In November of 1938, my grandparents left their own town of Essen, Germany and walked the streets of another village where no one would recognize them. A German constable had warned them to leave town so as to avoid getting caught up in the night of destruction that lay ahead. They watched as Nazi Brownshirts burned books and shattered the windows of Jewish properties. As my grandfather clung in terror to my indomitable grandmother, they vowed they would leave the country of their birth forever. Within months, they stepped onto the streets of Richmond, Virginia.
Today, we celebrate the inauguration of America’s 46th president. It is especially important for Jews to remember our stories of immigration. The countries we fled were those where elections were subverted, where mobs upended governments, where democracies disintegrated beneath lies, oppression, and deceit. Our ancestors looked to this nation because they realized, as imperfect as the American system of government might be, it offered them the best hope for a future.
Events leading up to today remind us that democracy is fragile—that its success rests on the pursuit of truth, a free press, and the integrity of its elected leadership. Each of those features face constant jeopardy from those who would have their agenda subvert the will of the majority and the virtues of our nation. There are many who offer empty slogans and false allegations deviously conceived to undermine the very foundation of this republic. However, the hallmark of democracy is the acceptance of the majority’s decision even when it doesn’t align with our own. This is coupled with the firm determination by each citizen to, within the bounds of decency, advocate for their firmly held beliefs.
It is a delicate system, rife with challenges and sometimes maddening contradictions, but we should never forget that this beacon of liberty led our parents and grandparents to envy it from afar and embrace their citizenship with all their hearts when they reached its shores.
How does your family’s immigration story reveal your own dream of American democracy? How are you devoting your life to realizing their aspirations?
— Rabbi Ron Stern