Is inclusion always good? What does it look like to open our communal “tent” a little wider – to actively consider how to include people with differing needs, abilities, and perspectives? And when might we decide to maintain boundaries that keep some groups or people out? In this resource, learners will explore inclusion through a music mashup, wisdom from the Passover Seder, and a mock debate.
Session Objective: Through exploring the value of inclusivity, particularly how a wider tent is not always better, learners will develop new insights that support their ability to identify when to pursue inclusivity and when to set boundaries.
A “mashup” is a musical way of combining two different parts of a song to create a new sound (e.g. the lyrics from one song to the beat of another). This technique can be used as a metaphor for how we can work more at integrating and including what might seem “too different” on the surface, but given a chance, can create something beautiful.
Facilitator plays a mashup from the Jewish group, The Maccabeats, and prompts discussion:
Facilitator prompts group:
Here is one definition. I am curious to hear what you think. What might be missing? Inclusivity is our ability to widen the circle of people who can feel a sense of belonging to a community. That community can relate to our circle of friends, work environment, Jewish community, neighborhood, or society. Inclusivity can be expressed through our attitudes, actions, and aspirations for the kind of communities and society we want to build.
Facilitator prompts further discussion:
Whenever we make a guest list for an event, dinner, or party, we need to consider, who do I include and who don’t include. This was the case back in Jewish history when Abraham and Sarah invited guests into their tents and remains true today when we make the guest list for our Shabbat dinners, Passover Seders, and other Jewish gatherings. The Passover Haggadah (the book we read at the Passover seder) says the following in Aramaic: הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִּי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַּׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַּׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין. (Pesach Haggadah, Magid, Ha Lachma Anya 3) This is the bread of anya that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Anyone who is famished should come and eat, anyone who needs should come and partake of the Pesach sacrifice. Now we are here, next year we will be in the land of Israel; this year we are slaves, next year we will be free people.
Facilitator prompts group:
Note to facilitator: You might decide to point out that sharing a text in Aramaic itself can give us a window into inclusivity and exclusivity. Aramaic was introduced to the Middle East by the conquering Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires. For this period, then (about 700–320 B.C.E.), Aramaic held a position similar to that occupied by English today. Back then, introducing a text in Aramaic would likely be an inclusive gesture. However nowadays Aramaic survives as a spoken language only in small communities in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. How might the language we use communicate inclusivity or exclusivity?
Facilitator prompts group to reflect:
Pop Up that come after 2 clicks on page just for one time in coockes session
