 |
| Rabbi Gavriel Rudin, Young Israel of Ottawa |
By Rabbi Gavriel Rudin
Young Israel of Ottawa
Born and raised in the United States, I did not know what to expect upon
moving to Canada. Americans tend to think of Canada as a cold distant suburb of
the U.S., but somehow I get the impression that Canadians had a different view
on the matter, eh?
The first thing I must say is that Canadians definitely have a lot of
pride in their country. I think I saw more red maple leafs in the first week I
was here than in an entire maple tree forest. The light and sound show on
Parliament Hill this past summer was an amazing display of all that Canadians
have to be proud of.
Canadian politeness is definitely a welcome change, having grown up a
stone’s throw away from New York City (New Yorkers are not necessarily rude,
they just have their own special way of displaying affection and compassion).
But in all honesty, my welcome to Canada and the Ottawa Jewish community has
been truly amazing.
I often say that living in a Jewish community of our size, we are just
too small not to get along. I have said that in the past, regarding other
Jewish communities of similar sizes, but here I feel like I am preaching to the
choir. The warm welcome I received from Jews across the Jewish spectrum, both from
leadership and laypeople, has made my family and me feel valued and right at
home. I feel privileged to have joined a diverse, yet united, team of Jews,
dedicated to community growth and advancement. I strongly believe that this is
how all Jewish communities were meant to be. While we may be different and may
have different views and opinions, we share common goals and work together to
achieve them, each adding our own unique piece to the greater puzzle.
Evidence of the need for community unity can be found when analyzing the
very first “Jewish community” in all of history. When the Jews left the land of
Egypt and spent 40 years wandering in the desert, the Torah details the
formation in which they camped. The Tabernacle was in the middle, surrounded by
the 12 tribes, each with its own special place. The commentaries compare this
encampment to the shape of an old fashioned spoked wagon wheel. Can you picture
it? There is a centre point and there are 12 spokes spreading out from the
centre in different directions. Each tribe was different and lived their lives
in different ways. Each had different strengths and weaknesses, and each had
something different to contribute to the greater good. Despite their
differences, they were all anchored to the same point in the middle, their
service to God, represented by the Tabernacle.
The same is true with our communities. We are all different, and have
our own strengths and weaknesses. However, as long as we can remain connected
to the core values that keep us coming together toward a common goal, our
differences will be the key to our success, not our undoing.
My first impression of this community is one of unity and direction. I
believe that we are well on our way to continued growth and success, within the
Jewish community and out. I am proud and excited to be a part of the Jewish
Ottawa community!
