Growing Pains

Last week at the Pico Union Project, we hosted “Painful Hope,” a powerful discussion featuring Palestinian activist Ali Abu Awwad and peace-seeker Rabbi Hanan Shlesinger. The evening is over, but Ali’s message endures: “politicians are managers of fear, not agents of change.” I have been thinking non-stop about this. How many of my efforts to effect change have come from fear and negativity? If the only thing scarier than change is stagnation, perhaps the only thing more harmful than stagnation is negativity.

It’s no secret that the Jewish community is struggling with stagnation. All of the demographic studies of the past ten years and most of my posts point to a dying Conservative movement, and yet: I am a product of the Conservative Movement. Where is my pride?

I would not be doing what I do, if it were not for my experiences in the Conservative movement. I went to Camp Ramah as a camper and staff member. I was active in the movement’s youth group, USY. I graduated from their after school program, the Los Angeles Hebrew High School, eventually going on to study at the University of Judaism. I had my Bar Mitzvah and was married at Sinai Temple—one of the movement’s largest congregations. Together with Rabbi David Wolpe we founded Friday Night Live at Sinai as well.

My Great Aunt Ruth would often say, “Craig, if you have nothing nice to say, you have nothing to say”. So, it’s time for me to share my love for the Conservative Movement, to recognize the people and organizations on whose shoulders I stand.  I would not be who I am, were it not for you—and I am full of gratitude.

I’ve learned a lot about gratitude since starting the Pico Union Project two and a half years ago. My days are spent navigating seas of change and embracing difference. In building a community based on the Jewish principle of loving your neighbor as yourself, we committed to learning about each other – our diverse needs and aspirations. Within a year, we knew our neighbors and were ready to adapt and ultimately implement a vision for a multi-faith and cultural center. I think Rabbi Jack Riemer says it best: “you cannot bless people unless you love them. The secret of success in public life is just this: if you love the people, you will succeed. If you don’t, then you won’t. All the rest of the tricks of the trade you can learn. If you have this quality, will succeed, but if you don’t, if you don’t love the people whom you work for and whom you work with, then you cannot and you will not succeed.”

You can read more about the Pico Union Project from this recent