Today the stakes are high and once again we gotta walk the prophetic talk for democracy and justice, for radical hope - in Israel and everywhere. This is the Shabbat of Vision.
Many religious Jews will gather in synagogues this Shabbat to hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah calling out the injustice of Jerusalem. Many will pretend that what they are listening to is history - and not current events. But that’s not what Isaiah is about.
2,800 years this prophetic social critics called out injustice and his words still echo now. Listen with me to what he is telling us in his first chapter, speaking to the rulers in Jerusalem:
“Your ministers are rogues
And cronies of thieves,
Every one avid for bribes
And greedy for gifts;
They do not judge the case of the orphan,
And the widow’s cause never reaches them.”
And he goes on to offer hope for what will happen at the end of time:
“Zion shall be saved in the judgment;
Her repentant ones, in retribution.”
What’s going on in Israel right now is a righteous protest for democracy and justice, fighting Jewish supremacy and its horrendous plan to make the Occupation of Palestine a done deal, to enforce Ultra Orthodox Judaism on the country, to stand for Patriarchal values at the expense of progress and liberal values. I am back in NYC but my heart is in Jerusalem with the protesters, brave fighters who are walking the talk to save democracy from being a dictatorship.
That’s what Isaiah meant.
For those who are sitting this one out - Isaiah had strong words for those ones too. Not protesting, spreading the word, supporting the cause is the same as standing with Bibi’s government and spreading fake news and hate. We each must stand up to injustice just like Isaiah said.
This is the Shabbat of Vision, Shabbat Hazon, ahead of the 9th of Av, the historic day of Jerusalem’s destruction and our exile. Never again means listening to history and preventing it from happening again. What’s the meaning of this moment and why Isaiah will be chanted on this Shabbat - words of protest and consolation alike.
For those of you joining be below the Bible Belt, day by day, chatter by chapter - we are reading the old book not to learn history but to learn how to make the world better, as best we can, learning from the mistakes for the past and the wisdom of our prophets.
Join me to be part of this prophetic fight:
Donte to grassroots protests in Israel:
https://did.li/HabayitDonate
Find your WhatsApp Group for protests in the US
http://linktr.ee/unxeptable
Watch this video to know what’s going on right now:
Protesting with Isaiah: Gotta Walk the Talk