Rabbi's Blog

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, April 16, 1963

In this month of January where we read the story of the Israelites redemption from slavery in Egypt and we learn of our Jewish mission to help others who are oppressed and enslaved, we dedicate ourselves to Tzedek, the pursuit of Social Justice. This month, and on the first weekend of February, there will be four events promoting Social Justice. The first will take place on Shabbat Shirah, January 18 at 8:00 pm. Shabbat Shirah is the Sabbath when we chant the Torah portion concerning the Israelites’ crossing of the Sea of Reeds and celebrate our miraculous deliverance through beautiful music led by Cantorial Leader Ilana Axel and our Kol Tikvah choir. January 18, as it turns out, is also the Sabbath immediately preceding Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 21.

With these two themes in mind, we are putting together a special Shabbat Shirah Service and I have invited Pastor Freddie Rogers of Destiny Church to speak about Social Justice, freedom, and Dr. King’s Legacy that evening. (I have personally heard Pastor Rogers speak at our annual Pre-Thanksgiving Interfaith Gathering at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and he is a powerful and inspirational speaker.) That evening members of Pastor Roger’s church are also invited to attend as well and we look forward to welcoming them. (Sometime this Spring I will be invited to speak at Destiny Church as well and BTC members will be invited to join at that time.) We hope to see you on January 18^th!

Our second and third Social Justice events are two “Town Hall Meetings” sponsored by the Tzedek (Justice) Committee of Beth Tikvah Congregation. The first Town Hall Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 16^that 7:00 pm, and the second will take place on Thursday, January 24^th at 7:00 pm. The purpose of these sessions is to give BTC members a chance to express which issues and societal changes we would like to collectively work together as a congregation to address. Please consider attending one of these two sessions to present your views. In addition to the listening to one another’s concerns during these sessions, we will also have a chance to hear about the initiatives of Reform Illinois which is a consortium of Reform Congregations, including our own, which are advocating for Criminal Justice and Immigration Reform.

The final Social Justice opportunity is only available to our Confirmation 10^th grade students. The second weekend of February, parent and chaperone Bonnie Vozar and I will be bringing seven students to Washington, D.C. to participant in a program called L’taken, which is hosted by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. L’taken brings together hundreds of other Reform Jewish teens from all around the U.S. and Canada to learn about public policy issues, Jewish values, and advocacy skills. The program culminates with a day of lobbying for issues that matter to the students with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. For our students the experience is not only educational and transformational, it is at the same time empowering as the students learn that their voices matter and that they can make a real difference.

Of course, all of us have the potential to make a difference. We can all do our part to improve our world and I hope that in this month of January as we begin a new secular year, you will continue to dedicate yourself to this important work of Tikkun Olam, fixing our broken world.

May God bless the work of our hands, hearts and minds!

B’shalom,

Rabbi Taron Tachman