Spotlight on CLAL

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CLAL in Italy
By Judy Epstein

Loppiano, a small town near Florence founded by the Focolare movement, was the setting for a unique conference on “Love of Neighbor and the Legal Profession,” sponsored by Fordham University’s Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer’s Work. Using Loppiano as a model of a society based on social love, dignity and worth, the program looked at the challenges of loving your neighbor in the legal system. Joining from CLAL was Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard, Ph.D., Director of Organizational Development.

While there participants toured many of the institutions connected to Loppiano, which boasts 43 successful corporations. Azure, a $12 million a year baby products business, provided the group with an example of the town’s approach to economic sharing ─ 1/3 of the profits goes back into the corporation, 1/3 into social investment, and 1/3 to the poor. The town has no poverty, decisions are communal, and there is no unemployment.

As a key presenter, Rabbi Blanchard discussed the Jewish mandate to love thy neighbor. “We begin to see ways in which the Jewish wisdom tradition, with its emphasis on human relationships, can illuminate the possibility within legal structures for love of neighbor. In America, we can’t tell people to love each other, but that is different than acting lovingly ─ with care, concern, and reciprocity. Jewish law recognizes the value of multiple positions. All parties have legitimacy, and there is mediation and compromise. This is good for society and leads to a culture of caring, or social love.”

By the end of the conference, participants saw that the town functioned in a realistic way, representing inhabitants from over 70 nations. Upon leaving, many made commitments to incorporate what they had learned into their work, including redefining their professional and student relationships, and their approach to business and law classes.


   

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