Full article in Shalom Magazine at this link.
Judaism and Democracy: Rooted in Respect and Dignity
By Cindy Rowe
The underlying concepts of Judaism and democracy are intertwined. Both are rooted in recognizing that every individual is entitled to respect and dignity. And, this may explain why for centuries, the Jewish people have thrived in societies where democracy has been the prevailing structure.
However, we cannot take democracy for granted.
In a recent virtual conversation, Aaron Dorfman, Executive Director of A More Perfect Union, quoted Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, who said, “The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation.”
Dorfman went on to add his own thoughts on this quote, saying “In other words, democracy is not a guarantee. It is a practice that must be renewed, reaffirmed, and reinvigorated every day by the people who live in and benefit from it. In that way, it is much like Judaism.”
In Judaism, that renewal, reaffirmation, and reinvigoration may take many forms. It may include attendance at High Holiday services, participating in Shabbat services, preparing a seder for Passover, lighting Chanukah candles, or giving tzedakah.
There are also many ways to participate in the ritual of democracy. The most obvious form is voting in elections. Other practices include attending rallies or protests, contacting elected representatives through letters, emails, and phone calls, and organizing your community in support of an issue.
In his famous quote, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Hershel said that when he was marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I felt as though I was praying with my feet.” In bringing together the concepts of prayer and action for civil rights, Rabbi Hershel gave us a dose of what we need today.
So many of our traditional Jewish values obligate us to take action in this world, and to make our voices heard through our votes and participation in a democratic society.
It is through those votes and that civic engagement that we can engage in tikkun olam, the practice of repairing the world. We can work for environmental protection, striving for the Jewish value of bal tashchit (avoiding wasteful destruction). The Jewish values of pikuach nefesh (saving a life) and sh’mirat haguf (caring for the body) can form the basis of meaningful healthcare policy.
The Torah calls for the fair treatment of workers. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 compels employers “do not take advantage of hired workers” and also “pay them their wages each day... because they are counting on it.” And, on immigration policy, the Torah instructs us to “welcome the stranger” no less than 36 times. Similarly, Proverbs 22:6 states the importance of early education as a communal responsibility: “Train a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Undergirding all of this, the Jewish value of kavod habriyot (upholding every person’s inherent human dignity) reinforce the importance of upholding civil rights, the rule of law, and the equal treatment of all people – along with recognizing the needs to support that inherent human dignity, like access to healthcare, housing, and food.
This autumn, amid both the High Holidays and election season, we will be offered many opportunities to renew, reaffirm, and reinvigorate both our Jewish faith and our commitment to American democracy. It is incumbent upon each of us to partake of such opportunities in order to advance both institutions forward for future generations.