Martin Buber, one of the great theologians of the early 20th century, offers this teaching in the name of Rabbi Menachem Mendl of Kotsk (The Kotsker Rebbe). Speaking of the holiday of Shavuot, with which we ushered in this month of June, we read:
The Kotzker Rebbe was asked: ”Why is Shavuot called (z’man matan Torah) ‘The Time that the Torah was Given,’ rather than ‘The time the Torah was Received?” He answered: “The giving took place on one day, but the receiving takes place at all times.”
Today is the federal observance of Juneteenth—designated a national holiday by President Biden last year, but observed and celebrated by Black Americans since its inception in 1865. Officially, June 19 (Juneteenth) commemorates the day on which Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Tex. Almost two years after the Emancipation Proclamation itself, Union Major General Gordon Granger read General Order Number 3, which freed the nearly 250,000 enslaved people in Texas—the most remote part of the Confederacy. Juneteenth, therefore, commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Jada Garrett is a consultant to Be’chol Lashon, an organization that strengthens Jewish identity by raising awareness about the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of Jewish identity and experience. Writing about Juneteenth, she said:
Juneteenth is a reminder that the end of slavery was not about a moment in time but rather about a process of liberation. 157 years later, that process is still ongoing. As Jews who understand the power of the stories of the past, we need to learn from history and remain committed to changing the future.
We are a people who understands the blessings—and the challenges—of freedom. We know, from our own ancient texts, that while freedom may arrive in a moment, becoming free is the work of a lifetime—and perhaps more. In that spirit, and with that knowledge, I offer these words of prayer and poetry by Dr. Tarece Johnson, a Black-Jewish entrepreneur, diversity and inclusion expert, poet, artist, author, activist, and advocate:
As we bask in the jubilation of freedom from slavery may we also reflect on the actions we need to take to continue to be FREE.
May we focus inwardly to accept and love ourselves. May we reach outwardly to authentically connect with one another and collaborate to build and maintain strong communities together.
May we deliberately seek to relearn our history to understand our truths and celebrate our contributions to the world. May we honor our ancestors and value our own beauty and glory.
May we rebirth the spirit of redemptive love, empathetic unity, purposeful peace, and resilient hope.
And let us say: Amen.
—Rabbi Sari Laufer