Rabbi Klein selected as Social Justice Scholar
Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein has been selected as the Hollander Social Justice Fellow for the National Havurah Institute held this year at the University of Hartford, Connecticut in late July. She will presenting six hours of programming about building bridges and connections to do the work of social justice.
She was chosen because of her long history of doing precisely that both in Elgin and in Lowell, Massachusetts.
"I am excited to be representing Congregation Kneseth Israel and Elgin on a wider stage. I believe we here in Elgin have a better model that we are proving time and time again works," Rabbi Klein said. "Not perfectly. Not all the time but consistently."
The core planning team is excited to have Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein bring her experience and enthusiasm to the Havurah community.
"Our theme this year is 'Speaking to the heart with strength and compassion.' We look forward to sharing the work that Margaret has done and strategizing how to bring it home with us to all of our communities," said Rabbi Susan Gulack, from the National Havurah Institute.
One of the reasons she was chosen was to talk about intersectionality. Another reason was because of her work with the Elgin Police Department, both as a community leader and as a police chaplain.
"That's sometimes been a hard line to walk, especially this year. Even before Ferguson, members of the clergy were meeting with the mayor and the chief of police about racism. After Ferguson I was asked by a national Jewish organization, T'ruah, to go to Ferguson to be a silent witness with other clergy," Rabbi Klein said. "I called Chief Swoboda and Mayor Kaptain and said I had been asked to go. If they objected I wouldn't but I felt even then we had a better model. They said go. I went. That hard work continues.
"Even today. And for the foreseeable future as we transition to a new command staff. As part of the preparation of this program I have sat down with the mayor and our new soon to be Chief Lalley," Rabbi Klein said.
Another program she will be highlighting is the work that Elgin City of Peace, Gail Borden Public Library and others did around "City of Peace, Stories of Peace." Rabbi Frisch Klein will be telling a story of peace and a craft for the KidsCamp. In addition, the bibliography prepared as part of Elgin's program will be available for distribution.
Congregation Kneseth Israel and Elgin goes with her. She recently held a meeting at the synagogue to talk about intersectionality, when it works and when it doesn't work. They also looked at various texts to explain how working in groups, in community, building coalitions and not working alone helps achieve the goals of creating a more just world.
"The conversation was very rich that night and deep. It increased my understanding of the topic and I can't wait to teach what we at Congregation Kneseth Israel and in Elgin already do so well," Rabbi Klein said.
The National Havurah Institute will be held from July 23-30. Afterward, Rabbi Frisch Klein will teach at NewCAJE, a conference for Jewish educators, also being held at the University of Hartford. Continuing the theme, she will be teaching on how to teach Jewish texts in a politically diverse world, again, something Elgin does well.