How often does Torah arouse human beings, how often does she raise her voice in every direction to awaken them! Yet they all sleep, with slumber in their sockets, neither observing nor caring….Woe to them, woe to their souls! For Torah admonishes them, saying, “Whoever is a fool let him turn aside here, the one who lacks heart.”…What is “he who lacks heart?” Rabbi Eleazar said, “Lacking faith, for one who has no faith surely lacks heart.” (from the opening commentary of the Zohar to parashat Kedoshim.)
Tag Archives: hate crimes
Calling upon the President-Elect to Pursue Justice: Oregon Board of Rabbis Statement
Pray for the peace of the place in which you live; build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. – Jeremiah 29.7
Since the election, there has been an increase of hate crimes around our great nation. The Oregon Board of Rabbis is disturbed by this trend. A key part of our ongoing mission is dedicated to teaching compassion and tolerance within our community. We call upon the President-elect to demonstrate similar caring leadership by denouncing in the strongest possible terms extremist voices that sow hate and disarray.
As Americans it is our privilege, and as Jews our responsibility, to speak out against the elevation of bigotry and extremism in our national life, and to guard against complicity in ourselves and others.
As Jews we are respectful of the government and of the power of authorities to do justice, and we also have a particular obligation that reaches far beyond the halls of civic power. We are commanded: justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live. (Deuteronomy 16.20)
As Americans we call upon the leaders of our government to pursue justice for all the inhabitants of our land. As Jews we call upon each other to work for the peace of the land in which we live, and to stand firm in common cause with all those who are vulnerable.
We pray for the peace of this land, and we each commit to tending the gardens where we live.
Hazak hazak v’nit’hazek, let us be strong and let us strengthen each other