Rabbi's Week in Review Blog

To say that 2024 is an important year for our country is an understatement. I feel that there has never been a more crucial time for the future of the United States in my lifetime.

Recently, two things have reminded me of the urgency of the moment. One was the announcement of a campaign to seek an amendment to the Missouri Constitution, ensconcing abortion as a right. Over the next few months, there will be efforts to put this to a vote of the people. If you live in Missouri, there will be opportunities to sign a petition to get it on the ballot and opportunities to do some signature-gathering. As most of you know, I am one of 14 clergy in Missouri (and one of five rabbis) suing the state over its abortion ban. The lawsuit will proceed in addition to pursuing the constitutional amendment.

This past week, I participated in two Zoom meetings of the Poor People's Campaign. The campaign, co-chaired by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis — and inspired by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s original Poor People’s Campaign — addresses a number of systemic issues: racism, economic inequality, ecological devastation, militarism, and white religious nationalism.

All of these pillars identified by the Poor People’s Campaign disproportionately and negatively impact the poorest of our country and people of color. There are an estimated 140 million poor people in our country. The campaign goal for 2024 is to give as many of these people a voice in their future and our future, both in the voting booth and in the halls of power. Giving a voice to the marginalized is a core principle of Congregation Kol Ami.  

There will be announcements of ways to support the campaign, to lift up the voices of the poor and marginalized in our country. In this important year, let us find ways to be involved, to come together with all those working for a better country and a better world.