Yesterday, I attended an open house at our newly joined Jewish synagogue. Tucson is a moderate sized city, and the Jewish community is even smaller. Though it is small, it is a tight community and very welcoming. Moving to Tucson from Los Angeles about 9 years ago, it was so foreign running into people I know just about every where I go in town. Los Angeles is so large, and it becomes natural to feel anonymous there. There are days when I wish I could be more anonymous in Tucson, but really…..I love this small-town mentality.
At yesterday’s open house, it didn’t matter that I was newbie. I knew most of the people who were there anyway, and it made me realize something. Community is essential to making a city your home. It is amazing that I can hop from synagogue to synagogue and know that no matter which one I am standing in, I will be able to connect. That is the way it’s supposed to be in a city, and that is why we need to look out for each other.
I wonder if it is like this with churches around town, too. I imagine it would be harder to feel that strong sense of community from church to church just because there are so many more churches than synagogues. I guess that may be one advantage to being in a minority.
Regardless, yesterday’s open house experience made me feel a bit like a hippie. Peace, love, happiness and community…..all very 1960′s concepts, but so relevant today, too. No worries friends…..I still prefer Monolos over Birkenstocks and Sephora over Sit-ins, but I do love being part of a community.
When I think of the song from the hippie era that really zeroed in on community feelings, I think of the Youngbloods singing “Get together.” Click HERE to hear the song on Youtube, and “Come on people now…smile on your brother..everybody get together and try to love one another right now!” Amen, Youngbloods! It feels good to “love one another!”