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U.S. Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court received the first Genesis Lifetime Achievement Award in Israel on July 4th. Here is a video and a transcript of his remarks:
Isaac Bashevis Singer had a memory to recount on an occasion like this. Singer's grandfather was a renowned Orthodox rabbi who, in a sermon, put this question to his congregation:
"Why is the Almighty so greedy for praise?" Three times a day we pray, by saying how great he is, why the Creator of all the stars and all the planets should he be so eager to be praised The wise rabbis answer: the Almighty knows from the experience divine that when people stop praising it, they begin to praise each other. "
This thing, says his grandfather, is what the Almighty does not like. Singer added, we sometimes appreciate some praise especially when it comes from the mouths of good people. I enjoy this event and my visit to Israel.
I is appropriate for this occasion to talk about two Jewish women raised in the United States whose humanity and bravery inspired me during my years of growth. 19659004] First, Emma Lazarus, eldest cousin of the great jurist Benjamin Nathan Cardozo. Emma Lazarus was a Zionist before this word became fashionable. His love for humanity and especially for his people is evident in all his writings. She wrote constantly, from her first volume of poetry, published in 1866 at age 17, until her death from cancer much too early at age 38. His poem "The New Colossus", engraved on the base of the Statue of Liberty, has hosted legions of immigrants including my father and my grandparents, people seeking in the United States to refrain from fear and wishing to be safe from intolerance
My next inspirer: Henrietta Szold, heiress of Hadbadah
Szold lived until 1945. My mother has spoke to her brilliantly, also of Lillian Wald, the founder of Henry Street Settlement House who lived from 1867 to 1940.
Szold knew how to say "no" better than any other person I've read the words . Szold had seven sisters but no brother. When his mother died, a man well known for his community-minded efforts, Haim Peretz, offered to say Kaddish, the prayer of mourning that the ancient custom taught could only be recited by men . Szold responded to this benevolent offer in a letter dated September 16, 1916. You can read it in full in "Four Centuries of Jewish Women's Spirituality" and in the Jewish Women's Archives Program, "Making Our Wild Nature Bloom".
"It is impossible to find words to tell you how much I was touched by your offer to say Kaddish after my mother.Kaddish means to me that the survivor is publicly manifesting his intention to badume the relationship with the Jewish community that his parents had, so that the chain of tradition remains unbroken from generation to generation, each adding his own link.You can do it for generations of your family.I have the to do for the generations of my family.
"My mother had eight daughters and no sons, but I have never heard a word of regret pbad on the lips of my mother or my father that the l one of us was not son.When my father died, my mother did not allow others to take the place of her daughters saying Kaddish, and so I'm sure I'm acting in his mind when I'm moved to turn down your offer. she offers you rest, and I repeat, I know very well that she is much more in keeping with the generally accepted Jewish tradition than is the conception of my family. You understand me, is not it? "
Szold's plea for the celebration of our common heritage while tolerating, even appreciating, the differences between us regarding religious practice, is captivating, and I remember his words up to today. hui, when the words of a colleague translate a certain lack of understanding
W when I became active in the movement to open the doors to women, allowing them to enter occupations that were closed to them and judge, bartender, police, firefighters, for some examples – I was comforted by the words of a girl of my generation.It wrote:
"One of Many issues that have often bothered me are why women have been and still are considered so inferior to men. It's easy to say that it's unfair, but it's not enough for me. I would really like to know the reason for this great injustice. Men probably dominated women from the beginning because of their greater physical strength. They are men who make a living, father children and do what they want. Until recently, women were silent with this, which was stupid because the longer it is kept, the deeper it becomes. Fortunately, education, work and progress have opened the eyes of women. In many countries they have received equal rights. Many people – mostly women but also men – now realize how bad it was to tolerate this state of things for so long.
"Yours truly, Anne M. Frank."
This insightful comment was one of the last of his diary. Anne Frank was born in the Netherlands in July 1929. She died in 1945 while she was imprisoned in Bergen-Belsen, three months before her 16th birthday
[American Jewish Committee] to provide a statement on how my legacy in as long as Jew and my profession as a judge agree. I answered as follows:"I am a born judge, brought up and proud to be Jewish." The requirement of justice, peace, enlightenment, crosses the world. Whole of Jewish history and Jewish tradition.I hope that, during all these years, I have the chance to continue to sit on the US Supreme Court, j & rsquo; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; Will have the strength and courage to stand firm at the service of this demand. "
your patient audience, and once again deep gratitude to Aharon Barak and the Genesis Foundation, may I say to all gathered here , Shalom v todah Rabba.
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