Interfaith in times like this
Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, the chief rabbi of Sydney’s Great Synagogue, spoke to J-Wire about his own approach to interfaith discourse during the current situation.
Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton
He said: ‘We’ve not yet had an interfaith gathering since the atrocities of the 7th of October, so discourse has not yet been tested. We’ll be looking very cautiously at the next opportunities at the next gatherings… it might be that the tensions between the participants would be so great that it just will not be a productive time to have those meetings. They’re better waiting till later down the line.’
While the conflict is still going on, Rabbi Elton suggests it is best to preserve the community ties that members of the community have worked for years building, than a temporary suspension from interfaith activities and conversations is preferable to cutting all ties completely.
“No one actually benefits when the faith groups are in times of tension. They all feel less secure, less safe.’”
He also stated the practical need for interfaith action, particularly advocating for end-of-life care and religious freedom. ‘It’s just about each of us creating a society in which everyone feels safe and secure and is able to live religious lives as they would wish, and that involves meeting and talking. “
However, if conversations about Jews and Israel arise, Rabbi Elton stated the importance of truth-telling: ‘You can’t allow antisemitism or lies to go unchallenged. In the interest of long, cordial relations, this isn’t the time to go and seek out those conversations.’
In Melbourne, Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann and Rabbi Ralph Genende resigned from the Jewish Muslim Christian Association due to a lack of comment regarding the Hamas terrorist attack.
Rabbi Elton added: ‘They’re entitled to take their own view. They’re very experienced rabbis in interfaith work and I could see how they would feel very let down when people they’ve been working with and they’ve regarded as colleagues on that body, don’t step up and condemn what was very obviously an unacceptable act of terrorism.’
