Inevitably a Jew stands out. Dress sets some of the religious apart while name and face mark most of the less observant. This is the reality of being a Jew; there is no room for moral dilemmas in confronting what is inevitable. The same can’t be said for the choices we make that bring us as individuals and, like it or not, as representatives of all Jews into the glare of the public eye. Some frown when they see a Jew walking through the street wearing his Talis, yet enjoy the sight of Sukkahs standing proudly in front yards. Almost every Jew feels more than a touch of pride when the world acclaims the Jewish mind even as we become a little nervous about lavish public displays of Jewish wealth. Of course our leaders must make their voices heard on Capitol Hill, but when individual Jews bring a moral issue to the press some feel that all Jews have been dragged unwillingly into the threatening world of publicity. Was the retiring ghetto Jew of Europe safer or are we, the integrated public Jews of America, safer? Does the Torah require Jews to pursue their religion in the exile without watching the world out of the corner of our eyes to ensure that we aren’t running afoul of public sentiment or are we cautioned to tread cautiously for fear of arousing enmity and violence. Are we meant to seek the preacher’s soap box and emulate Abraham our Forefather, educating the world in the universal lessons of truth and loving kindness; or are we to keep our own council and allow the nations to find their own paths to their destinies?And above all, who among us can make decisions that can affect all of us?
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