Local

Z a c h o r . G e d e n k . Remember.
at t e n d t h e

Unite4Unity
Local Jewish lay leaders work to overcome denominational differences
Joanne Palmer
real religion until my daughter here is much that was born. divides Jews from each Zimmermans wife is not Jewother. Differences in ish. They took their daughter theology and practice to the mikvah for conversion run deep, and sometimes it can be when she was 3 months old. difficult to see across the chasm. There is much that connects They tried to join the Fair Lawn Jews with each other. Shared Jewish Center, but Zimmerman history, shared family, shared balked at having to take a singleIan cultural assumptions, shared parent family membership. Im Zimmerman sensory memories. These things not single, Im not divorced, Im might be emotional rather than not widowed, he said, but the logical, but they run just as deep. rabbi was adamant and the rules were the rules. The family found The Berrie Fellows Leadership Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff, Institute, an initiative of the Jewan unaffiliated synagogue whose ish Federation of Northern New rabbi, Kenneth Emert, was Jersey, works with a 20-member ordained by the Reform movecohort of local young lay leadments Hebrew Union College. ers over the course of two years, Zimmerman is active in the shul. exposing them to high-level JewLee Lasher Both men feel strongly that ish learning as it nurtures and challenges their leadership ability. The their similarities outweigh their differences, cohort, equally divided among men and and they quickly decided that the practicum women, is diverse, reaching into all parts that the Berrie program demanded of them should be devoted to unity. Our idea was of the pluralistic local Jewish community. This year, two Berrie Fellows, united by that it should be primarily lay leaders drivtheir shared Jewishness, acknowledging but ing it, Lasher said. Sometimes its difficult refusing to be divided by the difference ways for the rabbis, because of their position. He hopes that eventually Unite4Unity, they express it, have decided to start a new organization, Unite4Unity. It will introduce or U4U, as they call it, will allow local shuls itself on Tuesday evening, March 12, when to share best practices. On a deeper level, three local rabbis Dr. Kenneth Emert, Shm- we are also thinking long term, Lasher uel Goldin, and David-Seth Kirshner meet said. We would love to see a community to discuss the question Facing the Future beit midrash program, something like Limmud. Were doing research to see what other Together: How can we all get along? The two fellows, Lee Lasher and Ian Zim- communities are doing. Were working with Joy Kurland and the merman, offer a prime example of how to get along. The two have become very good JCRC, he added. Kurland is the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, friends. which is a federation program. Their backgrounds are dissimilar. Zimmerman hopes that his friendship Lasher, who is turning 50, is a member of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Engle- with Lasher can be a model for intrareliwood. He is Orthodox. I did not grow up gious cooperation. We both enjoy drinking good wine and good Scotch, enjoy good religious, he said. He grew up in Brooklyn. His parents did food, and following football and baseball. not want to send him to public schools there; There is nothing different about me and Lee had he lived Manhattan, with its wide choice Unite4Unity paGe40 of secular private schools, most likely he would have gone to one of them, he said. Who: rabbi dr. Kenneth emert of temple Beth rishon, wyckoff, rabbi shmuel In Brooklyn the pickings were slimmer, so Goldin of Congregation ahavath tovah, his parents sent him to the Yeshiva of Flatenglewood, and rabbi david-seth bush. Later, he went to Ramaz. I had an Kirshner of temple emanu-el, Closter, are interesting journey, he said. I became relipanelists; Linda scherzer will moderate the gious as a senior. After a year in Israel, he debate What: a discussion, Facing the Future went to McGill University in Montreal. together: how can we all get along? Zimmerman, 48, grew up in the Bronx followed by wine, cheese, and dessert and then in a Conservative but nonreliWhen: tuesday, March 12, at 8 p.m. gious household in Fair Lawn, he said. I Where: Congregation ahavath torah, 240 was typical of many of my friends. We went Broad street, englewood to Hebrew school and got bar mitzvaed. We Why: Unite4Unitys first event could have gone to Hebrew high school, but How: sponsored by the Jewish Federation of northern new Jersey and its Jewish we didnt. I didnt stay involved in Judaism Community relations Council, ahavath except for culturally, and of course we went torah, Beth rishon, and emanu-el as a family to synagogue on the high holy For whom and how much: Free and open days and celebrated Chanukah and Passover. to the community But I didnt really find my way back to

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Jewish standard MarCh 1, 2013 7