L to R: Emily Bourgeois, Shalom Austin public affairs director, Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus, Shalom Austin CEO, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Avi Weiss, founding rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Elyse and Rick Rosenberg. Credit: Rebecca Golden

Continuing its expanded commitment to bringing distinguished speakers to the Austin Jewish community, Shalom Austin hosted the first program in the Jerome and Lois Rosenberg Memorial Public Affairs Lecture Series: Looking at Judaism from Both Sides Now on Monday, November 10. Sponsored by Austin community members Elyse and Rick Rosenberg in honor of Rick’s parents and their long-time commitment to Jewish education, this new lecture series has been created to identify topics of interest from all sides of the political and theological spectrum in open dialogue and thoughtful discussions targeting not winning or losing but rather permitting all participants to better understand that even when there are two sides to an issue, there are areas of common values that can be the basis for a better community.

The initial topic of “Politics from the Pulpit?” brought to Austin distinguished clergy Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism and Rabbi Avi Weiss, the Founding Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale – the Bayit. Rabbis Weiss and Jacobs provided the attendees an insightful and entertaining discussion covering a wide range of topics, both from a historical perspective and in today’s highly contentious political and social environment. Topics of discussion included, but were not limited to, the Civil Rights campaign, the campaign for Soviet Jewry, Nelson Mandela’s visit to New York, the recent New York City mayoral election, and the impact of October 7 on Jewish affiliation throughout the United States. Each speaker focused on those issues and concerns that they believed warranted direct political voices and actions as leaders in the Jewish community.

Under the guidance of Emily Bourgeois, Shalom Austin Public Affairs Director, and given their long-time friendship and admiration, the speakers focused on areas of agreement as well as the underlying reasons where there may have been disagreement. Even when disagreements were identified, there was an understanding that each of the speaker’s visions was coming from a basis of Jewish values. Moreover, each of the Rabbis described changes in their own perspective on key issues over time and how they were each impacted by the other in the evolution of these beliefs.

With approximately 250 community members in attendance, Rabbis Weiss and Jacob entertained question from the community which brought out further discussions on issues important to the Jewish community including Jewish day schools, private school voucher programs, and how the efforts within the Jewish community to bridge over differences in order to find common ground can be an example for society as a whole.

Plans for the lecture series call for an annual program each year for at least five years, and the Rosenbergs and Shalom Austin leadership look forward to the future programs.