TORAH TIMES - SPRING EDITION 2018
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A Message from Our<br />
Chief Operating Officer<br />
WELCOME<br />
Passover & Leadership Responsibility<br />
I am always honored as your COO<br />
to be asked to represent Beth Torah<br />
at interesting meetings across the<br />
community. A few weeks back, I was<br />
privileged to attend a private breakfast<br />
of about 8 people and to sit next to<br />
Israel’s Ambassador to the United<br />
Nations, Danny Danon.<br />
Despite the differences in opinions and<br />
political views, there was a spirit of<br />
respect and a willingness to understand<br />
the differences. I was personally<br />
interested in his views of the Arab-Israel<br />
conflict. When it was my turn, I leaned<br />
over and whispered in his ear, “I’m going<br />
to ask you a tough question that I think<br />
everyone would be interested in. Is that<br />
ok?” Danny looked me in the eye and<br />
just laughed his approval and said, “I’m<br />
ready.”<br />
The question was about “Greater Israel”<br />
and what it was that far right politicians<br />
thought would happen in that scenario.<br />
What did these politicians believe would<br />
happen to the Palestinians? Would they<br />
magically disappear? Would they just<br />
leave? The Ambassador looked at me<br />
and just smiled before he answered.<br />
Why do I tell you this story? Because that<br />
meeting, as well as the Ambassador’s<br />
response, left me thinking about<br />
leadership responsibility, in the face of<br />
conflicts.<br />
He pointed to the lesson of Ariel Sharon,<br />
who got into office and despite his preconceived<br />
notions, quickly realized<br />
that nothing is ever as easy from the<br />
inside as it looks from the outside. The<br />
Ambassador believed that no matter<br />
who became Prime Minister, leaders<br />
from both sides have to talk and to listen<br />
to the other.<br />
The Hebrew word for leadership is<br />
“manhigut”. It derives from the root<br />
found in the word “behavior.” For<br />
Judaism, effective leadership is not<br />
about position; it is about behavior and<br />
action. “One of the hardest tasks of a<br />
leader – from prime ministers to parents<br />
– is conflict resolution. Yet it is also the<br />
most vital. Where there is leadership,<br />
there is long-term cohesiveness within<br />
the group, whatever the short-term<br />
problems. Where there is a lack of<br />
leadership – where leaders lack grace,<br />
generosity of spirit and the ability to<br />
respect positions other than their own<br />
– then there is divisiveness, rancor,<br />
back-biting, resentment, internal<br />
politics and a lack of trust. Leaders are<br />
people who put the interests of the<br />
group above those of any subsection<br />
of the group. They care for, and inspire<br />
others to care for, the common good.”<br />
said Britain’s Former Chief Rabbi Lord<br />
Jonathan Sacks<br />
Passover is around the corner. For Jews<br />
this is a holiday which seeks to inspire<br />
the next generation with hope for a<br />
future peace and a vision of coexistence<br />
and love. This is a holiday that shows<br />
how Moses lead the Jewish people to<br />
freedom through many conflicts. As<br />
Jewish leaders, whether in the UN, in<br />
government, in Jewish institutions or<br />
at home, we have the responsibility to<br />
approach conflict resolution by looking<br />
into the long-term effect of our actions<br />
and decisions, always thinking about<br />
the greater good.<br />
So let’s take the lesson of Ambassador<br />
Danon and Rabbi Sacks and embrace<br />
the spirit of Passover and remind<br />
ourselves that in the face of conflict,<br />
WAYNE KEIL<br />
small or big, we should always be<br />
mindful of our actions and our behavior.<br />
A true leader has to be prepared to<br />
exemplify the ideals and values he / she<br />
represents and serves, while respecting<br />
everyone on the way.<br />
Maybe we can even make this a topic of<br />
conversation at our Seder table!.<br />
Chag Sameach,<br />
Wayne Keil<br />
Chief Operating Officer<br />
Photo: UN Ambassador Danny Danon & Wayne<br />
Keil, COO of Beth Torah<br />
Spring Edition <strong>2018</strong> l Adar-Nissan-Iyar 5778<br />
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