Shropshire non-religious group to hear about diversity within Judaism
An organisation for non-religious people in Shropshire is hosting an online talk on diversity in one of the world's big religions.
Shropshire Humanists welcomes people of any religious faith or none to an online talk in Diversity Within Judasim from 7.30pm on Thursday, November 18.
Mark and Sue Michaels will talk about the diversity within Judaism; distinguishing between ethnic or genetic groups. The political spectrum extends from Zionist Jews, to non-political Jews, through to Anti-Zionist Jews
Mark and Sue will illustrate how in fact Jews may differ from one another hugely in both beliefs and lifestyle. A singular label or identity, like Jew, usually causes unhelpful and often misleading generalisation.
Simon Nightingale, who chairs Shropshire Humanists, said the Zoom talk aims to put the spotlight on what is known as "solitary identifiers", those people "who ignore the fact that all our lives are actually pretty much the same.
"We get up and take the kids to school, go to work to earn to make a better life for our families; we meet up with friends and talk about family, politics, house prices and football.
"Every one of us may have a unique pattern of different identities, but overall we’re far more similar in so many more ways than you’d think from lumping people together by their religion, nationality or ethnicity. History has taught us labelling leads to prejudice and discrimination."
Mark and Sue are active members of Shropshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) which sets the RE syllabus for Shropshire state schools.
They are also members and supporters of Shrewsbury and South Shropshire Interfaith forums; regularly going into schools to discuss Judaism with the pupils.
Simon adds: "Mark and Sue teach RE pupils that when they meet someone with a different label, ignore the label and find out what you both have in common; for what you have in common will be more important and certainly much more interesting than their single label."
People who wish to attend attend the Zoom meeting or have any queries should email Simon Nightingale at dr.simon.nightingale@gmail.com
