When I think about being a Jew and when I think about being an American, the one value that I believe is shared between these two groups is that of freedom. As Americans we are assured in the constitution that we have the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Jews we speak weekly about our liberation from bondage that allowed us to coalesce as a people dedicated to the service of G-d. Both Judaism and Democracy consider tyranny to be intolerable. Both understand that freedom is a necessary condition of humanity.
This week we honored our veterans. Obviously the day is a secular holiday on the Gregorian calendar. Even so, it has many attributes that connect it to Jewish values. First, it appreciates individuals whose sacrifice has given birth to a society founded upon a vision of freedom and justice. It recognizes that such individuals must be remembered and that their loss is our loss. It recognizes that we must " honor those who have died in defense of our ideals.
Judaism doesn't choose to honor the ideal of Freedom just once a year. We have many opportunities to do so. Every Friday night when we say kiddush, we talk about our liberation from Egypt. When we say the daily amidah we pray that G-d pour His spirit upon the rulers of all lands and guide them to govern justly. We also ask G-d to raise a great banner for the oppressed and let the voice of liberty be heard in the four corners of the Earth. We understand that without freedom there can be no spiritual growth.
Two weeks ago, I was in Italy talking to individuals in the Jewish community of Florence. I never really realized how disenfranchised Jews had been in that country. Even though there were Jews who were present in Italy at the time of the Macabees in 160 b.c.e., and there continued to be Jews living in Rome prior to the destruction of the 2nd Temple in the year 70 c.e., Jews in Italy were not considered fully emancipated until 1870 when the modern state of Italy was formed. It's hard to imagine a life where one's existence as a Jew meant living in a ghetto. As a Jew who has had the opportunity to travel to see many other Jewish communities, it is mind boggling to think that the freedoms we take for granted in this country were unknown to our fellow Jews living in other lands. It behooves us to recognize that this great country of ours affords us the opportunity to express ourselves as Jews and we should not shy away from that opportunity because we feel that being American requires us to give up our identity. Our non-Jewish and Jewish veterans have worked hard over the years to insure that a diverse America is a free America. By recognizing their contributions to our society, may we also recognize that those contributions help insure our right to serve G-d as committed Jews.
Shabbat Shalom.
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