As we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy today, we think of the alliances that Jews and African-Americans have built with one another in order to fight racism, antisemitism, hatred and inequality.
We also take note of the many times in which these same alliances have faced stress and fracture. Today, as the war in Israel continues, there is a growing sense that some of our most sacred partnerships in the progressive world are crumbling. We have found that allies in the civil rights community are critiquing Israel in unfair ways that make us incredibly uncomfortable. We are asking ourselves – how do we respond?
Let us not respond by giving up on the progressive world and the cause of justice. Even in the midst of what is an uncomfortable moment, we must find ways of keeping Dr. King’s dream alive. We must continue to care about the most disenfranchised in our world, to call out racism and hatred and economic inequality. We must continue to fight for immigrants, for voting rights, for gun control and reproductive choice. We must continue to develop relationships with other communities who care about these issues.
And yes, we must do all of this while continuing to stand up for both Israel and the Jewish people. We need not give up one part of our identity to accommodate the other.
Next week, at our congregational MLK Shabbat, I have invited former Congressman Mondaire Jones to speak to us about these issues. Mondaire has graciously agreed to join us for this incredible opportunity.
I hope you will join us for a meaningful and musical service which will feature gospel artist Gia Ware and others from our community. We will celebrate MLK and make sense of the current place we find ourselves in as Jews who care about Israel and as Jews who care equally about the most vulnerable in our society.