Leap of faith: Is there a north-south divide in Judaism?
We need communal spaces like JW3 elsewhere in the country
As Andy Burnham prepares to step into the role of Prime Minister, he has promised to establish a “Number 10 North”. The focus, as I understand it, is to balance the gravitational pull of London by ensuring that policy is shaped by the lived experiences and aspirations of people in the North.
But what about our Jewish community? Do we have a north-south divide akin to that suggested by Andy Burnham? Are our communities in the north disadvantaged? As a rabbi who has served both in the southeast and now here in Manchester, this is a question I often find myself pondering. But I think we might be asking the wrong thing.
We should instead ask whether the concentration of communal institutions in and around London exerts a gravitational pull of its own. Many of our major communal organisations, cultural institutions and national conversations remain centred in and around the capital.
Wherever I have served, I am struck by how similar the questions people bring are. Our concerns and conversations are remarkably alike. How do we respond to difference? How do we hold disagreement in ways that avoid contempt for those whose perspectives we do not share?
Whether the issues at hand are our relationship with Israel, how we respond to antisemitism, or what living Jewishly might look and sound like, these are concerns that occupy all of us. Perhaps what differs are not the conversations we want to have, but the infrastructure that supports them.
Londoners and those within commuting distance have JW3 – a shining example of a cross-communal resource where theatre, debate, film and discussion can be facilitated and shared. We need more of these kinds of spaces in the rest of the country.
We need cross-communal spaces where Jews of all stripes and colours are welcome; spaces where local, national and international speakers can come and share their ideas; spaces where we can gather to listen, think, and debate. We need spaces where the variety of Jewish experience and thought can be shared, and where we learn to explore our differences with curiosity rather than fear.
Each of us brings our own unique experience of Judaism – experiences shaped not only by the synagogue we belong to, or do not belong to, but also by the nuances of our geographical location. Communities beyond London need more robust access to cross-communal conversations, bringing a wide variety of experiences and perspectives that can enrich us all.
It will be our willingness and capacity not only to embrace but to nurture that diversity that is going to make us richer and more resilient. The challenge is not simply to hear regional voices, but to ensure that they have equal opportunities to shape the conversations that define our communal future.
Rabbi Kath Vardi is at Menorah Synagogue
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