“There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living” Nelson Mandela
After months of waiting, of filling in forms and applications and facing fierce interviews, I set off on my Schusterman Leadership Fellowship with the hope that I could learn something valuable to bring home. What I experienced was beyond my hopes. I learned how diverse Jewish Identity actually is, and how brave some Jewish communities are needing to be. I also learnt that while we stare out across oceans, we have so much to be proud of here in Cape Town.
Our past leaders have built a community that is one-of-a-kind. This legacy now needs to be carried into the future by our current professional staff and lay-leaders. The community of Cape Town, through organisations like the Eliot Osrin Leadership Institute, is seeing the start of an investment in lay- and professional leadership which will play a key role in building a sustainable and resilient Cape Town community.
While we focus on changing ourselves to change our community, may we find our way into Brave Spaces.
Invitation to Brave Space
By Micky ScottBey Jones
Together we will create brave space
Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”
We exist in the real world
We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.
In this space
We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,
We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,
We call each other to more truth and love
We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.
We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.
We will not be perfect.
This space will not be perfect.
It will not always be what we wish it to be
But
It will be our brave space together,
and
We will work on it side by side.
