I will be celebrating our nations Independence Day differently from other years, because this year July 4 is also Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday night. Its a blessing in many ways, this confluence in my identity. I am grateful to live in this country, live the Jewish life I choose to lead, without a government to tell me what a good or correct Jewish life looks like. Indeed, it is a privilege to live in a land where ones personal choices of both body and soul are protected. To live in this country, where the highest ideals of humankind have been given voice and action, is a blessing. This years July 4, however, is a troubled one, both as a Jew and an American. This week has been difficult, between the killings in Israel and the recent Supreme Court rulings. The Supreme Court seems to have forgotten, or been lured away from, those ideals, and I fear for the inevitable repercussions that will follow. As many commentators have noted, there have been a fair number of unanimous rulings from the Court this term. But like Balaks assessment from afar, in this weeks Torah portion, that the tents of Israel are lovely and fair, it is quite different when you take a closer look. The dissension within the Court will come out as future cases come forward, and it becomes clear that the judges got to those 9-0 rulings from wildly different assessments. My father used to say that 5-4 decisions make bad law, yet that is what we get most of the time. I am extremely distressed with the Courts rulings this week, and in general, this term. I would like to take the long view, that Courts over history have swung right and left, but ultimately correct themselves in time. I feel less certain about that. It will take decades to undo what the Court has done in its shortsighted, misguided and highly questionable choices, and the damage done in the meantime will be real. Still, I do believe in the system....not as it functions currently, but as it can function. As it will function, when we all take responsibility for it. As Americans, and as Jews, we must remain steadfast, aware, alert and ever ready to speak out for those who cannot, protect those who are most vulnerable, and hold high the light of liberty and justice for all.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 13:45:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015