Being "different" is not only acceptable, but seems to be recommended, in a society that not long ago had a prototype of the White Anglo Saxon Protestant as a synonym of the perfect American.

The use of the terminology "African American" and "Native American" is not only to avoid a pejorative language. It shows a strong determination to incorporate in our society, singular traditions and different perspectives.

In the United States, if your grades are above average, and you are African-American, Hispanic or Hindu, your possibilities to enter an Ivy League University are higher than the ones of third generation American-Jews. Colleges prioritize the inclusion of women, African-Americans and Hispanics among their faculty, and the contribution of the Native American culture to the American society is stressed more and more. Chinese, Mexican, Brazilian, Hindu, Italian, Mediterranean and vegetarian food are not any more exclusive to the residents of San Francisco, New York City and Washington D.C. Here in Roanoke (please, not today) you can eat Sushi, Egg Rolls, Falafel, Tacos and Spaghetti, as you did in the big cities many years ago.

But this emphasis on diversity is not exclusive to American society. In Argentina, for example, although the Argentinean people are mainly Catholic, being Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness or Baptist is not an anathema any more. That doesn’t mean necessarily that there is not anti-Semitism in Argentina, but more people are familiar with a different language, richer than the one they used to use. In Buenos Aires, for example, where the biggest shopping malls belong to Jewish businessmen, the owners not only encouraged the opening of the first Kosher Mac-Donald outside Israel, but they fixed a Mezuzah in the main door of the Mall. For Argentina, this is a paramount change.

Israeli society is also dealing differently with diversity. When the State of Israel was founded 51 years ago, Ben Gurion encouraged the creation of a distinctively Israeli society. He didn’t want Russian-Israelis, Moroccan-Israelis or German-Israelis. The "Sabra" society was the model. New immigrants were asked and many times forced to give up their former names and traditions, and Hebrew was strictly imposed as the only language in colleges, business and arts. Today, stores, banks and schools offer services in many languages (Russian, Spanish, English and French, among others). You can spend one year in an Yeshiva in Jerusalem studying Torah in Portuguese, and you can go to Russian movies with Hebrew subtitles or to Israeli movies with Russian subtitles. If your name is Vladimir, Claudio or Rick, you don’t need to change it to be part of the Israeli society anymore. Moreover, diversity is encouraged more and more.

"Vive le difference!" Seems to be the slogan for the coming era.

When a couple of months ago, the chief of the Fire Department of the Roanoke Valley invited me to be part of the corps of Chaplains within the force, my first thought was: "They don’t have many volunteers so they called me". Then, when they invited me to the first meeting and gave me a beautiful badge of the Fire-EMS Department of Roanoke, with a Star of David on it, I was really touched.

However, when three weeks ago, Lieutenant Clayton, an African-American officer of the Police Department of the Roanoke Valley, asked me to be part of the selective group of Chaplains of the Department, I was really surprised. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that my courage and ferocity were not in Lieutenant Clayton’s mind when he offered me such an honor. He then explained to me that a Jewish person could die or be injured in an accident –God forbid- and my presence could be helpful to notify the family of the bad news. Anyway, he rushed to tell me: "Rabbi, I don’t think we will keep you very busy".

I thanked Lieutenant Clayton for his offer and told him that he could count on me for whatever I could do to be helpful. However, I tried to inquire a little more why suddenly, Fire and Police officers had such an interest to have me, a Jewish-Argentinean Rabbi who has not even gotten his "Green Card" and who lives in a city where 99 % of its population is Christian, as an honorary member of their Departments?

Lieutenant Clayton breathed deeply, sat down comfortably in my office’s armchair and told me: "Rabbi, diversity is the answer. Everything today is about diversity". The diversity and richness within the population of the United States –explained Lieutenant Clayton- needs to find its expression in business, science, politics and art. Even the Fire and Police Department can not escape diversity. Part of the training programs that Lieutenant Clayton is running is destined to introduce new recruits to the fact that our society is shaped and built by many different components.

During a big part of our century, minorities tried to camouflage themselves within the majority. Jews, Irish, Poles and Hispanics tried to assimilate as soon as possible "the American way", giving up their distinctive language, garments, culture and traditions. Most of the immigrants –Jews included- did very well in America, and they, and if not they, their children found a place in business, science and arts.

I don’t want you to misunderstand me. That doesn’t mean that Jews rejected their Judaism, but they confined it to public worship or to home-rituals which took a place once a week, once a month or once a year. Some expressed their Judaism through charity and others by supporting the State of Israel. For many other Jews the American way was incompatible with the Jewish way, and they gave up their heritage which they had stopped trying to understand long ago.

However, suddenly, American society is telling us: We want you to be yourself! We don’t want you to be only American! America needs your Judaism! Your traditions, your holidays, your distinctive language are welcome here! We need the wisdom of your Talmud, the mystery of your Kabala, the religiousness of your Hassidic Masters. Last Monday, the Roanoke Times quoted, in an article about "Character and Manners", the book ‘Toward a Meaningful Life’ based on the teachings of the last Lubavicher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The author is a psychologist in North Carolina, and I am sure he could find resources about "Character and Manners" among his books of psychology. However, he decided to support his ideas with the wisdom of the Rebbe.

I know it sounds amazing, but it is true. We are facing a situation in which, in order to succeed in science, business and politics, not only will you not need to give up the aspects of your life which differentiate you from others, but also you will be asked to stress those aspects. The question that multinational corporations will ask their prospective employees is; how can you enrich us? What do you bring with you?

Loyalty to your traditions, knowledge of your texts, and resolution to stand firmly by your convictions will gain you respect from your family, friends, co-workers, employees and customers.

The question is not about how much we like diversity or not. Diversity is the trend of the coming millennium and nothing will stop it. The real question is; where will you be when diversity will knock on your door? When your friends at school, knowing that you are Jewish, will ask you to tell them about your traditions, will you know what to answer? When your children’s teacher will ask them to share their religious practices, will they be ready?

Paradoxically, American society is asking us to be Jewish. Three decades ago, thinking about a Rabbi being asked to serve as a chaplain in the Police department could be part of a weird dream. Three weeks ago I was asked to serve as a chaplain, not despite the fact I am Jewish, but because I am Jewish.

The main contribution the Jewish people have always made to the societies in whose midst they lived was through its uniqueness.

Let’s enjoy the privilege of being different in a society for which being different has started to become a blessing. Let’s show our Judaism openly, without arrogance, but with pride. Let’s put a Mezuzah in the front door of our office or our business, let’s keep Kashrut publicly, sharing with our non-Jewish friends the joy of God’s commandments. Let’s make a commitment to not attend school on Jewish holidays, and if a test or an important class is taking place on Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, let’s use our right to ask for another date. You will be surprised how much your teacher and friends will understand and respect you.

I would like to challenge you today, to make a personal commitment in your personal and family life, to add more color to your Jewish practice and Jewish experience, not only to enrich yourself but also to enrich American society. People will respect you, because people respect authenticity, and for a Jew nothing is more authentic than being Jewish.

And may God bless every one of you and your families with health, and joy, with peace of spirit and sustenance, with a good and sweet year.

Gemar Jatima Tova!