And what, pray tell, is so horrible about being the head of Jewish services in Alabama, as your June 20 First Punch states?
Sure, we may have only 10,000 Jews in the whole state; but our communities have a rich history of involvement in the larger community, and have always played a vital role in bettering the state.
In Birmingham, we have one of the highest per-capita Jewish Federation campaign giving rates, high synagogue affiliation, congregational relations beyond denominational lines that would be the envy of most other cities, and a unique sense of pride in being both Jewish and Southern. Our Jewish Community Center is huge for a community our size, and has a large
non-Jewish membership.
Others often ask if it is safe to be Jewish here, or if we’re constantly worrying about the Klan. While we have the occasional church-state battle to keep life interesting, it isn’t a problem. Mostly, we have evangelicals who love us because God said to do so in Gen. 12:3 (yes, unconditionally).
So I have no idea what your perception of our great state is. But it does show that y’all ain’t from ’round here, are you?
Larry Brook, editor
Deep South Jewish Voice
Birmingham, Alabama
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2007.