The last article featured not the usual counseling setting. I was out with friends. We were watching sports on TV at a local tavern.

I was faced with an intoxicated man. While obviously intoxicated, he conversed with me on benign subjects. He made a comment, soon after, about my friend’s daughter. She sat with us, including her dad, watching T.V. The man commented that she was attractive. Though not my adult daughter, I fibbed and said that she’s my daughter. Apologetic, the man retreated to another section of the bar. My friend, Xenos’ daughter, Darling, piped in to offer her thoughts and her experience as a single adult woman, enjoying family and friends watching sports. This was not a new experience. She’d confront the men “hitting on her” with gentleness and a straightforward response. She seemed to be okay with my intervention. It made me wonder days later what life of single women experience today.

I have read extensively on the subject of the lives of women. Admittingly, as a man, there is no way I can get any closer than the appreciation of women’s roles in our world. Every society, culture, and religion brings its own set of values and rules to the table, so to speak. And yet, I’m learning that each of those aforementioned groups carry subsets that I may only realize on a cursory basis. For example, most all formal global religions are founded with different sectors. Those who follow and adhere to its written or oral rules may determine how one’s life will evolve. Many well-established religions carry a fundamentalist sect as well as a more, so to speak, liberal sect. Alongside a more moderate sect also draws people to its ranks. To illustrate, here’s an example of American Jewish religion. Hasidic Jews are strict adherents to Torah teachings with rules aplenty from dress to who sits where in the synagogue, the house of worship. Women in that sect generally follow and observe strict roles that are expected and differ widely from their male counterparts.

Middle of the road or more moderate American Jews are often found worshiping in what’s called Conservative synagogue. There, people sit together, observing the religion as once different from the former groups. More liberal or open-minded American Jews follow their faith in a more reform perspective. Here families sit together.

For me to oversimplify the station of American Jews would be foolish. Each separate group may have some interplay, interaction with the other groups. Conversely, sons, in particular Hassidic Jews, most generally keep to themselves. Survival is a daily challenge. How to live within the rules and principles of Jewish teaching and daily living is a constant.

Misrepresented and/or misunderstood for thousands of years, Jewish people from all parts of the globe have been subjected to oppression, violence, and prejudice. History books are filled with stories of how Jewish people have been violated. Stories contrived from prejudiced sources have resulted in death and destruction on a grand scale. Few Jews walk the earth who’ve not had ancestry greatly affected by those who’d swear at them and express falsehoods about Jews. Today, it continues.

To use Jewish people as an example of oppression, we see different sects express differences on policy. Within the religion and the environment with which they live, I can tell you without fail that most Jewish people want to live in peace and harmony, to carry on certain traditions and rituals. Some want to govern in a manner that may be unwholesome on a grand scale. However, most Jewish people want to live peacefully and cooperatively amongst all the populaces.

In other major religions in America and throughout the world, people want to live in peace and harmony. Survival dictates that we live together. Jewish people have a rich history filled with joy and sorrow. They want only to learn from history, which can teach us truth and love.

Women have for centuries been the keepers, so to speak, of the flame. To carry on teachings from our ancestry, to help us all to grow in mind, body, and spirit. To be subjected to acts of oppression as history has shown has circled the wagons. Security from both external and yes, at times, internal forces of upheaval have kept Jewish people tightly bound together.

Global history has demonstrated the reality of integration. Myriad Jewish folks have married outside their faith. Some have found the richness and beauty of ancestral history to carry on traditions. Those who they’ve intermarried have been rewarded with new, perhaps wholesome avenues of learning. Learning, for example, that we can live harmoniously even with differences. Jewish people have also been rewarded with teachings from new and different principles of other religions and cultures. Marrying has created a natural continuation of the respective outlooks. Progeny taken from hopefully open-minded adults continue the teachings. That’s how history is made. The richness carries a marvelous propensity to award a wonderful prize.

As each generation follows its both subjective and objective principles, we grow with integrity; not fighting with our brothers. Fundamentally, don’t we all want the same thing? Peace and harmony, truth and love that will seed each generation towards a more wholesome and full life. To oppress others is to fight unity. Living globally can open up our consciousness to the richness of all religious cultures and what each brings to the table. Peace and love are all we want, isn’t it so? Living fairly and closely together is where the continued writings of history will be worthwhile.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Marshall Greenstein holds a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling and is a licensed marriage and family counselor and a licensed mental health counselor in New York state. He has regular office hours at 415 E. Sixth St., Jamestown, and can be reached at 484-7756. For more information or to suggest topics, email editorial@post-journal.com.