For me, as a Jewish-American, I find a great amount of power and inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This extraordinary day bridges my Jewish values and my American values, synthesizing them into one powerful and important mindset.
Time and time again, as I study the Torah and the rest of the Bible, I am reminded of the importance of seeking justice and loving mercy. Not only are we commanded to remember those that are different from ourselves through the repeated utterance, “Remember you were strangers …,” but Deuteronomy specifically and directly commands us to “Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof /Justice Justice shall you pursue.” It is self-evident that “Justice” is doubled to underline just how important it is for us to fight for those that are in need, fight for those that do not have the power, and fight for those whose voices have been silenced.
Throughout Dr. King's life, he pursued justice, he fought for those in need, and he gave voice to those who were silent. Through his actions and through his words, he put social justice and the cause of the disempowered into our American consciousness. By remembering Dr. King's actions, we, as Americans, remember that it is important to look after those downtrodden in our communities and in our nation. By remembering Dr. King, we show that we, as Americans, care about those that are being left behind. By remembering Dr. King, we, as Americans, show the world, as well as we show ourselves, that we can and will fight for what is right.
This past Friday evening, our friend Judyth Stavans, reminded all of us of one of the important messages from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She reminded us,”Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” It is my hope that on this day, we, as Jewish-Americans, will bring light and love wherever we go. I hope we will take time today thinking about those who are in need, those who are disempowered, and those whose voices have been silenced. I truly hope that we will take some time today, doing an act of righteousness or kindness for another. And doing that, you show everyone what it means to be a Jew as well as what it means to be an American.
