Rabbi's Corner

This week, we have a confluence of events which provides important lessons for us as we move into 2025:

We remember, salute, and pay tribute to the late, great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King bequeathed a legacy of leadership, a leadership rooted in justice, hope, and a deep belief in humanity’s capacity to create a better world. So many good people of all faiths, including well-known Conservative Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, z”l, Reform Movement leader, Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath, z”l, and many others, marched with Dr. King, spoke out against racism and discrimination, and fought to change our society.

Dr. King famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  His words resonate with us as a Jewish people. Moses' mission in the book of Exodus is a rallying cry for many in the Civil Rights Movement. Moses rose to God's request to challenge Pharaoh, defy oppression, and ultimately lead our people toward freedom.

This notion is embodied in our Jewish ethos and inspires our actions to this very day. We are taught: “tzedek, tzedek tirdof, justice, justice, pursue.” (Deuteronomy 16:20). This ideal of pursuing justice reminds us that we serve as God’s hands in working to make sure that everyone is free, from any physical or emotional type of oppression that weighs them down. Dr. King, a practicing minister, knew his Bible well. He was inspired by the values of our shared Judeo-Christian tradition, as well as the civil rights work of those who preceded him. In his writings, this verse from Deuteronomy was one of the verses he quoted, as well as the comment from the great civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer: “no one is free until we are all free!”

This week’s Torah portion, parshat Sh'mot, begins our foray into the book of Exodus. This begins the story of the Israelites' enslavement and ultimate redemption. We find profound lessons in righteous action from so many courageous people. Women, in particular, play a critical role acting with courage, compassion, and determination, risking everything to defy injustice and protect life. Their leadership is quiet but transformative, teaching us that even small acts of moral courage can shape history. (To learn more about the role of women as heroes in our redemption story, please join us for Torah study tomorrow morning. See below for details.) Moses, and Aaron, both reluctant leaders, understand that the grave situation demands them to stand up and speak out. We learn from the Book of Exodus that we cannot rely on others to change our world, that it is up to us to “be the change we wish to see” by standing up, speaking out, and taking those actions necessary to make our world a safe, humane, and just place for all who live here.

In the news this week, we are hopeful for an end to the war started on October 7, 2023, or at least a cessation. We hold in our hearts the hope for a potential ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and, more importantly, the release of the hostages. These moments call for moral clarity and steadfast leadership to prioritize human life, uphold values of justice, peace, and the sanctity of every soul. Our tradition reminds us to hold firm to these values even amidst unimaginable pain and challenge. We pray that the ceasefire and release of the hostages becomes a reality.

May Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy, this week’s Torah portion, and the glimmer/prospect of ceasefire with a release of the hostages inspire us to work hard for justice, peace, and safety: with courage, vision, and compassion.

Click here to read: The Reform Movement Leaders' Statement on Ceasefire and Hostage Release

As these three events come together this weekend, we also approach the inauguration of a new president. My colleague and friend, Rabbi Peter Stein, (Senior Rabbi of Temple B'rith Kodesh, Rochester, NY) wrote this poignant poem/prayer, for this special weekend:

A Prayer for Our Country, (by Rabbi Peter Stein)

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend and US Presidential Inauguration Day, 18 Tevet 5785/18 January 2025

Eternal God, Source of Blessing
May this day place us on the path to peace.
Let us fulfill the ancient and urgent vision of liberty and justice for all.

Eternal God, Source of Blessing
We declare to you: We have a dream
A dream of safety and equality
A dream of opportunity
A dream of peace
On this Shabbat, we remember a dreamer,
A dreamer who told us
“whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

On this Shabbat
At this moment of national transition
Let us all feel the pain and the urgency
Let us all see clearly those who are suffering and struggling
On this Shabbat,
we remember a dreamer, A dreamer who told us
“we must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”

The time is now:
To hear the voices of all those yearning to breathe free
To see the marvelous rainbow of faces
of all those searching for safety as their true and authentic selves
The time is now to remember the sacred teaching of the prophet
Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

On Monday, as the presidential oath is taken for the 47th time
Let us take an oath as well
That we will live in pursuit of the dream
The dream of a more perfect Union
The dream of Liberty and justice for all.

As Moses blessed Joshua
May we all be blessed with strength and courage in our hearts
May we all be blessed to create a bright and better future for our country.