In the midst of the Passover season, the holiday celebrating freedom, liberation and redemption, more than 20 local rabbis on Thursday, Apr. 17, issued a statement and call to action to protect Americans’ freedoms and rights in light of recent actions and policies undertaken by the Trump administration.
“In light of the assault on democracy and freedom by this administration, some of us felt uncomfortable not speaking out to protect our democracy and this great country,” said Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, an author, activist, spiritual leader and president of the Baltimore Board of Rabbis.
Rabbi Cardin, noting that the letter was not issued on behalf of the Board of Rabbis, said that the administration’s activities and policies have created an atmosphere in which many Americans no longer feel safe expressing their views.
Nonetheless, Rabbi Cardin said she believes “at a time like this, those of us who can must speak out. We’ve seen this movie before. We celebrate those people who stood up for us and others in the past. It’s our turn to do that today.”
The following is the text from the letter titled, “We cannot be silent. Because we know!”
We know what happens when roaming bands of masked enforcers sweep people off the street without due process.
And no one says a word.
We know what happens when laws are violated by the very leaders who swore to uphold them.
We know what happens when court orders that restrain the excesses of government are summarily and blatantly ignored.
We know what happens when books are purged from libraries, freedom of speech is denied and government websites scrubbed.
And no one says a word.
We know what happens when the most influential law firms, universities, corporations and newspapers capitulate to shake-downs from the government instead of standing up for what is right.
We know what happens when a history is rewritten, erasing inconvenient truths about who did what to whom and who did what for whom.
We know what happens when the cherishing of differences among us is trashed.
And no one says a word.
We know what happens when government entities are turned into instruments of personal vengeance.
We know what happens when whole classes of people are summarily targeted and dismissed regardless of their talents, contributions or the critical nature of their work.
We know what happens when government leaders pledge allegiance to a person instead of to the republic and the principles for which it stands.
We know what happens when the constitution and its meaning are perverted.
And no one says a word.
We know what happens when science is sidelined and discredited theories are promoted as official policy instead.
We know what happens when essential government services, including those that serve the young, the old, the disabled, public health and education, are systematically dismantled.
We know what happens when lies become the currency of the government and truth is banished from the realm.
We know what happens when good people choose to look away, because they believe there is nothing they can do.
And no one says a word.
We cannot be silent. Because we know. We cannot allow the structures of democracy and equity, economic and social opportunity to fail on our watch. Once destroyed, they cannot readily be rebuilt.
We did not choose this task. Who knows why we – of this generation – are fated with holding the future of freedom, global prosperity and a sustainable planet in our hands. But we are.
So we join our voices with others who are not silent. And urge all who believe that the foundation of freedom and the bedrock of American democracy is being shattered to raise their voices too.
Passover is the time when our people rallied to reach for freedom, and truth had the courage to speak to power. We must do the same.
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
Rabbi Avram Israel Reisner
Rabbi Gustav Buchdahl
Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen
Rabbi Naomi Zaslow
Rabbi Daniel Burg
Rabbi Tyler Dratch
Rabbi Daniel Plotkin
Rabbi Linda Joseph
Rabbi Donald Berlin
Rabbi Joanne Yocheved Heiligman
Rabbi Marci Jacobs
Rabbi Floyd L. Herman
Rabbi Jessy Gross Dressin
Rabbi Jerry Seidler
Rabbi Michael Hess Webber
Rabbi Benjamin Shalva
Rabbi Andy Gordon
Rabbi Amy Scheinerman
Rabbi Ariana Katz
Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Ph.D.
Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit-Halachmi
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