liberation — Rabbi Adam Lavitt

Though LGTBQ Pride month is celebrated these days with a popular parade supported by corporate sponsors, it wasn’t always this way: the reason we celebrate in June is to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a spontaneous act of resistance, at a time same-sex relationships were punished as crimes. This uprising became known as the major turning point in the Gay Liberation Movement. Judaism and other religions, too, were countercultural in their founding: they arose as spontaneous acts of resistance to challenge an oppressive status quo, and offer a prophetic vision of a just and liberated future.

Adam LavittJune 25, 2021pride, LGBTQ, liberation, current events, identity, history, homophobia

Transition as Transformation (Shabbat Shemini)

We journey toward the lives we had incrementally, as we navigate, outside our community, a world that still mostly hasn’t had access to the vaccine. While it would be so easy to put our hopes and expectations on hold until everything was exactly the way we wanted it to be, our tradition challenges us to instead use this time intentionally. Torah could have simply instructed us to observe Shavuot — the day we commemorate our gathering at Sinai, right after Passover, our moment of liberation — but it instead instructs us to build in 7 weeks, between these two central moments in our people’s story.

Adam LavittApril 9, 2021transformation, Sinai, Omer, wilderness, liberation, Passover

Active Hope (Shabbat Beshallach)

In the days ahead, when Amalek, that voice of doubt or cynicism, tries to overtake us, tells us the daily struggle is too much, let’s remember that Moses didn’t hold his hands up alone, no: a trusted companion was there on either side of him, supporting him. As we prepare to enter our own Promised Land at the end of this long wilderness journey, we need each other now more than ever.

Adam LavittJanuary 30, 2021inauguration, insurrection, liberation, faith

Healing the Divide (Shabbat Vaera)

After Pharaoh lets the Israelites go, they gather to cross the Reed Sea. As they do, an erev rav, a “mixed multitude” gathers with them to travel to the Promised Land (Ex 12:38). According to the 11th century commentator, Ibn Ezra, this group includes Egyptians – some of whom, we imagine, had previously been loyal Pharaoh! How do our ancestors start anew after they leave Egypt, build a just, free, and civilized nation despite knowing some amongst them have previously pledged fealty to a tyrant?

Adam LavittJanuary 15, 2021Exodus, Pharoah, insurrection, liberation, justice

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