Building bridges into a new year

Posted

For most of us Hanukkah has come and gone for another year. But in our home tucked away on Block Island, it lingers. I find myself unable to take down my Hanukkah window; it’s the one with the blue streamers, dreidel cutouts and our handmade greetings to the world.

As I look ahead to 2017, reflections of our menorah’s candles reaching into our island neighborhood linger in my mind’s eye. It may have something to do with the metaphorical imperative to “light up the darkness” feeling more critical than ever this new year.  

It is an imperative linking us with friends and neighbors – Christians, Muslims and others – all who share dreams that peace and justice may yet spread throughout the world. 

Often we define ourselves by the religions in which we have grown up, or by the value systems nurtured by our families.  Intertwined, these are among the potent influences that inform our beliefs.

At times, we have derided each other or stood by as others have targeted our neighbors because of faith. Human history is littered with carnage resulting from those kinds of actions, at times of inactions or indifference.

The political framework within the countries where we grow up also fosters our values. Ours is a democracy, which schools us in principles of fairness and inclusion. Being an American teaches us to be vigilant – to make certain that voices of hatred do not whip up our fears and uncertainties so much that they launch us into an era of xenophobia and bigotry.

To direct these at others – neighbors, citizens who are different, victims made homeless by war – is to fly in the face of our shared values.

Ties of “ethical monotheism”

While there are those who cast aspersions on Islam as a terrorist organization masquerading as a religion, we must not be misdirected by lies: Islam is one of three major Abrahamic religions.

Islam is intimately tied to Christianity and Judaism, through acknowledgement of Abraham, the patriarch we credit with establishing what has been referred to as “ethical monotheism,” as academic Lynn Kunkle writes. She notes Abraham was “the first to link individual belief and worship in ... one God to social values and responsibilities.”

As movements toward exclusivity and prejudice invade our public spaces, it seems more important than ever to establish the common roots of our humanity. Rather than pointing disparaging fingers at groups or individuals, it is time to unite behind those common values.

Whether religious or secular in our outlooks, most of us identify with working for the community, protecting the rights of all to worship freely and promoting equity throughout our society. These have historically been shared principles no matter our political affiliation. 

For those of us from the Jewish tradition, Abrahamic values invest our commitments to tikkun olam – our individual obligations to heal the world, to effect social justice – to do whatever we can to make the world a better place for all.

If, as the Declaration of Independence bids us, we must promote “the common good,” then as part of our vigilance we must hold our leaders to the standard of truthfulness. As Americans and Jews, we must make certain that our personal freedoms do not depend on encroaching on the freedoms of others.

An indispensable opposition

And we need to be part of a responsible and vital opposition that is a requisite to a healthy democracy.

As renowned 20th century American journalist Walter Lippmann reminds us, the voice of an opposition is “indispensable” to a democracy.

He writes, “The compelling reason why, if liberty of opinion did not exist, we should have to invent it, why it will eventually have to be restored in all civilized countries where it is now suppressed, is that we must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.”

He enjoins us to make authentic choices.

“This is the virtue of liberty,” Lippmann adds, “When men are brought face to face with their opponents, forced to listen and learn and mend their ideas, they cease to be children and savages and begin to live like civilized men. Then only is freedom a reality...”

No dream for one season

So it is, at the entrance to a new year, we join ourselves to mankind’s collective dream of peace and justice. We know that this is no dream for one season.

Rather we must build bridges to the future: make round-the–clock commitments to protect each other with all of our differences and our planet with all of its vulnerabilities. We must make every effort in our power to make our voices heard – in order to keep truth and our democracy alive.

GLORIA S. REDLICH, a full-time Block Island resident,  is secretary of Congregation Sons and Daughters of Ruth. She is a regular contributing writer for The Block Island Times and can be reached at gloryb311@gmail.com.

Hanukkah, Block Island,