Bloomington’s Jewish community has deep roots that have nurtured local leadership and prosperity. The spiritual leader of the Twin Cities’ sole synagogue is encouraged by the Cities’ modern spirit of interfaith outreach and committed to helping educate her members in living as “a Jew and an American.”
Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe, who sang with and fielded questions at Moses Montefiore Congregation’s Sunday community open house, noted the event was the latest in a series of open houses which also have exposed local residents to Islamic and Hindu traditions and beliefs.
Dubowe participated in a December interfaith rally/vigil at the Old Courthouse in Bloomington, along with Christians, Muslims, and Hindus. That event was aimed in part at countering mounting Islamophobia heightened by presidential campaign rhetoric.
“There are still people today who unfortunately have a lack of understanding or perhaps a lack of compassion in recognizing that we do have neighbors who have a different background, a different faith, or even a different culture,” said Dubowe, who has been with Moses Montefiore for roughly a year.
“We need to really continue to teach that lesson – reinforcing respect for our difference. We do have much in common, more than people might now. . . We value the concept of compassion; we value the concept of education.”
Moses Montefiore is a Reform Jewish congregation more “progressive” than Conservative or Orthodox synagogues. Previously, the general public has visited the temple primarily during its annual Food Fair, when brown bag corned beef sandwiches are served or delivered to hundreds of Twin Citians.
Dubowe sees a strong, firmly established local Jewish presence “that is very active in the community,” and is encouraged by her community’s commitment to leadership and social justice and a lack of anti-Semitic sentiment in Bloomington/Normal.
At the same time, she emphasizes the need to educate and instill “a confident sense of identity” particularly in younger Jews and, in a currently challenging domestic religious and political environment and turbulent international times, to assure her congregants “it is possible for them to live as a Jew and an American at the same time.”
“Even within the Jewish community, there are wide differences of opinion about how America should be,” the rabbi noted. “However, we feel very strongly that everyone has the right to practice their religion in any way possible. We do have a great sense of pride in who we are, but understanding that we do live in a small town, we are the only Jewish synagogue here, and we do feel that it’s important to support the synagogue.”
