Caring, sharing Mitzvah Day is the antidote to prejudice - The Jewish Chronicle

This past week, I took my second trip to Windsor Castle as part of the Senior Faith Leadership Programme. The SFLP focuses on developing leadership, which is inter-disciplinary by nature, affecting people from all walks of life, and engaging with the diversity of human experience. The programme explores the forms of co-existence and friendship that are possible between faith traditions, while maintaining their difference and diversity.

The focus of this fellowship was to engage on the topic of conflict and difficult conversations. On a strike-disrupted train ride to Windsor, I recalled the warnings on how we may feel triggered during a series of potentially difficult conversations. Yet I strongly believed I had the skills to deal successfully with these difficult situations.

On day two, we were placed in a conflict simulation. Looking around the table of interfaith leaders wondering how I would navigate this space, I was reminded of the following Rabbi Sacks quote: “The test of faith is whether I can make space for difference. Can I recognise God’s image in someone who is not my image, whose language, faith, ideals, are different from mine? If I cannot, then I have made God in my image instead of allowing him to remake me in his.”

Often when attending courses, I look to the main speakers, experts in their chosen field, for nuggets of successful leadership wisdom I can use in my work life. But often, the people holding the wisdom are not only those at the lectern but seated right next to me. We can forget that the greatest gifts of learning are through the connection we make with those around us. And making space for difference is how it starts.

Last week, Mitzvah Day hosted our awards, honouring our most dedicated and passionate volunteers. The focus was not only on how we made a difference on Mitzvah Day but on the relationships strengthened and the new friends gained.

We celebrated the immediate successes and the longer-term nurtured achievements which are what “doing a mitzvah” is all about. I watched with great pride as new connections were made on the night — as well as others rekindled post-Covid.

It reminded me that no person is an island and that by offering ways for people to come together, we create opportunities for learning and growth. Today, more than ever, the entire world understands the importance of human connection. If we as Jews are going to thrive, we need connection. Our actions and ideas can affect the world around us in profound ways.

By leading the way in interfaith social action worldwide and bringing different people together, we can tackle discrimination and hatred. Mitzvah Day is often the first interaction many people have with Jews and it’s a chance to meet us at our best. Our day of social action demonstrates the essential impact the Jewish community has on wider British society through the hundreds of communities that get involved and the thousands of volunteers who collect, plant, cook, sing, befriend, sort and donate on the day, and in the weeks around it.

When we come together with the shared purpose of supporting local causes and improving our neighbourhoods, we see genuine longstanding relationships built: new cohorts of like-minded individuals. This has proved a powerful antidote to prejudice and a great space for growth.

We will continue to encourage members of the community to be a part of micro social action projects all the way up to Mitzvah Day on November 19 by creating opportunities for touchpoints between our interfaith communities.

Next up is the launch of this year’s Mitzvah Day theme in Brighton and Hove at the new BNJC centre and we look forward to seeing you there, or at other projects in the lead up to the biggest day of Jewish-led social action in your calendar — Mitzvah Day 2023.

Stuart Diamond is Mitzvah Day CEO

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Mitzvah Day