If you’re a regular at shul, you’ll know Thomas Bailey is a steadfast presence. Communications & Marketing Committee member Eileen Melnick McCarthy had the pleasure of getting to know Thomas and learning why Conservative Judaism holds such deep meaning for him.
1. What brought you to our congregation?
I’m very much drawn to the Conservative movement, and Kehillat Beth Israel is its home in Ottawa. Conservative/Masorti Judaism resonates deeply with me: I find meaning in its commitment to halakha as binding – in a world where we have so much we can do, but so little we should or must do. At the same time, the movement fully accepts modernity and is committed to egalitarianism and inclusivity. For example, I had my tefillin written by a soferet (a female scribe) – for me this captures the movement’s ethos perfectly: engaging with tradition while reflecting our modern commitment to equality.
2. What do you love most about being part of this community?
A huge part of joining was to be part of a community – something that feels increasingly countercultural and challenging to achieve. I’m not the most social person, but people here went out of their way to include me when I was new. I also love that it’s genuinely intergenerational – I get to engage with people at all different ages and life stages.
3. Where did you grow up?
Amersham, a commuter town outside London, England – not far enough to have its own identity, but very firmly not London either. It was a lovely place to grow up: countryside on the doorstep (my bedroom window overlooked fields) and a 40-minute train ride to central London.
4. What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I was on the varsity pistol team at Oxford. Also, I don’t like pretty much any fruit – strawberries to tomatoes.
5. If you could have dinner with any Jewish figure (past or present), who would it be and why?
For a Jewish figure to engage with Judaism: Maimonides. I’d love to hear his take on modernity – in his time he was deeply engaged with secular philosophy and natural science, while also being a hugely innovative codifier of halakha. And I’d love to get a sense of his personality: his writings convey immense self-confidence, but was it tempered by humility? Just how intense was he really to be around?
For a Jewish figure for everything else: Richard Feynman. One of the premier physicists of the 20th century, with an incredible intuitive understanding of physics and a unique approach to teaching it. And most importantly, I think he’d be a fun dinner companion.
6. What book is on your nightstand?
The Will of the Many and On Being a Jewish Feminist. I always try to be reading one fiction (invariably fantasy or sci-fi) and one non-fiction (generally Jewish thought, political theory, or psychology) book at a time.
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NEWS FLASH: We have learned that Thomas is moving to London, England for a job to train as a patent attorney and will be leaving Ottawa at the end of June. We look forward to welcoming him whenever he returns. We will miss him!