January 12, 2018
With commitment and resolve, The Central Conference of American Rabbis prepares for this weekend of observances honoring the dreams, visions, and accomplishments of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Reform rabbis are distressed that, nearly a half century after Dr. King was assassinated, American schools are more segregated than ever; voting rights of minorities, the poor, and the elderly are imperiled; and mass incarceration fills our nation’s prisons with young Black men. At the same time, the gap between rich and poor in this country has never been greater and is likely to widen as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
As Jews throughout the world journey through the Book of Exodus at this season, we recall that Dr. King was motivated by our own ancestors’ liberation from bondage. Reform rabbis strive to emulate Dr. King, as we call upon the communities we serve and all Americans to assure that no person within our borders is treated as a stranger, and that no member of the human family is dismissed or denigrated, for we were all once strangers in one Egypt or another.
As we prepare for Shabbat of renewed commitment to the values of our tradition and the legacy of Dr. King, Reform rabbis across America will “let justice roll down like waters” in word and deed, building stronger, more just communities with our partners in faith and hope.
Rabbi David E. Stern Rabbi Steven A. Fox
President Chief Executive
Central Conference of America Rabbis