I once had the opportunity, the privilege, the honor, to Rep. Lewis, face to face, exactly why he was my hero. Now, in honor of one of the most remarkable, most American, lives ever lived, I want to suggest four key lessons (among hundreds) that we can all learn from John Lewis’ life and work.
The urgency of this moment is clear. Launching the We Are Done Dying Campaign in early May, the NAACP declared, “The health and safety of our people are at an unparalleled risk.”
Racism is a form of idolatry, of self-worship that is immoral and is fundamentally against humanity and democracy. What we do in the Poor People's Campaign is to help people make the connection between interlocking injustices that threaten everybody’s security.
And at this moment, in the midst of the pandemic, we are witnessing a time of reckoning for the racial divide that has torn our society apart for so long. What does it mean to bring a baby into a world in desperate need of r’fuah sh’leimah, the full healing of body, heart, and soul?
Scores of organizations mobilized in 2018 to enact a new iteration of Dr. King’s 1968 campaign for the poor. It is called The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, and I am proud that our Reform Jewish community is a partner in this important campaign.
Together, we will champion the lessons of Passover by bringing greater wholeness, justice, and belonging to our world.