Tree of Life: Agree to Disagree: Strong Relationships, Different Opinions (Pack of 10)

An information and resource guide about maintaining friendships and family relationships amid strongly held political difference.

Political disagreements and culture wars are tearing apart our communities, often affecting our closest relationships. Throughout history, Jewish people have intensely disagreed – but continued to thrive. What can we learn from these ancestral values and wisdom? Agreeing to disagree is hard. What techniques can help us stay in relationships with people with whom we disagree in sometimes intense and hurtful ways?

Written by Rabbi Abigail Treu, the spiritual leader of Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange, NJ. Rabbi Treu has served on the board of Big Tent Judaism, working to build Jewish communities welcoming to all kinds of Jewish families. She is co-author of The Bible’s Top 50 Ideas and has written articles and op-eds for a variety of publications.

This 8-page pamphlet, sold in packs of 10, includes a connection to Jewish texts, resources from both within and outside the Jewish community, and a ritual—such as a blessing or meditation—to offer ongoing support and coping mechanisms. (The 5 x 7” pamphlets are designed to fit existing racks)

Tree of Life is a series of pastoral care pamphlets spanning a wide range of social and emotional topics to offer information, resources, and support to congregants.

People come into a synagogue and other Jewish institutions with a variety of needs. It can be difficult for the clergy and other leaders to be able to address all the demands of their community. These pamphlets give you outreach tools to support congregants who wish to explore what may be stigmatized issues in a comforting, spiritual, and information-based way that can also open a pathway to deeper conversation.

Written by rabbis and/or experts on the subjects, each pamphlet includes a connection to Jewish texts, resources from both within and outside the Jewish community, and a ritual—such as a blessing or meditation—to offer ongoing support and coping mechanisms.

Topics include

• Coping With Depression and Anxiety
• When a Loved One Dies
• Caring for Your Elderly Parents
• Jewish Views of the Afterlife
• Understanding Gender Diversity
• Responding to Antisemitism
• Divorce
• Facing Illness: Healing the Spirit
• Fertility and Pregnancy Loss
• When a Family Member Comes Out as LGBTQIA+
• …and more.

Pamphlets are 8 pages long and are sold in packs of 10. In a convenient 5 x 7 inch format , the pamphlets are easy to hold and designed to fit in existing racks.