Dear TEE Community,
Upon learning the results of Tuesday’s election, the words of labor organizer Mary “Mother” Jones (1837-1930) came to mind: “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” Jones’ life exemplifies the remarkable ability to transform trauma into resilience. After losing her husband and four children to yellow fever in 1867, she became a businesswoman, running a dress shop until the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed it. Inspired by her late husband, she became a union organizer, ultimately earning the title of “the most dangerous woman in America.”
Jones’ message aligns with a core Jewish belief: adversity should motivate us to strive for a better world. The Torah urges us to show compassion for others, drawing from our own experience as “slaves in the Land of Egypt.” The Talmudic rabbis recognized that tikkun olam, or repairing the world, is a lifelong endeavor. They taught, “You are not required to complete the work [of repair], but neither are you free to desist from it.” Disengagement is simply not an option.
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Lydia Polgreen introduced a term her wife coined to describe our current feelings: “despairalized.” This blend of despair and paralysis aptly captures the impact of the presidential campaign and its outcome. It can be tempting to retreat and give up, but that response is not in line with our Jewish values.
Persistence is the cornerstone of Jewish survival. Our ancestors persevered through generations, honoring and observing their traditions amid both peace and adversity. Without a nation or an army, the rabbis understood that our daily lives could serve as a means to, in the words of poet Adrienne Rich, “reconstitute the world.
Fortunately, we live in a time and place where we are not alone in this endeavor. American Jews are part of broader coalitions tackling pressing issues such as climate change, poverty, refugee crises, and gender equity. We need not address every challenge and we do not have to do it alone, but we do have a collective obligation to engage with the issues of our time.
For those joining us this week for Shabbat, we will take time to reflect on Jewish resources for resilience and hope. In the meantime, let’s take a deep breath and return to our important work.
Rabbi Drorah Setel
Here’s a list of some Jewish organizations you may want to connect with as you consider the days and years ahead:
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Actions
HIAS: Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee.
Keshet: for LGBTQ+ Equality in Jewish Life
Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger
National Council of Jewish Women: at the forefront of Jewish activism on reproduction rights.
Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center
Included in the previous website is a letter to President Trump from the President of the Union of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Rick Jacobs.