Lessons in Collaboration
Howard Blas, the director of our Tikvah Program, recently posted a wonderful article about collaboration towards inclusion across the movements of Judaism. Here is an excerpt:
Recently, I participated in a webinar entitled “Inclusion and Sensitivity.” It was impressive not only for the content but for the fact that it was a collaborative effort of the Conservative Movement’s Ramah Service Corps and the Union for Reform Judaism’s (URJ) Camps. The coordinators of both training programs realized that the topic of inclusion was “important, beneficial and useful for all of the fellows in their current and future work.” This collaboration between camping groups of the Conservative and Reform Movements is one of many wonderful partnerships emerging.
… Our campers in the Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah in New England are constantly showing us that each program, organization and movement has something important to contribute. A “typical” Ramah (Conservative Movement) camper may come from a Reform temple and attend year round social activities sponsored by Yachad (Orthodox) or Friendship Circle (Chabad). And they may attend a specialized secular program or college, vocational training program and sometimes even a Catholic school.