Today, along with many Americans, I mourn the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. The pursuit to repair the world and social justice is a core value in Jewish tradition. Because of this, the Jewish community found itself allied with Senator Kennedy on several of his legislative initiatives. Despite the fact that Senator Kennedy encountered fierce opposition on many of these initiatives, he, always the “lion,” was undaunted in his pursuit of a more compassionate, equitable and just country.
Specifically, we in the Jewish community allied ourselves with Senator Kennedy on the Voting Rights Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Mental Health Parity Act, the State Children’s Health Act (SCHIP) and others. It is difficult to imagine our country today without these critical pieces of legislation initiated by Senator Kennedy.
Senator Kennedy was a staunch supporter of Israel, as well as a very strong voice for freedom for Jews in the former Soviet Union. Many Jews who possess this freedom today and who live outside of the former Soviet Union owe a debt of gratitude to “Teddy” for their freedom.
The Senator was well known as a passionate advocate for health care reform in our country. In our congregation, we do not favor a particular bill or approach. Most of us believe that the status quo is untenable financially and from a moral and religious perspective, highly unethical. Personally, I believe that I am on firm ground in my belief that the biblical prophets, particularly Amos and Isaiah, would be appalled at the status quo and would preach against it.
For so many years in the United States Senate, Senator Kennedy was the embodiment of social justice. While not all Americans agreed with Senator Kennedy all of the time, he will be remembered as a valiant fighter for greater access to health care, more compassion for the poor and the elderly, student loans so that more could afford college tuition, funding for stem cell research, and the rights of minorities and women.
Our country will miss his voice and spirit of justice. May his memory be a blessing!
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