Recently I found myself on campus without anything to do during a lengthy break between classes. Looking for an activity to fill my time, I wandered to the library. Out of sheer curiosity, I typed in “Judaism” on the library catalog, wrote down the call number for the first book on the list, and made my way upstairs to find it.
When I arrived at the appropriate section, one set of medium sized, blue books immediately caught my attention. It was an 18 volume set, titled A Social and Religious History of the Jews, written by Salo Wittmayer Baron. I pulled down Volume One and began to read the introduction. Being the closet history buff that I am, I was enamored within seconds. As I kept reading, two passages stood out and left me feeling quite sentimental.
First was Baron’s assertion that from the very beginning in the Diaspora, the Jewish people took care of their poor. Infrastructure was set up in cities like Rome and Alexandria to care for those who could not care for themselves. Second was his discussion about the development of the synagogue. Baron mentions that these houses of worship doubled as temporary shelters for Jewish merchants who were passing through.
Both examples make it clear that the Jewish people have always placed a high priority on taking care of their own. This attitude has been cultivated throughout the ages, and has undoubtedly played a role in maintaining the strength of Jewish communities around the world. Furthermore, it is a tradition which I am incredibly proud to be a part of.
And even on a microcosmic level, this sense of kinship with fellow Jews has many practical uses. Consider the following anecdote. When I moved to Vancouver from Seattle last year, I needed to find a new dentist. One morning my mother called a Jewish friend in New York, who happened to know some Jewish people in Vancouver. In a matter of days I had an email in my inbox referring me to a “wonderful Jewish dentist” in the area. Being a member of the Tribe has its perks.
