Holidays play a unique role in Jewish life. Of course, they are cause for celebration
and remembrance, deep sorrow and great joy. Our observance links us together in
an unbroken chain stretching back thousands of years, and establishes our connection
to future generations.
But their purpose is not purely commemorative. As we relive historical triumphs
and profound suffering, as we express gratitude for the bounty of our harvests and
the comforts in our lives, we are also presented with an urgent challenge: recalling
the past to perfect the present, and strengthening the world around us by putting
our faith into action.
Jewish holidays are a guide to ethical living. Their themes have endured for thousands
of years because they speak to what’s good in all of us: our desire to build community,
to exist in harmony with our natural environment and each other, and to create societies
driven by justice and compassion. We make these things happen, and we do it – together
– through activism and advocacy.
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