Allison Pillinger Choi: ‘Eating matzah brei with chopsticks’
To the Editors:
Mr. Abrams offered unique perspective on how “Religious Diversity Can Reform Our Campuses.” One might assume different religions are at odds and clash. However, Abrams explains how diminished spiritual grounding overall has contributed to today’s unrest at universities. He offers hope through religious diversity, a form of diversity bringing together students of varied socioeconomic, racial, cultural, and political backgrounds.
Soon after reading Abrams’ piece, my rabbi shared thoughts about the wide-ranging, impassioned opinions on current events: “Debate and difference of opinion are hallmarks of a healthy, democratic society. They are as Jewish as matzah ball soup.” This had me reflect on my personal journey embracing viewpoint diversity through religious diversity. Channeling Rabbi Arik’s food analogy, viewpoint diversity is as natural as eating matzah brei with chopsticks.
I’m a product of different types of diversity: ethnic, racial, and religious. Although I’m Jewish, my maternal grandparents were originally Buddhist. After escaping North Korea during the Korean War, they received physical and spiritual sustenance from Christian missionaries assisting refugees in South Korea. The teachings of Jesus were a source of support during difficult times and my grandparents eventually converted to Christianity. My mother was raised in the faith.
Years later, my Korean mom met my dad, a nice Jewish boy from Queens. Despite cultural differences, they shared deeper connections: personal values, virtues, and inexplicably, sense of humor! My mom fell in love not only with my dad but also Judaism. She converted, married, and started a family. Cherishing traditions of her upbringing, our family incorporated Christmas holiday cheer around Hanukkah and we joined Sunday service when visiting relatives in Seoul.
Blending diverse perspectives of Korean, Jewish, and American cultures enriched my formation. Things didn’t homogenize when starting my own family. I married a first-generation American who is Protestant, and we send our kids to a Catholic elementary school. Our kids also attend Hebrew school. It’s all truly a blessing!
Contributing and receiving diverse perspectives — spiritual, intellectual, political, cultural, and otherwise — informs new views, reshapes earlier views, and strengthens existing views by considering alternatives. As a board member of The Flip Side, a viewpoint diversity media startup founded by a Muslim American woman, I personally experience my perspective being constructively challenged and at times moved.
Could the work of incorporating viewpoint diversity be tricky or contentious? Of course. But rationally thinking through tension is a worthwhile exercise. At my alma mater, Harvard professor Eric Beerbohm observes, “the ability to engage in empathetic disagreement is like a muscle — it grows stronger with deliberate practice. These kinds of scenarios, where participants are challenged to inhabit new perspectives and make tough calls, provide exactly that kind of exercise.”
Today, universities can calm the unrest through values manifested by religious diversity. With these reinvigorated values, embracing viewpoint diversity could again be recognized as a civic responsibility for anyone participating in American democracy. As noted by Rabbi Arik, a healthy democratic society requires different opinions. A warm bowl of soup — matzah ball, sundubu, daal, or the like — helps, too.