SIMONE SULCAS Chairperson, Cape SAJBD
I recently returned from a trip to Michigan with my husband. We visited our son, who is a student athlete at a small university.
He is the only South African soccer player, and the only Jew, at his university – quite the transition to make when you grew up in a close-knit Cape Town Jewish community. I remember leaving him there three years ago, knowing not a soul and fretting over how he would fit in and adapt to his new life.
Fast forward three years and a couple of sports injuries, we visited Howell, Michigan, population 10 000. We watched him play, shouted for his team and spent a week interacting with his friends, coaches and teammates. His easy integration, I believe, was fast-tracked by the fact that he is part of a team that creates a common purpose, a shared vision. They are all connected by a passion for soccer which transcends their different religions, nationalities and cultures. This is true for any business or community organisation. A group of people with different personalities and backgrounds are thrust together, and they somehow have to get the job done. Without a strong sense of purpose and a passion for their work, this would be nigh impossible.
In my professional life, I work with a variety of different people. If anything, it enhances my work experience. I absorb the wisdom of those with more experience, and I am invigorated by the fresh ideas of the newbies. We swap stories about Eid, Easter and Pesach, appreciating our diversity. When channeled correctly and in good faith, a multitude of perspectives enhances decision-making and improves outcomes.
In my community life, I believe this to be doubly true. The Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies consists of 19 lay leaders with different backgrounds, professions, and personalities. Though we are all Jewish, that certainly does not mean we agree on everything. Quite the opposite, in fact. What I must emphasise is that this is a feature, not a bug, of the Board’s design. It is through our differing perspectives, through our diversity, that the community is best served and represented. Rarely is there a simple solution to a complex problem, and so while everyone holding the same viewpoints might speed up our meetings, we would fail to properly consider how to address the myriad challenges that lie before us. Our deliberations can be spirited, but that only reflects each person’s desire to chart the path forward in the way they believe is best. We are united in our passion and love for the Cape Town Jewish Community, and so I am confident that our diversity of experiences and perspectives is something not to lament, but rather to embrace. ●
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