They say that no one ever sets out to start a revolution. Rather, a confluence of factors collide, and it is only in retrospect that some radical change has taken hold. So it might be foolish and arrogant to say that we are publishing this magazine with the intention of starting a revolution, but we are.
Two thousand five hundred years ago, the prophet Yeshaya (1:23–26) bemoaned the fact that the orphan and widow—those who did not have the typical family structure—were marginalized and ignored. While our community has undoubtedly heard his call, as evidenced by the myriad chesed organizations and initiatives addressing his critique, there is still much work to be done.
By featuring individuals and organizations that are making a difference in this space, and by highlighting the voices and stories of single men and women, our hope is that one day soon there will be no need to remind community members to treat an “older single” with respect, no need to create initiatives to invite a widow for a Shabbos meal, no need to set up systems to ensure the child with no one to sit with in shul is not left alone, and no need to elevate the message that every single man or woman—Kol Echad—regardless of marital status, is just the same as everyone else. If anything, the obstacles they must overcome are worthy of even greater admiration.
This is our objective and dream at Kol Echad, in particular, and the OU’s Communal Engagement department in general – to create a better space, not only for single men and women, but a better community for us all. A healthy community is one in which everyone feels like they belong.
I am excited to share this limited series magazine with you, filled with thoughtful content written by well-known writers, including Yaakov Langer and Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt. However, revolutions do not occur by reading a magazine. They take place through collective action, when those who hear the call of Yeshaya are inspired to make a difference in their own little corner. If you are moved by what you read, I encourage you to share this magazine with friends and neighbors and discuss together how you can bring this change to your community, your shul, or even your neighborhood block.
As radical as this may seem, the revolution we speak of is one that every Jew yearns for daily—the revolution called redemption. Yeshaya informs us that until our communities can proudly proclaim that everyone in our midst feels like they belong, there is still work to be done. Let’s do our part to make his vision a reality.
To sign up for the Kol Echad Limited Series E-Magazine, click here; https://www.ou.org/kolechademail/