NPLS, 11th August 2011

 LJY-Netzer, the Zionist youth movement of Liberal Judaism, took one small step to future understandings when they welcomed seven Israeli Muslim teens and their teacher into their ‘tents’ this summer during their summer camp, Machaneh Kadimah.

Organised by Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, the senior rabbi of Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, these teenagers were unreservedly welcomed into the camp to socialise and to engage in programmes that addressed head-on the realities of life for a teenager in Israel. Army service, social issues that are the focus of tent cities in Israel at present, and relationships with Jews, Muslims and Christians who live in the West Bank were sensitively tackled.

Rabbi Goldstein compared this to the “welcoming of the stranger into your tent” according to the bible.  “One might have pondered over the constant reiteration in the Torah to welcome the stranger, along with other groups that were seen as vulnerable in society, usually the orphan and the widow. There are plenty of opportunities to do so as it is featured in many parashiot through the year,” he said.

“Perhaps it is that, to welcome the stranger, is perceived as being risky. You put yourself out unsure of the response. The fear of difference is not easy to overcome. Most of our synagogues say they are ‘welcoming’ and ‘friendly’ but due to security fears, among others, we do not live up to the welcome mat at the front door.”

The teenagers, who live in the small village of Nahaf, made it clear that they considered themselves Israelis. They are proud of their identity, their heritage and background and confident that their education would see them become doctors, lawyers and teachers who will contribute to Israeli society.

While at camp, the Jewish youngsters and Israelis made strong friendships, which will flourish through social media such as Facebook. The two groups will meet again during LJY-NETZER’s Israel Tour when UK youth will stay in Nahaf. And next week, two of the girls from Nahaf will meet some of their new-found friends from Zichron Ya’akov in Israel, who had also attended Kadimah camp.

Rabbi Goldstein hopes this interchange programme will become an annual event at NPLS. The shul offered strong support to the initiative by providing the seed money and it hopes to find other donors to allow the young British Jews to “welcome into their tent” their Israeli Jewish and Muslim peers.