Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Shabbat Program

RISING UP TO MEET THE CHALLENGE:

A Shabbat Service Dedicated to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Justice

By Cindy Rowe*

Nearly 900 members of Temple Israel gathered with members of the interfaith community on Friday, January 15 for the Temple’s annual Qabbalat Shabbat, dedicated to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In keeping with a tradition that Temple Israel started over three decades ago of inviting a community leader to address the congregation, this year’s speaker called upon all of us not only to hear the call of justice, but to act.

Co-Organizer of the Boston Police Camera Action Team, Segun Idowu, reminded us of a meaningful moment in our own congregational history. His grandfather, Rev. Earl W. Lawson, accompanied Dr. King to Temple Israel in 1965 when he addressed our congregation at a Passover service. Looking to the present, Idowu began his remarks by saying we need to “take inventory of where we are today, and determine how best to repair this tired, beaten up world, and bring even a flicker of light to corners of profound darkness.”

Idowu shared with us a caution from his grandfather, not to “confuse motion with progress,” and to pay heed to the challenges of redistricting, mortgages and redlining, segregated educational settings, and rising taxes and stagnant wages. It is time, he urged us, to have an honest dialogue about race and to address institutionalized racism with our friends and family, and in our work environments, classrooms, and court rooms. Idowu described the work of the Doorknockers, white Americans who went door to door across Boston demanding that the City Council take action on equipping the entire Boston Police force with body cameras. He noted that there will now be a pilot program launched with close to 100 officers being equipped with cameras.

Concluding his remarks, Idowu reflected on the definition of Chesed (individual acts of loving kindness aimed at immediate needs) and Tzedek (pursuing justice through systematic change), and urged us to focus on both of these concepts. The congregation, he said, can “discuss the evils of mass incarceration and lobby state legislators to eliminate mandatory minimums and ban the box,” but can also, “identify several local, small non-profits to invest in that are committed to making re-entry as successful as possible for all of the formerly incarcerated.” He also pointed out that we could address the everincreasing wealth gap, and urge officials to contract more City services with minority and woman-owned businesses.

The service also included musical selections by the Boston Children’s Chorus, joined by the Temple Israel Youth Choir, and readings by students from Beacon Academy and Monday Night School.

For more information about participating in Temple Israel’s work on Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, Gun Violence Prevention, Equality and Inclusion, or the Green Team please join with over 700 members of our congregation in signing up for our weekly e-mail “Just News” by contacting Andrew Oberstein (aoberstein@tisrael.org).

* Cindy Rowe is Social Justice Co-Chair at Temple Israel and serves on the Leadership Council.