A Jewish Response

Rainbow flag with Israeli flag in the corner

Whenever a big world event occurs Jewish media provide the “Jewish response”. Most recently it was the Supreme Court’s decision to name both DOMA and Prop 8 unconstitutional. The decision is considered to be major progress for the queer community. Not but moments later the Jewish response was issued. In the heat of the moment I was too over come with joy to consider it, but now I sit and ask. Why was there need for a Jewish response? Why did every major event have a Jewish response? and What is a Jewish response anyway?!

When I first began to muse this idea of a Jewish response, I was brought to the concept of call and response: a response is to answer, an answer to a question. And boy to Jews love their questions. Jews historically have always encouraged questions, from the four questions Passover seder to the millions of “ask a rabbi”‘ pages you can find online. Jews encourage questions because Jews value knowledge and how are you to learn if you don’t ask? Dr. Misha Galperin, the President and CEO of the Jewish Agency International Development, added this on the importance of asking questions: “Asking questions is a form of engagement. It shows that we care, that the future matters to us and that we are personally invested in outcomes.” When a major event occurs a question is asked and the Jewish people engage to find a response.

But what is the question that is answered? I believe the question is: As a Jew, what do I do about this? What is the Jewish knee jerk reaction? After reviewing numerous Jewish responses to major events I’ve found that the Jewish response stems from the value of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. It is Jewish to have a commitment to actively engaging and making the world a better place. We, as Jews, are charged with doing our part to right the ills in the world and stand up for justice, not just for the Jewish people but for the entirety of the world making us “a light among the nations”.