According to a Jewish midrash (Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 14:22), when the Israelites stood at the banks of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in, and while Moses was praying to G-d for help, Nachshon decided to take matters into his own hands and leapt into the sea. G-d then said to Moses something to the effect of, “Stop praying already! Look at what your friend Nachshon has done. While you stand here praying, he has taken action!” Only then does G-d part the sea so that the Israelites can cross.

This past week I had the honor and privilege to travel to Palo Alto, CA and attend the 10th annual Z3 Conference. With all that is happening in and around Israel and with rising incidents of Jew hatred across the globe, this year’s conference very intentionally challenged attendees in new ways to think critically, respect diverse perspectives, celebrate common ground, and help shape their respective communities’ future and its relationship with Zionism. As Rabbi Amitai Fraiman, Director of the Z3 Project, wrote, “…lasting change requires systemic shifts…we’re here to examine our approaches honestly and understand what has served us well and where we need new paradigms.”

At its core, though, the Z3 Conference is an important community engagement strategy because it creates a dynamic platform for fostering dialogue and learning among diverse members of the community. It is a gathering that embodies the spirit of collaboration, mutual understanding and respect, and shared purpose. The conference equipped us with practical knowledge and specific tools to help bring new ideas and initiatives back home, ensuring our JCCs continue to be a vibrant hub for learning, connection, and action. We explored the differences between a group and a community and between a service provider and a community builder. We were challenged to consider the impact we hope our institutions have on those with whom we engage and to define the “one more thing” our JCCs could do in bridging divides and deepening communal connections.

The tagline for this year’s Z3 Conference was, “Our Future Starts Now.” We were called upon to remember the story of Nachshon, who entered the Red Sea in the midst of great fear and doubt. Let us answer the call to action and to have enough faith to put one foot in front of the other and walk into the deep, dark sea of uncertainty and challenge. As the water covers our ankles, our knees, our chests and continues to rise, let us keep believing that the waters will part and that the journey toward a community and a world more connected, more tolerant, and more inclusive will truly begin.

Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,

Jason