I was RBGs rabbi. Her legacy demands we fight for human dignity and reproductive rights. – Forward
Posted By admin on September 4, 2021
Grief is a complicated animal. I have often described its presence to my congregants as a mountain sometimes it is across from you and you can see it, sometimes you are climbing it, sometimes you have summited it and sometimes it is just right on top of you. We do not control it, we live with it.
Our collective losses as a country have felt at times unbearable over the last year. Last September, as people gathered around screens in their homes for Rosh Hashanah services, another loss was about to befall us; the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As we approach her first yahrzeit, many of us are feeling the loss of this crusader of justice, especially in a time where the tide is pushing in the wrong direction on abortion, voting rights and equality.
By GREG NASH/Getty Images
Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt speaks during a ceremony to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she lies in state at Statuary Hall in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 25, 2020.
When I reminisce about the wisdom of Justice Ginsburg, who was my congregant and friend, I am reminded of the wisdom that she gave us not only in her legal rulings and powerful dissents, but in the way she lived her life as a mentor and teacher. She was truly the same person, fighting for the dignity of others, in all aspects of public and private life.
In the Talmud, Masechet Brachot, we are taught that ein tocho kboro a person whose inside is not like their outside, meaning that their external behavior that does not reflect their inner character is not given a seat in the great house of study. I have often thought of this teaching when watching how Justice Ginsburg lived her life; her inside character matched the values she fought for in the world.
The justice forged a legal path for women and girls to rise to their fullest potential in the world through legal structures, and did the same in her private relationships. In 2014, I had the unique opportunity to work with Justice Ginsburg on an article about the story of Passover for the American Jewish World Service. She was keenly interested in bringing the women of the Exodus story who had created the conditions for freedom out of the shadows of the narrative: Their names should be known, their stories should be told, she said.
Together, we meticulously went through the heroic acts of Yocheved, Miriam, Batya, Shifra and Puah characters who are not mentioned in the traditional Haggadah. When we finished editing the piece, the justice called to ask if she could have my permission to place my name alongside hers in the byline. I had not expected this; to just have the opportunity to work with Ginsburg was a gift, but she saw her stature as a vehicle for raising others up. This came from an ultimate commitment to the worth of every human being.
And these values were embedded in how Justice Ginsburg interpreted the foundational documents of this country. She believed that the equal protection clause of the Constitutions 14th Amendment should guarantee human dignity for all, with an expansiveness that its framers could not have imagined.
The original Constitution has certain imperfections, Ginsburg said in a 2018 talk at the Supreme Court on the importance of the 14th Amendment. Our original Constitution doesnt have an equality provision in it because some humans were held in bondage by other humans. Our Constitution did not get perfected in that until after the Civil War.
The essence of the equal protection clause are the words human dignity, she continued. That all humans are entitled to respect, and no person, because of who he or she is, because of his or her birth status, is any less human or entitled to rights that is equal protection.
Human dignity was a crowning value that showed up throughout the justices rulings, writings and relationships. This was one of the reasons that there was such an overwhelming feeling of loss when she died for the country as well as for those of us who knew her personally. Justice Ginsburg was our crusader.
Standing at the top of the Supreme Court stairs on Sept. 23, 2020, as Justice Ginsburgs casket was taken out of the hearse, I looked out at the myriad of clerks standing to honor her. The large white columns of the court loomed overhead; next to me, on my right and on my left, were the justices immediate family and her court family. There was not a dry eye.
Ginsburg was lovingly referred to as the boss in chambers and had a staff that she treated as family. In 2016, when her official portrait was unveiled in the courts Great Hall, we had sat in the hallowed white marble space where her casket would eventually lay.
The justice got up to speak that day after the artist explained the intricacies and details of the painting. She stood before her eight esteemed colleagues, a room filled with the countrys best legal minds who had gathered to honor her. She proceeded to thank her family, her beloved assistants and her housekeeper, Elizabeth, saying she could not do what she does without their care and attention.
It was a classic RBG moment tocho kboro, where the inside matched the outside.
As we approached the year anniversary of her death, the Supreme Court dealt a major setback to the dignity of women to choose the course of their lives, essentially allowing Texas to enact an abortion ban by prohibiting the procedure in nearly all cases after six weeks of pregnancy. The law will have a disproportionate effect on women of color and low-income communities.
Many of us are reeling from this news. We cannot believe we are back in the dark times that preceded the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion, and there is significant concern that this moment is a foreshadowing of the courts ruling in an upcoming case that directly challenges that landmark ruling.
During Justice Ginsburgs Senate confirmation hearings back in 1993, she said: The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a womans life, to her well-being and dignity. When government controls that decision for her, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.
These words should act as our North Star, the sails in our collective ship, our marching orders. Just as Justice Ginsburg never gave up on her commitment to human dignity and the expansion of rights to every inhabitant of this country, we too must not give up. We carry on Justice Ginsburgs legacy in the private acts of promoting dignity in our personal relationships, and when we collectively fight for reproductive rights, even when we are up against enormous barriers.
As we mark the first yahrzeit of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Monday evening, may her eternal teachings, writings and selfless acts be a well of strength for each one of us to pull on as we march forward to create a better world.
Lauren Holtzblatt is the co-senior rabbi at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C., and led memorial services for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last year at the Capitol and the Supreme Court.
Continue reading here:
I was RBGs rabbi. Her legacy demands we fight for human dignity and reproductive rights. - Forward
- The Evening Shema: The Perfect Place to Begin - Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters - Lubavitch.com - August 13th, 2022
- 'You don't want to take my money, do you?': Mandarin-speaking rabbi fights antisemitism on Chinas TikTok - Yahoo News - August 13th, 2022
- Tisha B'Av: The Arch of Titus an alternative view - The Times of Israel - August 13th, 2022
- At Oakland's 'Base,' rabbinic couple wants you to make connections J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 13th, 2022
- Chazanut and music: tradition and today - Australian Jewish News - August 13th, 2022
- VA'ETCHANAN: In this week's Torah portion, a command to love J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 13th, 2022
- Don't Believe in Other Gods Versus God is One - aish.com Ancient Wisdom & Modern Psychology - Aish.com - August 10th, 2022
- Discerning Between Darkness and Light - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - August 10th, 2022
- Activist-writer Elana Dykewomon dies, just as her first play debuts J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 10th, 2022
- Reading the Book of Psalms in the Twenty-First Century - Jewish Journal - August 10th, 2022
- Tuesdays primaries offered a glint of hope for Democrats this fall - The Guardian - August 10th, 2022
- Talmud - Jewish Virtual Library - August 1st, 2022
- STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT! - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - July 31st, 2022
- War News And Gefilte Fish - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - July 31st, 2022
- Blinded by Hate | Michael Laitman | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - July 31st, 2022
- Making sense of the sedra: Matot-Masei - Jewish News - July 31st, 2022
- At least 9 cities in the Twin Cities metro targeted with antisemitic, racist flyers - Bring Me The News - July 28th, 2022
- The God Squad: From the mailbag | Opinion | pressrepublican.com - Plattsburgh Press Republican - July 28th, 2022
- Free Online Bible Library | Talmud - BiblicalTraining.org - July 27th, 2022
- Rebuilding Together - Jewish Journal - July 27th, 2022
- Twenty years after Ben and Marla and the Hebrew University bombing - The Times of Israel - July 27th, 2022
- Woven together: Lessons from bringing Israeli rabbis to the U.S. - eJewish Philanthropy - July 27th, 2022
- The God Squad: From the mailbag | Opinion Columns | union-bulletin.com - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - July 27th, 2022
- Respect Yourself - Respect Others - aish.com The Color of Heaven - Aish.com - July 27th, 2022
- Abortion is a Jewish right and a rabbi says hers was a blessing - Business Insider - July 27th, 2022
- The Flood and Canaan: God's Patience Revealed - Patheos - July 27th, 2022
- Pinchas and the broken vav | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - July 27th, 2022
- PJ Library Focuses on Widening its Reach - Publishers Weekly - July 27th, 2022
- The Three Weeks And A Message Of Peace - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - July 27th, 2022
- Jewish people have a different set of priorities - The Jewish Star - July 14th, 2022
- With Biden in Israel, we must spread the blanket of peace far and wide - JNS.org - July 14th, 2022
- Shaming women who have abortions is not a Jewish ethic - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - July 14th, 2022
- Rabbi, get thy head out of their tents - The Times of Israel - July 14th, 2022
- Advocating for respect and unity - The Jewish Standard - July 14th, 2022
- Politics and the Parah Adumah - Jewish Journal - July 10th, 2022
- Mass prep 3 points/30 seconds: What was the Samaritans mercy? Understanding the Greek - Aleteia - July 10th, 2022
- Don't Use Judaism as a Weapon in the Abortion Debate - Jewish Exponent - July 10th, 2022
- Why Being Firstborn is a Blessing and a Curse - aish.com Spiritual Odysseys, Featured, Spirituality - Aish.com - July 10th, 2022
- David Halivni's Great Light | David Novak - First Things - July 8th, 2022
- What Happened to the Truth? - aish.com Personal Growth, Featured, Spirituality - Aish.com - July 8th, 2022
- Q & A: Offering Tefillin To Passersby (Part VII) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - July 8th, 2022
- The 8 Genders of the Talmud - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - July 4th, 2022
- Is It Proper To Go On Vacation To A Place With No Minyan? - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - July 4th, 2022
- Inheriting America, then choosing America | Jon Spira-Savett | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - July 4th, 2022
- The time I studied Talmud with Uri Zohar - The Times of Israel - June 26th, 2022
- What Is Required To Fulfill 'You Shall Teach Your Son Torah?' - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 26th, 2022
- The Torah supports me in an argument with my wife that I will never win - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - June 26th, 2022
- Ties That Bind - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 26th, 2022
- Holding The High Line: Rapids Draw NYCFC - Last Word On Sports - June 26th, 2022
- Why We Need Boundaries - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 13th, 2022
- State, city ordered to finish investigation of NYC yeshiva - New York Post - June 13th, 2022
- Letters to the Editor: June 8, 2022 - St. Louis Jewish Light - June 13th, 2022
- From Gnosticism to Marxism: The Spirit of Antichrist in Movement - OnePeterFive - June 13th, 2022
- Holding The High Line: Rapids 2 in focus, Auston Trusty leaving - Last Word On Sports - June 13th, 2022
- The Rules of Conversion - Tablet Magazine - June 4th, 2022
- Why this video about seltzer and Torah study went viral in the Orthodox Jewish community - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - June 4th, 2022
- For Jews, the Torah Is Sustenance | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com - Algemeiner - June 4th, 2022
- These Jews were among baseball's all-time greats but do they count as Jewish baseball players? - Forward - June 4th, 2022
- Onward And Upward Through Learning Torah - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 4th, 2022
- Putting Sinaitic Revelation to work for mankind - The Jewish Star - June 2nd, 2022
- Letter: History shows us where theocracies lead | Opinion | yakimaherald.com - Yakima Herald-Republic - June 2nd, 2022
- France has 500,000 Jews but only 5 women rabbis. A growing movement is pushing to change that. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - June 2nd, 2022
- Anti-Black Racism and The Great Replacement | OP / ED | thesuburban.com - The Suburban Newspaper - June 2nd, 2022
- Take The NYS Dept. Of Ed Fight To The Streets - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 2nd, 2022
- He Who Must Not Be Named: Responding to Mass Murders - aish.com - Aish - June 2nd, 2022
- Inscription in Beit Shearim Burial Cave Reveals the Deceased: Yaakov the Convert Who Warned Grave Robbers - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 2nd, 2022
- Opinion: Uvalde reminds us to teach our children to make the right choices - El Paso Matters - June 2nd, 2022
- The Many Different Reasons We Read The Book Of Ruth On Shavuot - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 2nd, 2022
- When Stocks And Bonds Won't Do - Seeking Alpha - June 2nd, 2022
- Misfortune may not be a product of our faults - The Jewish Star - June 2nd, 2022
- The Supremacy Of Torah - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - May 22nd, 2022
- Thanking G-d For Who You Are And Who You Are Not - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - May 22nd, 2022
- Shabbat Behar: Valuing the Land J-Wire - J-Wire Jewish Australian News Service - May 22nd, 2022
- Celebrate with our community at the Jewish Federation Annual Meeting - Jewish Community Voice - May 18th, 2022
- Here comes Alice Walker and the Jews, again - The Jewish Star - May 18th, 2022
- Torah prioritizes the mother's life and health | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - May 18th, 2022
- Baseless Hatred is Destroying Our Nation - The Stream - May 18th, 2022
- The Year Of Slipping Away (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - May 18th, 2022
- Seeking help both for ourselves and fellow Jews - The Jewish Star - May 18th, 2022
- Baddiel: Jews Don't Count TV documentary will have 'surprising' differences to book - Jewish News - May 18th, 2022
Comments