Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

PART THREE: THE POSSIBILITY OF ANSWERS

THE SYNAGOGUE, THE CHURCH, AND THE MOSQUE

I am a proponent of ecumenical dialogue. In the past, I participated in meetings, assisted others in preparing their conferences talks, and taught in various denominational settings. Today, in a time of deep concerns, rabbis, pastors, priests, and imams need to engage in fruitful conversation. At stake is not only the soul of the nation but also the welfare of our congregations.

Religious leaders across the spectrum of faiths contend with divisions within their faith communities. They walk a fine line of various and often conflicting interests. Usually, they serve with family responsibilities. However, the Torah, the Gospels, and the Koran are radical messages. Prophetic voices are needed in these darkening days. The time has come for moral outrage.

Antisemitism is a disease, a cancerous tumor of the mind. Like cancer, it metastasizes, spreading to the heart, then to the soul. The attacks on the educational system under the guise of addressing antisemitism are a lie. If the president were sincere, he would not surround himself with antisemites; he would speak out against Christian Nationalists, militia groups, and others who sprout and act on their rhetoric of hate against Jews. The President and others in his Administration have not condemned the attack on Pennsylvania Governor Joshua Shapiro. An attack on one religion is an attack on all faith traditions.

The arrest and deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García and Andry José Hernández Romero to El Salvador, the arrest and dentation of Elsy Noemi Berrios and Rümeysa Öztürk, among others, should be a concern to all the clergy, particularly the rabbis and the Jewish community. Haven’t we seen this before? Didn’t this happen to us? We cannot be silent. These legal and human rights violations should be discussed not only within our congregations but also in an ecumenical context to find a unified voice to compose a response directed to the Administration and Congress to demand action that upholds the legal rights of these persons and others under threat. We kid ourselves if we think immigrants are the only targets. In his meeting with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, the president has made clear his intent to send American citizens to the gulag.

The religious leadership and other religious community leaders can and should organize activities in collaboration with musicians, artists, writers, and poets to raise funds for legal defense aid. Academic scholars and political representatives can be invited to houses of worship and community centers to address the issues facing us. Their talks can be placed on YouTube to spread awareness. During the Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam War, we held special services, both liturgies and prayer vigils for peace with specific readings of the Torah and Gospels. The same can be done today. Book clubs can be reading  Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realist Radicals. The Nonviolent Alternative by Thomas Merton. Albert Vorspan’s  Justice And Judaism: The Work of Social Action,  Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship or Letters From Prison, the pertinent essays by Abraham Joshua Heschel, the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, and relevant novels, to name but a few books, for discussion to raise awareness.  

Individual clergy, like Gandhi, must rise to begin the walk from Ahmedabad towards the coastal town of Dandi. Their voices must be heard in their board and parish council rooms.  However, they need to heed the advice given to Moses by Jethro (Exodus 18: 13-26; Numbers 11:16-17). Due to their numerous responsibilities, the congregational structure of synagogues and parishes, they should delegate to others the responsibility of organizing and overseeing the activities to address the political and moral crisis we face. But, they too must act, lead by their example.

“Politics concern nations, and that which concerns the welfare of others must be one of the concerns of the man who is religiously inclined, in other words, a seeker of God and Truth… Therefore, in politics also, we have to establish the Kingdom of Heaven,” Mahatma Gandhi wrote.

The time has come to begin our walk from Ahmedabad towards the coastal town of Dandi.

 What actions will you propose? What actions will you take?