Pluralism and Synagogues
Deborah Lipstadt

Congregational rabbis could use the following steps to nurture pluralism as well as specific beliefs:

1. According to Dr. Daniel Elazar, the Jewish world is divided into serious and non-serious Jews. In the 3rd century, the neo-Platonist philosopher Plotinus observed "like knows like." The pockets of success that break across the denominational divide – for example programs at Pardes and Wexner – are composed of serious Jews. They respect commitment to an ideal even if they disagree with the specifics of the commitment.

2. Use Torah as a way of creating these cross-movement relationships. Studying the same text with other people creates a common universe of discourse. When people engage in Jewish activities, ideologies are transcended and something far more binding emerges.

3. Acknowledge what you abhor about your own movement and what you admire about another movement.

4. Rather than simply condemning another movement's decision, educate congregants as to the context of that decision. Explain how that movement's conception of revelation, its attitude to the past, and its understanding of the process of change, permitted or prevented it from doing something.

5. "Hachmim he'zaharu b'devraeychm " "Scholars, teachers, and leaders: be careful with your words." Now, more than ever, is the time to remember this teaching. Differences of opinion must be voiced in a way that demonstrates that we remember that the person we are attacking is created b'tzelem Elokhim , in the image of God.

Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt is Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies and Director of the Institute of Jewish Studies at Emory University in Atlanta. Her most recent book is Denying The Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory. Dr. Lipstadt was an historical consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and in 1994 was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.