Introduction to the Eighth Celebration of Abraham: Moving Beyond Victimhood

Michael Hirsch

January 30, 2011

Jews, Christians, Muslims, persons of color, women, children, lesbians and gays, wives, people who speak with an accent or don’t speak the same language, bisexuals, transvestites, people born in other countries, people with physical or mental handicaps, people who dress differently, white people, people who in some way are different than others who form the predominant group, the aged, people with a different political point of view, and people who were just being people and who simply were in the wrong place at the wrong time..

Who here does not belong to one or more of those groups. In case you didn’t notice, no one raised their hand. That means each of us either directly or indirectly have in our own lives or in the life of the groups to which we belong, been subjected to victimization.

For the past seven years, here at the celebration of Abraham, we have been on a journey of discovery; of one another and the various groups to which we all belong. We have become familiar to one another and have developed bonds of friendship and understanding which have reduced the fears which come from lack of knowing.