Hear Our Voice

Soon, our nation will turn its hearts and minds to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his anthem, Shed a Little Light, James Taylor captures the spirit of this day with these powerful words:

Oh, let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women, living on the earth
Ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood
That we are bound together
In our desire to see the world become
A place in which our children can grow free and strong
We are bound together by the task that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead
We are bound, and we are bound.

Before we go further, take a moment to watch a remarkable performance of Shed a Little Light by the Maccabeats, in collaboration with Naturally 7. [Click here for the performance.]

In the Jewish community, we often reflect on the vision and courage of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who stood alongside Dr. King on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Guided by the prophetic vision of Judaism—one of universal justice—Heschel famously declared that he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else on that momentous day, March 7, 1965. The question arises: Why? Why did this Polish-born Jew, a descendant of some of the most revered Hasidic rabbis, feel compelled to act, not just for the welfare of his own people, but for the dignity and rights of all people?

​​​​​I believe the answer lies in one of Heschel’s most profound works, an essay entitled Depth Theology. In this piece, Heschel offers a searing analysis of the origin and purpose of religion. He asserts that every human being is born with an intrinsic connection to the Divine. Throughout history, different cultures and communities have created their own languages, frameworks, sacred stories, and practices—expressions that respond to our shared human nature and deep spiritual yearning. And at the heart of this collective yearning is the understanding that, through our particular practices, we are meant to reconnect with the oneness that unites all of us.

Heschel was on that bridge with Dr. King because he recognized this central truth: While there may be many differences that separate us—differences in culture, community, and identity—the measure of the TRUTH of our unique traditions lies in how they bring us back to the core reality that, as James Taylor so beautifully put it, "We are bound together by the task that stands before us, and the road that lies ahead. We are bound, and we are bound.”