Celebration

I was in Birmingham two weeks ago, and that’s where I stumbled across the spirit of Christmas, not at the Christmas Market, nor at Birmingham Cathedral, but at a Hebrew School established just 6 years into Queen Victoria’s reign.

It seemed especially relevant this year, with Hannukah and Christmas coinciding, Hannukah’s first candle to be lit the evening of December 24^th and the last one January 1^st.

Birmigham’s King David School, founded in 1843, served the Jewish community in Birmingham for well over 120 years.

Then, some 50 years ago, due to a decline in the size of the local Jewish community, the school decided its future rested in admitting students from other faith communities.

The first to appear were local Muslims, who appreciated the school’s dietary laws, so similar to their own, its reverence for learning and its high academic standards and didn’t seem the least bit concerned about learning Jewish prayers.

The Jewish students welcomed them, and seemed happy to learn about Muslim customs.

Next came Church of England students, who weren’t the least bit phased by studying with Jewish and Muslim students, and not only appreciated the school’s disciplined approach to studies, but also seemed to pick up Hebrew quite easily.

These days, the students at King David School (http://www.kingdavid.org.uk) are about 40% Jewish, 40% Muslim and 20% Christian. Countless lifelong friendships have been formed. Mutual respect is a given.

At a time of year when we all contemplate and celebrate, in different ways, the indestructibility of hope, Birmingham’s King David School is a welcoming beacon, a lighthouse, a lantern piercing the darkness of bigotry.

As far as I know, the King David experience is unique: I wish it were universal.