Following the Tree of Life mass killings, we’ve had many opportunities to come together, Jews and the broader community, to grieve and mourn and to support each other. My latest piece for Good Letters is based on remarks I offered at a gathering of students, faculty, and administrators at UNC Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. This gathering preceded and cut into a program we had already scheduled. Leslie Sachs, Director of Women of the Wall, was visiting us to speak about gender equity in Israel.
It was a powerful convergence of events. We came together to respond to hatred that leads to violence and to learn and draw inspiration from a courageous leader who is working with heart, mind, and spirit on behalf of the rights of Jewish women around the world. The work of Women of the Wall is about many things, including bringing an end to unjust practices and dangerous divisiveness that is a threat to all of us.