From Rabbi Chai: The Crisis at the Border and How You Can Help
We are horrified and outraged by our government’s inhumane and abusive treatment of migrants, including infants and children, at our border. Our Torah’s central teachings guide us to love and care for the stranger and to treat every human being with dignity and respect, as we are all created in the Divine image. As a Jewish community, we denounce the inhumane conditions faced by migrants and refugees at our border.
Here is more information about the situation and what you can do (at the end of the article).
There will be Berkeley City sponsored Rally for Children in Federal Migrant Detention Centers on Sat., July 13, 12-2 p.m. at Berkeley Civic Center Park, as part of actions taking place around the country this weekend. I will be out of town on a previously scheduled vacation, but I have arranged for Shabbat services to end a little early that morning, so there will be time to eat kiddush lunch and walk (approximately 20 minutes) to Civic Center Park by the time the program is scheduled to start at around 12:30pm. Our member, Joel Gerwein, will lead our group so that we can walk together from shul to the rally as a community.
While Shabbat is indeed our day of rest, may our observance of Shabbat be only enhanced by living our Torah in the real world. Shabbat reminds us of the Exodus from Egypt, as we say in kiddush: Zecher letziyat mitzrayim: Shabbat “is a remembrance of our Exodus from Egypt.” It was in Egypt where Pharaoh, fearful of a growing minority, ripped babies out of the arms of their parents. Our central Jewish narrative celebrates freedom from this Pharaoh and exhorts us to care for the stranger. May we live our Torah in the world.