In this week's Torah portion,Moses continues to give the Israelites God's instructions for their settlement of the Promised Land. The name of this parashah, Shoftim, meaning "judges," comes from the portion's opening verse, Deuteronomy 16:18: "Judges and officials you shall provide for yourselves, within all your gates that יהוה your God is giving you, for your tribal-districts. They are to judge the people (with) equitable justice." All are commanded to be impartial when judging others, to listen well in regards to a dispute, and to act only upon the word of several witnesses. We are to not "specially recognize any one person's face," hence the depiction of justice as a woman blindfolded, holding scales that are perfectly balanced.
"Justice, justice you shall pursue...," God commands us. To me this is only a more emphatic way of saying, "Treat others as you wish to be treated." I have found myself feeling of late that these words to much of our American citizenry are entirely irrelevant. I am dismayed at the avarice, backstabbing, cheating, buy-my-way-out, step-on-anyone-I-can-to-make-it mentality that I feel is consuming our nation. The "certain unalienable rights" as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson have become entitlements. We will have "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" no matter what it takes or whom we may hurt in the process. I will never forget the tearful lament of Linda Lay, wife of Enron chief Kenneth Lay, that they were being forced to sell some of their 15 homes. How many homes are enough? There are folks right here under our noses with not even one home. They sleep in cardboard boxes. There are thousands upon thousands of Americans who may have a home, but they scrape by month after month in order to keep it. Their benefits are continuously cut, their work hours are reduced, or they are losing their jobs altogether. Why is it often the poor or lower middle class workers who must sacrifice for the welfare of a company? Are these cuts in jobs and benefits made to save the company or to preserve the lifestyles of those at the top?
In July, a cantorial colleague, Michael Davis, made me aware of the practice being implemented by the Hyatt hotel chain of firing their current employees and replacing them with temp workers who receive lower pay and no benefits. The hotel is also proposing recession contracts that allow for little to no health benefits and keep employee wages flat. As these changes occur, the chief stockholders of the hotel continue to amass millions and millions of dollars. As a result of these policies, hotel workers are being forced to work longer hours for less pay, which has caused injury and illness rates to soar. I was appalled, so I resolved to join Cantor Davis in the pursuit of justice for these workers.
On July 22, I traveled into the city of Chicago to join hundreds and hundreds of protesters, workers and other clergy in front of Hyatt's corporate center. I was inspired by the passion I heard as I met and spoke with various protesters, young and old.
I became friends instantly with Beth Galbreath, an ordained Methodist deacon who not only serves as a chaplain at a women's correctional facility, but is also an expert in Biblical storytelling.
More and more folks gathered, collecting signs to carry and staking out their positions on the curb. The heavy, wet air became punctuated with the lifting of signs and the chants of "Justice now!" In an attempt to dampen our efforts, the Hyatt posted banners declaring their loyalty to all employees and sent out a worker to continuously run a leaf blower.
After about an hour and a half, some 200 workers and clergy marched onto the street single file chanting, "We are human beings! Enough is enough!" We supporters lined both sides of Wacker Drive in front of the hotel and cheered them on. The group, including my colleague Cantor Michael Davis and Rabbi Brant Rosen of whose blog I am a fan, then sat down in rows, arms linked in solidarity, right in the street..
I felt great pride well up inside me as I saw the two of them and other Jewish protesters wearing their kipot (headcoverings) and talitot (prayer shawls) as they marched in. I thought about how Jews have always tried to lift up the fallen and stand up for what is right, such as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, and Louis Brandeis who labored tirelessly for the rights of the poor and working class. It felt good to walk in their footsteps. In performing this act, literally standing up for what I believe to be a righteous cause, I feel that I truly followed God's mitzvah, the commandment to pursue justice. I hope you'll join me as we continue the pursuit together!
