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Dear Friends,
Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof.
Deuteronomy 16:20
This past Shabbat’s Torah portion, Shoftim, features the words that prevail as an inspiring mantra for the Jewish struggle for civil and human rights: “Justice, justice shall you pursue.”
The emphatic repetition of the word justice is not arbitrary. It expresses the imperative that each of us be thoughtful and deliberate as agents of positive change in our society. The command is not just aspirational – it is a call to action to generate integrity, honesty, and decency, as individuals in our relationships with others, in our roles as citizens, and in our identities as Jews.
The notion of the pursuit of justice also denotes that this is a perpetual process. As well noted in Pirkei Avot, while we may never fully complete the task, we are nonetheless commanded to keep trying. But we can approach this somewhat differently than the familiar teaching: even when we fall short of achieving our ideals we must continue to try, never giving up. For even if the complete fulfillment of our goal may exceed our grasp, we must persist in pursuing the ethical ideals of righteousness.
At HUC, our community is guided by these words in all that we do. This ethical commandment drives us to work together, to learn together, to teach others, to impart and act upon the values of our Jewish tradition as a force for goodness in our world.
As we mark the beginning of a new academic year during this month of Elul, a period of personal and spiritual reflection preparing us for the High Holy Days, let us take stock of what needs to be repaired in ourselves and how we can better align our hearts, minds, and actions to fulfill our highest values.
Thank you for being our partners on this sacred journey.
Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.
President
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