In time for Shavuot, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the reception of the 10 Commandments from God, Sally Berkovic, the CEO of the Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Europe, has written a long, thoughtful essay proposing “10 Commandments” of Jewish Heritage — her hope is to spark and intensify debate, discussion and further elaboration of the subject in the tradition of Jewish scholarship and learning. Jewish Heritage Europe is a project of the Rothschild Foundation.
As she puts it:
The 10 commandments, received on Shavuot, are conceptually divided as commandments between God and Man (e.g. loving God, obeying God) and those between Man and Man (e.g. not to kill, steal or commit adultery) Another term for God is Makom, literally ‘place’ and this essay offers a complementary set of 10 commandments that are between the Place and Man, and between Man and Man (and of course, Woman).
Jewish heritage refers to everything that touches upon Jewish life, culture, art, ritual, history and literature, everything that touches upon Jewish space and Jewish time. A Jewish language, a Jewish building, the Sabbath, the rise of Zionism, Sephardi wedding dress, cantorial music, your grandmother’s Passover plate, an illuminated manuscript, and in our digital age, Jewish websites are all part of a broad definition of Jewish heritage.
This essay introduces a set of 10 commandments – and like any Jewish text, could and should be debated, argued and developed further. These thoughts are based on my experience as CEO of the Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Europe and as such, tend to focus on Jewish heritage in Europe, but with the obvious exceptions of Holocaust-related memorials, could be applied and adapted to other countries.
I would also like to acknowledge the stellar work of specialists in the field who have dedicated their professional lives to preserving Jewish heritage and disseminating information about the challenges of maintaining Jewish heritage. I fear they will scoff at the way I have merely touched the surface of the topics raised, but these ‘commandments’ are construed to introduce readers to the breadth and complexity of the issues, rather than focus in depth on any one particular area.
Here are the basic points she posits — please read the full essay for the detailed description and please add your comments to continue the discussion!
1. Thou shalt not treat every old, derelict synagogue as sacrosanct
2. Thou shalt draw on the stores of knowledge contained in Jewish cemeteries and be programmatic about their ongoing preservation
3. Thou shalt guard your archives and implement an effective collection policy
4. Thou shalt acknowledge the complex role of museums and encourage their on-line presence
5. Thou shalt listen, record and document the voices of experience
6. Thou shall not make it cool to visit the death camps
7. Thou shalt ensure appropriate, sensitive and multi-lingual signage
8. Thou shalt acknowledge and support the selfless individuals caring for Jewish heritage
9. Thou shalt integrate a broad understanding Jewish heritage into the contemporary Jewish educational landscape
10. Thou shalt stay informed, think big, centralise information and embrace the digital age
Click here to read the full essay
3 comments on ““10 Commandments of Jewish Heritage” — what do you say?”
Thank you to Sally Berkovic for her thoughtful and thought-provoking ideas. “Commandment Eight” which refers to acknowledging and supporting selfless individuals who care for Jewish heritage struck a chord. A number of these very special people have been described in various publications and it always leaves me feeling that the Jewish world leaves their efforts largely un-praised and unrewarded.
I know of several people like this but the one who stands out for me is Antal Kocsis in Backa Topolya (Topola) in northern Serbia. This is one of the many towns in the area, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire where there was once a sizeable Jewish community. Mr Kocsis has restored the cemetery, has built a Holocaust memorial, organizes an annual remembrance and continues to do archival research, toiling largely alone with some support from family, volunteers and the municipality. We need to celebrate the achievement of such people.
Having attempted some cemetery restoration less than an hour away, I can attest to the indifference, stonewalling and outright anti-semitism in the area. And the few people like him just keep working, without reward or support.
many thanks giving words,impressive,to your musings!
it is a New Day,allow me to tell you my most important personal commandment:אודה לאל
[ Song at day break]:”
I shall give thanks to the Lord,who
Tests the heart,when the morning stars
Sing together.
Take care of the soul:she is turquoise,
Agate,and jasper.Her light is like the
Light of the sun ,like the light of seven
Mornings at once.
She was hewn from the Throne of
Glory ,sent to live in a desert land,to deliver it from fire,to shine upon it in
The early morning.
Rouse yourselves,for every night your
Soul goes to heaven to account for its
Actions before the Maker of evening and morning.”
Anonymous[The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse]
Such words of wisdom and gratefulness !
Dear Sally,
Thank you very much for the 10 commandments of Jewish Heritage you gave to me. You gave a very special encouragement before Shavuot. Reading your deep thoughts I got a great deep inspiration to take easy the challenges and obstacles on the Jewish Heritage preservation we face.
It is very important to exchange thoughts the way you did it. It makes us a family united with the spiritual bright light you expressed for the goal we all dedicated our lives.
Yaasher Koach, Tizku le Mitsvoth
Meylakh Sheykhet