Instead of each shul working independently, they’ve joined forces, combined a number of resources for the good of all, in order to provide more robust and engaging programs for their entire community.
So, I ask, why not grow through this spiritual opportunity to emerge in our own distinctive and innovative San Diego manner for the wellbeing of all in our Jewish community?
Why would any individual congregation want to consider this seemingly to some daring, valiant notion? Because it’d be a magnificent show of unrivaled community leadership, a nationally noteworthy move in response to this time of emotional and spiritual challenge. It would elevate our community and grow it to become an even greater place for Jewish families to live. And above all, it’s the right response to the challenge we are being given.
I’m suggesting we call for there to be “ONE shul” in San Diego. The “United Kehilla of San Diego,” each institution with its own identity, properly earned over decades of service to the community, with its own Rabbis and lay leadership of course, but with a united sense of resolve to insure, for example, an organized approach to Torah learning in which all classes, shiurim, will be coordinated and intentionally open to all members of the community. The same will be true in the “United Kehillah of San Diego” for all community programming, community events, community dinners, community growth, spiritual inspiration, and religious services, with “members” rotating through all synagogues, with a UNITED single “membership” in the “United Kehilla of San Diego,” that promotes attendance, involvement, connection and inclusion for all.
Fear not. No institution will lose any independence. No one will lose any power. There is only gain. An entire community now belongs to, and is united in, all shuls.
In the words of John Lennon, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” Imagineer with me, readers.
Can you imagine the gala inauguration of our San Diego United Kehilla? Can you imagine coming together as one on any given day in any given shul of one’s choice for religious services, for community events, holiday dinners, broad-based learning, family celebrations and misfortunes, offering assistance to those in need, speaking and acting with one voice?
This “sandpapering” time period, this Shabbat HaGadol, is our opportunity to grow and unite our community, ironically while we are so physically separated, to expand our thinking, to look at what can be, not what was, to see through the windshield not the rear view mirror, to take a faithful step forward and connect ourselves for the greater good, perhaps the ultimate lesson of COVID19.
Please, consider this, speak with your Rabbi, your lay leaders, and each other. I’m on the Leadership Team of Young Israel of San Diego, and am advocating, urging, this unparalleled creation.
In the emotionally filled words of Mordechai ben David Werdyger’s famous song, “Someday,” composed by Dina Storch,
“Someday we will all be together
Someday we’ll be sheltered and warm
Never will we have to express any fear
Our scars and our wounds will disappear
Avraham and Yitzchok will be there to greet us
Yaakov and his sons will stand by and smile
Moshe Rabbeinu will lead us once again
in Yerushalayim, B’ezras Hashem
Someday we will all be together”
I believe that Someday is now, for us to be together.
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Michael Mantell earned his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania and is a sought-after speaker on behavior science. He also writes a weekly D’var Torah column. More of his stories may be accessed by clicking his byline at the top of this page. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com
Real achdus would be to include the entire Jewish community – not just Orthodox.
In the early 1980’s we had a Unity Shabbaton at Vacation Village on Mission Bay. Participating shuls were Beth Jacob San Diego and five shuls from Los Angeles. From socializing on Friday, to Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbos, Maariv followed by a festive meal with singing and divrei Torah, to a full Shabbos day schedule, Melava Malks, then Sunday brunch featuring a panel discussion. Other than heavy rainfall it was a fantastic event. Someone questioned why Chabad and others were not represented.
The answer was that there was no room (there were a few hundred people). The theme was achdus. There was no follow up where other shuls could have been invited.
Now that we are united through the plague of caronavirus COVID-19, and people are on a high for doing chesed, perhaps we can plan for other Unity Shabbatonim – first with shuls within San Diego County and then with other cities in southern California.