During the month of January, we as Americans are reminded that we have a very precious and priceless gift that has been given to us by our country - freedom. When our country was first conceived, our forefathers envisioned creating a country that would create equal opportunity for each and every one of us. Over the last 230 years, our country has been designed and has evolved with the goal that each of its constituents has the rights and privileges of tasting the freedom that America has for each of her inhabitants.
But for many who have lived in our country in the past, such freedom has been difficult to acquire and attain. The difficulties for minorities in the United States of America have prevented so many individuals from tasting the freedom that each of us is entitled to. If one was not white, such a biological character trait was devastating. It was not until the middle of the 20th century when leaders and Americans with courage and strength such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., "stepped up to the plate." Reverend King asked America to finally "open its eyes" to understand what it means to reap the benefits of freedom which our forefathers dreamed of from the very beginning for each and every one of us.
We as a Jewish people historically have always been able to relate to such discomfort and to accept and understand what damage the absence of freedom has on people. The Jewish people have been constantly threatened, hurt, violated and abused while having our freedoms taken away from us throughout our history. But we as a people have also had the same strength and courage as Reverend King had to fight for who we are and what we stand for. The Jewish people have always had a strong will in demonstrating that we too are allowed to enjoy the gift of freedom no matter where it is that we, the Jewish people, have resided geographically.
One of the commandments in the Torah that is repeated the most often is for the Jewish people, "To Remember Yetziat Mitzrayim, The Exodus from Egypt." God commands and reminds us that we are to remember what it was like to be slaves in the land of Egypt. In addition, we are commanded to enjoy and accept the feeling of leaving slavery and moving to freedom, entering the land of Eretz Yisrael, the land which finally gave our people its freedom.
As Americans and as Jews, we have the obligation to honor Rev. Martin Luther King for all he has done within the arena of American Freedom and Civil Rights. We also have the obligation to remember that we were slaves in Egypt. We will never allow doctrines of hatred and slavery become real and we will do all we can to ensure freedom for ourselves and for others.
America has given us our freedom as Jews. We must take it with authority, appreciation and the commitment to do everything we need to do in making sure that our freedom will always remain with us.
Leonid Petlakh, a Contemporary Jewish Essayist, who attended Hunter College, graduating in 1995, arrived from Russia in 1989. He said the following about his American Freedom: "I am grateful for the precious gift of freedom. As a Jew, I believe that freedom includes the responsibility to preserve my precious heritage and to transmit it - something my parents and grandparents were not allowed to do. My greatest wish is that I may some day teach my own children the fulfillment of being a Jew."
As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. weekend may our relationships with God, ourselves and with others reflect the freedom and holiness that both our Judaism and our American Heritage give to us each and every day.
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Micah Caplan
So let freedom ring…let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we let it ring, we will speed that day
when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,
will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last, free at last/Thank God Almighty, we're free at last." (1963)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
