The idea that Jews are in some way responsible for each other,
that the bond between them implies a deep sense of caring that -
in times of need - must translate into acts, is behind
everything that we have examined in this section. We have seen
some of the roots of this concept in the Biblical commandments
about treatment of the poor and unfortunates; but the fact is
that this concept is far more extensive and profound. It is to
this concept of mutual Jewish responsibility that we now turn,
in an attempt to deepen the students’ theoretical understanding
of the practical exercises in which the group has just
participated. The idea of mutual Jewish responsibility seems, at
first glance, a fairly banal and obvious concept; in fact, the
truth is very different. This concept goes right to the heart -
and perhaps to the soul - of the Jewish experience. It has
played an immeasurable part in the struggle for Jewish survival
over the generations. It is, moreover, an idea that has been
analyzed and commented upon hund