It is a great honor to be asked to do an invocation at the State House. In 12 years this is my second trip to Springfield for this. At some point while waiting to be on the podium I realized that I have now lived in Illinois for 18 years, 6 as a young girl in Evanston and 12 as a rabbi in Elgin.
Here is my prayer:
From the time of Jeremiah the prophet, about 2500 years ago, Jews have prayed for their leaders and advisors, wherever they have lived, whoever the government of the day has been.
Today I stand before you, our elected officials and pray. I pray for courage. It takes courage to be a leader. To give up time with family and friends To take a risk. Sadly, we know just how real that risk can be. Not only as an elected official as we have seen with Rep Gabby Giffords and Rep. Scalise, but for your staffs and families, for judges and their families across this nation. You ran for office because you wanted to represent the people of Illinois—all the people of Illinois. You ran for office because you wanted to make a difference.
Today I pray for each of you, that you continue to make wise decisions on behalf of this great state.
Today I pray for patience and strength when others disagree with you, when you need to reach across the aisle and build consensus and coalitions.
Today I pray for the budgeting process. That you remember our obligations to the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the most vulnerable amongst us.
Today I pray for our children, all our children, that they have the opportunity to grow up as leaders, that they have appropriate role models like you.
Today. I pray for our schools that they continue to educate our kids, all of our kids, The kids are worth it.
Today, I pray for our social service agencies to continue to provide critical, emergency services like shelter, mental health services, and access to health care.
Today I pray for our faith communities that come together and help with mutual understanding and respect.
Today I pray for our first responders who are tasked with keeping all of you safe. And me and my community too.
Today I pray for each of you. That the vision you have of this state, a model to so many other states, part of that American dream, will not diminished.
Today I share these words, even more poignant today…
“Our G-d and G-d of our ancestors: We ask Your blessings for our country—for its government, for its leaders and advisors and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Teach them insights from your Torah, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.
Creator of all flesh, bless all the inhabitants of our country with Your spirit. May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country.
May this land, under your providence, be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom—helping them fulfill the vision of Your prophet—National shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war any more.” And let us say: Amen.” (Siddur Sim Shalom page 148)
And today I add an extra prayer, a prayer for peace that as George Washington said to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, RI in 1790, that “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance. Then quoting the prophet Micah, “may there come a day when everyone may sit under their vine and their fig tree and none shall make them afraid. Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha, spread over us the shelter, that fragile sukkah, of Your peace. Oseh shalom bimromav…May the G-d who makes peace in the High Heavens, make peace here on earth, speedily and in our day.
What I discovered. People are kind here. I got lost finding the parking lot. No problem. Police helped. I got lost finding the clerk’s office (I followed the signs but they have changed the inside. A senator, an elevator man and finally someone in Room 402 walked me to 420,, the clerk’s office, which I never would have found. Then it was back to 402 for badging. People held open doors. The hotel is shockingly clean. (And I told them so) The front desk printed for me and loaned me a file folder. And people thanked me for my prayer. Including the Palestinian representative. Somewhere there is a photo of that. Yes, people can be kind.
I’ve always been a political junkie. And a news junkie. It comes from being in Grand Rapids in the 70s when Ford was the President and I was the diversity for the Girl Scouts. Yet, my mother always said we shouldn’t t talk about religion or politics in public. It is, however, exactly what I do as a rabbi. I believe that part of the Torah was to help us create a moral, ethical society. You only need to look at the Holiness Code, Leviticus 19. How do we “love our neighbors as ourselves?” How do we take care of the widow, the orphan, the stranger? The most marginalized amongst us. That’s the job to the legislature to set policy, to make laws and to budget fairly. That’s why it was important to be in Springfield to do this invocation.
I believe in separation of church and state. I believe that we should not establish at state religion. I believe that praying at the opening of governmental meetings is complicated. I have been in interfaith organizations that have decried this whole process. I have read much of the Supreme Court rulings on this. However, if the legislature is giving me, and by extension the congregation a seat at the table, it is important for me to be visible. It was also a good opportunity to network with legislators, and thank them for adding Illinois money to the homeland security grant money that may, just may keep us all safer in this age of rising anti-semitism.
Yes, today was a good day.