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What Do We Value?

Written by Andrew Freeman

 

Each person coming from a different background and different upbringing has different values. Each individual has many of those values that they hold dear. So how then of the many different values and ideals from 21 Nachshon fellows do you agree on ten core values that would make up our ideal jewish community?

 

On Monday Night, this was the task we were given by Rabbi Josh. Each one of us was given a chance to come up with ten values that we believe are most important in shaping an ideal Jewish environment. After we chose our ten values, we paired up and decided in those pairs which 10 values between the pair was most important. We then put pairs together until there were two groups. By that time discussion was a nice balance of those who could talk the loudest and those who were the best at cutting in, with a little side of those who would occasionally make a good point that would shift the discussion another way. Somehow each group (now either of eleven or nine) was able to come up with a set of 10 values that the group agreed upon.

 

What interested me the most about this activity, was not only that coming from different backgrounds we had so many different values, but that even the values that we had in common, were interpreted in different ways. For example, one would interpret Integrity as similar to Honesty while another would feel it would more closely relate to humility, two very separate entities. Another interesting twist to this activity, was the fact that negotiation played a huge part in the outcome, Rabbi Josh kept saying that sometimes we need to sacrifice our own values for the sake of the greater good. We couldn't use all 210 of the values that we made for our own ideal Jewish Community. We had to give and take, pick our battles, sacrifice one for the sake of another. As much of a lesson this was in Jewish Values, it was also an extremely valuable lesson in negotiating sides.

 

This activity taught us all an extremely important lesson. One's values are no more important than the values of the community at large and the goal we are trying to achieve is finding the values we all hold dear.