As Hillel grows, it is very important for everyone to know that wherever Hillel plants its flag, we must be – and we will be – a place where all Jews feel welcome to learn and engage in Jewish life, no matter their family background, their spiritual path, their race, their sexual orientation, their political opinions, and no matter what other organizations a student may choose to join. Our Hillels on campus and in communities are committed to being a safe and welcoming space for all.
So let me say it again – all students are invited and are welcome at Hillel. Period. Full stop.
Now people sometimes confuse our commitment to welcoming all students with our ability to work with other organizations, particularly those that are also working with Jewish students on their campus or in their communities. So let me spend a moment on that topic. Our Hillels want to partner with other organizations. When a program is proposed by a student representing another organization, I know that my colleagues on campus try hard to find a way to work together. Regarding Israel specifically, all Hillels want to sponsor programs, whenever possible, that cover the widest possible range of debate within the pro-Israel community. But if the program does not fit Hillel’s mission, or for any other reason won’t work for that particular Hillel at that particular time, they will respectfully decline.
Unfortunately, there are also going to be organizations – very few I hope – whose mission, goals and tactics make it impossible for Hillel to work with them at all. This is regrettable, but it is the reality.
Hillel welcomes and supports pro-Israel groups and students who have different opinions on the peace process. We encourage students to learn from the different perspectives and to become active in the groups they find most compelling. We will encourage and insist on respect and civility between the pro-Israel groups, even as they may disagree.
As most of you know from personal experience, Hillel and J Street U have had many occasions to partner together, both on campus and nationally. Because J Street U is an organization with a particular political mission, and Hillel is an umbrella organization working to build and sustain the Jewish community on campus, our agendas will sometimes coincide and sometimes not. The key to making our relationship work is our ability to be respectful to each other when our organizational missions diverge. In other words, what do we do when we disagree about something?
The answer is found in our Jewish tradition. Hillel the Elder, after whom our organization is of course named, famously had a rival in the Sanhedrin by the name of Shammai. The Hillel – Shammai debates were sort of the Lincoln – Douglas debates of their time. A well-known passage in the Talmud tells the following story: For three years there was a dispute between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, the former asserting “The law (halakha) is according to our view,” and the latter asserting, “The law is according to our view.” To resolve the dispute, a voice from heaven announced, “The teaching of both are the words of the living God.”
אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים
But, the voice from heaven continued, “the law is in agreement with the School of Hillel.” In other words, even though both interpretations were valid, the community is instructed to follow the ruling of the School of Hillel. Of course, the Talmud goes on to ask the obvious next question: “Since both are the words of the living God, for what reason was the School of Hillel entitled to have the law determined according to their rulings?” And the answer is given: “Because they were kindly and humble, and because they studied their own ruling and those of the School of Shammai, and even mentioned the teaching of the School of Shammai before their own.”