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YOU ARE HERE: Current Issues >> Religious Issues >> Jewish Values

Civility in Public Life

From the Joint Commission on Social Action & Public Policy, February 1997

Recognizing the destructive effects of increasingly shrill public discourse in American life, particularly in the political arena, The Joint Commission on Social Action and Public Policy of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly has published an information and programming guide entitled, "Judaism, Courtesy and Civility."

Sarrae Crane, Director of the Commission and editor of the piece, notes that "the publication does not argue against the freedom of speech or question First Amendment guarantees. Rather, we must recognize our concomitant responsibility to ignore or protest language which increases the level of public anger and hostility -- or at the very least -- to avoid engaging in it ourselves."

The packet contains a concise summary of traditional Jewish sources which deal with handling feelings of hatred and anger, avoiding lashon hara (derogatory speech), listening to the opposite side even during a heated argument, and observing appropriate limits when public rebuke is absolutely necessary.

Rabbi Charles Feinberg, co-chair of the Commission, notes that "our Talmudic rabbis took very seriously the dangers of inflammatory speech and the need for derekh eretz (respectful conduct) in Jewish communal life." On the theory that the repair of the world begins with one's self and one's immediate community, Marc Gary, co-chair of the Commission, observes that "the packet offers program ideas and discussion guides to enable congregations to incorporate traditional teachings into their synagogue life."

This may involve assessing the conduct of synagogue board meetings, having social action committees deal with intra-congregational conflict resolution, and reminding congregants at High Holiday services how many of the "sins" listed in the Al Het liturgy concern a lack of civil speech. To heighten consciousness of the impact of negative speech, a pithy list of "How to Kill Ideas" features such commonly heard put downs as "Don't be ridiculous" and "We've never done it before."

On a lighter note, the packet includes "Rafi's Rules of Non-Parliamentary Procedure," a lampoon of discourtesies all too familiar to members of many Jewish organizations. Completing the packet is a selected bibliography of Jewish sources as well as the text of the "USCJ Resolution on Civility in North American Life" passed at the 1993 United Synagogue Convention. The study material was prepared by Steven Morgen, a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Program suggestions were prepared by Rabbi Moshe Edelman, Co-Director of the USCJ Department of Congregational Programs.

Copies of "Judaism, Courtesy and Civility" may be obtained from The Joint Commission on Social Action and Public Policy, Rapaport House, 155 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010.

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