Each year at NFTY’s Veida, the General Board of NFTY comes together from across North America to vote on resolutions and amendments, elect a new executive board, and choose NFTY’s Study and Action Themes for the coming year. At our Veida last February, the General Board selected Tihyeh Shofeit L’Atzmecha, You Will Be a Judge for Yourself, as NFTY’s Study Theme for the 5767-5768 calendar year. The purpose of the Study Theme is to be the topic area we as NFTYites take as our educational focus for the year. The theme is used as a basis for programs, Kallot, and various other media in order to truly explore it to its fullest extent. It is also the basis of the Tikkun Olam Award, an award open to all TYG programs based on the Study Theme in order to recognize creative programming in NFTY.
Like most major North American and world-wide Jewish Movements, the Reform Movement has a strong history of adhering to a single belief and believing that it is the most legitimate form of Judaism. However, since the 1970s and especially since 1990, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and other parent and affiliate organizations of NFTY have been passing resolutions supporting the concept of Jewish Pluralism both in Israel and the Diaspora. Similarly, in recent history, NFTY has adopted a number of tenets into its constitution that affirm pluralism as a value within NFTY’s community and within the greater world.
This year the Theme we will be investigating Jewish Pluralism specifically as it pertains to NFTY and NFTY members. The dictionary definition of Jewish Pluralism is the belief that most Jewish denominations are valid expressions of Judaism. This essentially means three things for us:
1. It is our job in the coming year to write and execute programs on Pluralism as it exists all across the world as a philosophy and as an ideal, with a special emphasis on the Reform Movement’s place in a pluralistic world and on pluralism within the movement itself.
2. It is our job as NFTYites to approach all topics for programs, services, and Kallot from many angles. In this way we can facilitate holistic programming which will allow people to draw their own conclusions, thereby fostering a more pluralistic community and truly fulfilling the concept of “Choice through Knowledge.”
3. It will be our responsibility to take a look at how we approach pluralism within NFTY. Whether that means reevaluating Kashrut and Kosher-style meals at Kallot or examining creative alternatives to traditional prayer, this Study Theme will allow us to openly observe how we can make NFTY a more welcoming, pluralistic community.
By fully embracing this study theme of “Tihyeh Shofeit L’Atzmecha – You Will Be a Judge for Yourself,” we in NFTY are taking a vital step into the future of a more vibrant Reform Judaism. By taking this year to truly rededicate ourselves to Choice through Knowledge, and by providing the kinds of holistic programs and activities that allow people to come to their own conclusions, we are ensuring the strength and vitality of our people, the Jewish people. I am looking forward to all of the work that will be done.
B’ahavah v’shalom,
Benjamin Judah Phelps
NFTY Programming Vice President 5767-5768
nftypvp@urj.org
