Rabbi Levinsky Sermon: July 3
This 4th of July weekend, as America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, we celebrate our freedom. Judaism reminds us that freedom is more than independence. Even today, not everyone in America experiences it. The Book of Exodus teaches us that those who have known oppression bear a responsibility to protect the vulnerable. As the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas wrote, freedom is something we create together through our obligations to one another. May this Shabbat inspire us to honor the blessings of liberty by widening its promise. May we build communities marked by justice and hope for all.
