March 2025 Jewish Faith Network Newsletter

Jewish Faith Network

Newsletter

March 2025

Thank you for joining us for this month’s Jewish Faith Network newsletter at the One America Movement. See below for resources to support your work.

Get Involved

Faith leaders across traditions are coming together May 5-7 for Rooted in Faith: Cultivating Spiritual Strength for Transcending Divides. This gathering is an opportunity to strengthen your leadership, build relationships, and gain practical skills to navigate division with wisdom and compassion.

Sermon Hooks for Next Month's Torah Readings

Pekudei

(Exodus 38:21–40:38)

Exodus 39:43 – “And when Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks—as the LORD had commanded, so had they done—Moses blessed them

Theme: Trust – Trust in leadership and divine instruction is affirmed when Moses recognizes the people’s work and offers them a blessing. Trust is essential for a functioning society, and its erosion can lead to division.

Exodus 40:34-35 – “The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.”

Theme: Sacred Values – The divine presence in the Tabernacle reinforces the idea that certain things are beyond human control, emphasizing sacred values that must be respected regardless of personal or communal desires.

Vayikra

(Leviticus 1:1–5:26)

Leviticus 4:27-28 – “If any person from among the populace unwittingly incurs guilt by doing any of the things which by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes guilt—when the sin that one has committed is made known, one shall bring an offering...”

Theme: In-group Moderation – The requirement to acknowledge wrongdoing and bring an offering demonstrates that even unintentional sins require atonement, reinforcing the idea that a community must hold itself accountable.

Leviticus 5:1 – “When a person sins because they have heard a public adjuration and though able to testify as one who has seen or learned of the matter, they do not give information, they bear guilt.”

Theme: Trust – This verse highlights the necessity of speaking out when injustice occurs, reinforcing the value of truthfulness and trust in communal integrity.

Traz

(Leviticus 6:1–8:36)

Leviticus 6:4-5 – “When one has sinned and realized guilt, they shall restore what they got through robbery or fraud... they shall repay the principal amount and add a fifth to it.”

Theme: Trust & Motive Misattribution – This verse addresses the importance of making amends, which requires overcoming the human tendency to justify one’s own misdeeds while suspecting the worst in others.

Leviticus 8:33 – “You shall not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the day that your period of ordination is completed. For your ordination will require seven days.”

Theme: Sacred Values – The ordination of the priests underscores the idea that some commitments demand complete devotion and separation from ordinary life, reinforcing the role of sacred values in shaping identity.

Shemini

(Leviticus 9:1–11:47)

Leviticus 10:1-2 – “Now Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire pan, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and offered before the LORD alien fire, which He had not enjoined upon them. And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed them.”

Theme: Sacred Values & In-group Moderation – This dramatic episode demonstrates the consequences of disregarding divine instruction. Even the priests, who held the highest status, were held accountable for their actions.

Leviticus 11:45 – “For I the LORD am the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God: you shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Theme: Identity – This verse encapsulates the Jewish people’s identity as a holy nation, setting them apart with unique obligations and responsibilities. It reinforces how identity is intertwined with moral conduct.

From the Talmud

Brachot 10a

In this passage, the Talmud recounts the story of Rabbi Meir and the troublemakers in his neighborhood. Rabbi Meir prays for these individuals to die because they are causing significant harm. His wife, Bruriah, challenges him by quoting Psalms 104:35, which says, “Let sins cease from the earth.” She argues that the verse calls for the cessation of sin, not sinners, and encourages Rabbi Meir to pray for their repentance rather than their demise. Rabbi Meir takes her advice, prays for the troublemakers to repent, and they do.

Key Takeaways from a One America Movement perspective:

Motive Misattribution: Rabbi Meir initially sees the troublemakers only as malicious individuals. Bruriah’s intervention challenges him to reconsider their motives and focus on their potential for change, rather than assuming their wrongdoing is irredeemable.

Sacred Values: Bruriah appeals to a sacred value—the sanctity of life—and reorients Rabbi Meir’s thinking from punitive action to restorative action, prioritizing repentance over retribution.

Relationship Building: Bruriah’s wisdom helps shift the dynamic from one of conflict to one of transformation. By praying for the troublemakers to change, Rabbi Meir takes a step toward repairing relationships rather than further alienating them.

Trust: This story reinforces the importance of trusting in people’s potential for growth and in the power of teshuvah (repentance). It also highlights trust between Rabbi Meir and Bruriah, as he values her counsel and implements it.

Sermon From the Field

Rabbi Brian Michelson uses the metaphor of tapestries to illustrate the difference between healthy and toxic polarization. Toxic polarization is characterized by personal attacks, a perception gap, and the elevation of extreme voices, hindering collaboration and compromise. To combat this, we must recognize our shared values, engage in compassionate dialogue, and actively participate in the democratic process. By doing so, we can bridge divides and contribute to a more harmonious and understanding society.

Read the sermon here!

Articles of interest from the Internet

More in Common - The Connection Opportunity

More in Common released their latest report, “The Connection Opportunity: Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Difference.” Engaging over 6,000 Americans across 2 years, their research explores Americans’ interest in – and barriers to – connecting across four lines of difference: race/ethnicity, political viewpoint, socioeconomic status, and religion.

People Overestimate Political Opponents’ Immorality" (Scientific American, October 29, 2024):

Kurt Gray discusses the common misconception that political opponents possess extreme moral differences, highlighting the potential for finding common ground.

Meet Our Director

Contact Fred

Rabbi Frederick Reeves is the Director of Jewish Programs at the One America Movement.

Fred served pulpits in Atlanta and Chicago before coming to the One America Movement. He also was the president of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Interfaith Council, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis. In those roles, he has been active Jewishly and across faith lines working to bring positive change to our society. Fred graduated from the College of William and Mary in Virginia with a degree in French Literature. He completed a Master’s in Hebrew Letters and received rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Learn More About Our Work

The One America Movement's mission is to build a network of people of faith who speak and act against toxic polarization in America in accordance with their faith tradition.