By Western Center for Journalism |
I grew up in what can only be described as a “liberal” Jewish household in Peoria, Illinois. We went to a “reform” temple where, when we were growing up, keeping kosher and certain other Jewish traditions of the “other” temple in town, the “orthodox” institution, were not observed.
It was often suggested that our congregation was so reform that it was actually Unitarian.
Amidst all of that liberalism, however, was a strong educational ethic, and we went to Sunday School at Temple Anshai Emeth until we were sophomores in high school. We learned about Jewish traditions—observed or not—and we spent a lot of time learning about another Jewish interest that was a lot more fresh in the 50s and 60s—Israel.
Looking back, at age 60, it’s been a comparatively long time since Adolph Hitler exterminated something over six MILLION of my ancestors and, after World War II—when the extent of what Hitler accomplished in the way of genocide became clear—the concept of “never again” became very real. Read more…
