"What happened to this world? We just don't know anymore. What happened to this world? We just don't love anymore. Who gon' do it, if we don't do it?"
-Muddy Magnolias
Sitting in the sanctuary of my home synagogue listening to my cantor and an incredible guest singer belt out these words, I felt a strong call to action. It was something almost visceral. And I was reminded of the famous quote from Rabbi Hillel, "If I am not for myself who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?" and yet another quote from Pirkei Avot, "You are not obligated to complete the work, but nor are you free to desist from it." So what does that mean for all of us on January 14th of 2018? These quotes call us to recognize the urgency of the time we are living in, to stand up for one another, and to fight for justice.
In his speech at Beth Emet Synagogue in Evanston, IL (my home synagogue) on January 13, 1958, five years before the I Have A Dream speech, citing to a common psychological principle of the day, MLK Jr. discussed the need to be "maladapted" to our surroundings. He said that we should not just go along with injustice, bigotry, hate, and hostility, but we should be uncomfortable with it. That's a call that still rings true today. I have generally been avoiding the news, but from the little I do hear, Trump has said something outrageously racist again, Kellyanne Conway is denying that the new tax plan disproportionately affects people in the lower tax brackets, and it is still common for employers to pay disabled workers or female workers less than one would pay a male worker. We cannot see these circumstances as normal, even though news like this comes out every single day.
You may be saying, but the problems going on in the current political climate aren't directly affecting me; why would I take time out of my Saturday to go to this march? And to you I say this, Deuteronomy 10:19 reads, "You must love the stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt." Even if every person who is affected by the new tax code or the comments of our president is a stranger to you, as Jews, we still have a duty to protect and love. We still have a duty to stand up for the values that we were commanded to hold close to ourselves.
So what does this have to with the Women's March Boston: The People Persist? This march is a way to answer the calls to action from Hillel and Pirkei Avot. It is a way to "love the stranger" and to "love our neighbors," both of which are core Jewish values. It is a tangible thing that many of us can do. It is a way to honor the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, and the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wish I could be at the march, but I will be in Israel for a semester abroad (keep an eye on this blog for updates), and I'll be marching with you in spirit.
A Note on Shabbat: I cannot make a Jewish argument for going to the Women's March without recognizing that it is on Shabbat. From my perspective, participating in the march does not in itself violate the spirit of Shabbat, but I acknowledge that some Jews may feel differently. If this is you, the issues are still yours. Even if you choose to go to the next protest that falls on a Wednesday or support the cause with your dollars, you are still fulfilling all of the same values as those who are able to go to the march (The same goes for if you are not physically able to get to the march or you have a conflict on that day).
I leave you with a reading from the Miskan T'filah, the official prayerbook of the Reform movement:
"Standing on the parted shores of history
We still believe what we were taught
Before ever we stood at Sinai's foot,
That wherever we go, it is eternally Egypt
There is a better place, a Promised Land
And the winding way to that promise passes through the wilderness
And there's no way to get from here to there
Except by joining hands and marching together."
No comments:
Post a Comment