Dear TEE community,

One of the things that most mystifies me about our current political climate is the apparent absence of empathetic imagination on the part of so many. Two thousand years ago, Hillel instructed, “What is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a).” For the large Christian majority in this country, the New Testament writer Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).”

I have been thinking about how clear and obvious these values should be in light of the recent events at the University of Rochester. I can’t imagine how frightening it must be to have your face on a “Wanted” poster. I also can’t imagine that those who made those posters gave any thought to how they would feel if the tables were turned. The posters were disturbing evidence that current political discourse too often fails to distinguish between opponents and enemies.

At the same time, we have to acknowledge that the defenders of the Israeli government have acted with this mindset as well. Pro-Palestinian activists have been barred from Jewish spaces (even if they are Jewish), doxxed (had their personal information such as address and telephone number publicly released), fired from jobs, and vilified as terrorists. All of which only serves to polarize our community further.

Last summer, Moment Magazine asked rabbis from a range of movements, “How Do We Balance Civility With Disapproval For Others’ Politics?” In her response, Rabbi Caryn Broitmen noted, “In these times when the basic social fabric is deliberately frayed and undone for nefarious purposes, we must assert that the social fabric matters. Incivility will only unravel social bonds and divert our energy from the real issues. It risks hurting or alienating people with whom we may yet find common ground.”

While we cannot control how other people speak or interact, we can decide how we will behave. In 2010 the Jewish Council for Public Affairs issued a statement on civility which I used as a model in constructing an agreement I hoped would find widespread use in our Rochester Jewish community. For a variety of reasons, it was not successful but I believe such an agreement is still necessary. If you agree, I hope you will read the version I drafted and let me know your thoughts. I believe the Jewish values involved apply more generally and hope we may include them in all our conversations around issues of disagreement. It would be wonderful if Temple Emanu-El led the way.

Rabbi Drorah Setel