Last weekend, we had the privilege of welcoming Pamela Rae Schuller to our community for a weekend of comedy, storytelling and inspiration. Pamela is an internationally known inclusion advocate. Her extraordinary personal story of growing up with the most severe known case of Tourette's Syndrome in the United States - and turning that challenge into professional and personal success - was engaging, funny, a little bit heart wrenching, and deeply meaningful.

One of the poignant messages Pamela shared was distinguishing between thinking about inclusion not as a mitzvah or charity, but instead to think about inclusion as tzedek, or justice. "It is not a mitzvah to let me in the door," shared Pamela. "Opening your door to those with disabilities is not enough. There is a critical difference between tolerance and full inclusion. If we are practicing full inclusion, our communities should be celebrating each person and what they bring to the community, not just what they demand of it."  

It was with her words in mind that when reading that week's Torah reading, the description of the special incense mixture burned in the Tabernacle jumped out at me.  When reviewing the different herbs and balms that went into the mixture, our commentators reflect that not all the ingredients were similar. In fact, there were some that were quite unique, and one might assume that the combination would result in a foul smell. 

However, the opposite was true. So pleasant was the aroma that our tradition teaches that the people in Jericho could smell it 27 miles away. Hidden within this important biblical ritual is an important message to us about the holiness that can be achieved when we celebrate the unique attributes that contribute to the whole.  

Ultimately, as Pamela shared, “when we have a community that appreciates each person and what that person brings, the entire community benefits. A fully inclusive community is celebrating the unique qualities that everyone brings to the table, creating a safer and stronger community of trust, where people can be uniquely themselves.” 

May we continue to create that strong and trusting community where people can be “uniquely themselves.” 

Shabbat Shalom,
Eric Maurer
Executive Director
emaurer@ujcvp.org