I am sitting here on my sabbatical thinking about this great nation we live in. And truly it is great. The average American only gets to 8 states. I have hiked in 37 with Simon (a few more without him) and have visited 10 other countries and lived in 2 of those.countries.

I am sitting here in an old T-shirt that I bought when my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop was marching in the Memorial Day parade. Keep America Beautiful,Plant a tree, Be Kind to Nature. Conserve energy. Volunteer. It must have been when the kids were in 5th grade.

Fourth of July has always been an important holiday for me. No one ever asked if I would be home for Rosh Hashanah. The big holiday was July 4th. Partly because my mother’s birthday was the 6th. And my father’s was the 7th. She would have been 100 on Saturday. It was one giant party. It started with hanging the flag on the front porch. Decorating bikes. John Phillips Sousa blaring. A parade with the bikes and lots of politicians that went right by our friend, the judge’s house. Everyone stopped to shake John’s hand! Lots of candy thrown for the kids. A very set menu…deviled eggs, blueberry raspberry lemon loaf, ham balls (I make mine with turkey) and lots of guacamole. Later there would be a dip in the community pool that I used to lifeguard. A kickass croquet game an then a drip downtown to the Public Museum for the fireworks. (My mom as a board member and a docent had her own parking place.) And then a trip for Mexican food a a midnight run to Meijers. Don’t ask, but it was a tradition. It all was.

Small town America. Or the Boston Pops on the Esplanade. The 1812 Overture coordinated to church betts and fireworks. Then the rousing encore of the Stars and Stripes Forever. Could not be beat. Simon and I almost got engaged that night.

What is it we cherish about America? That is really the important question. Especially this year. Recently a member of the congregation when I was talking about Biblical translations and Louisiana (We can now add Oklahoma to that list) said we live in a Christian nation, what can we expect. I expect more.

I believe the words that George Washington wrote to the “Hebrew” congregation of Newport, RI. I think I quote it every year but it bears repeating every year. “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance…”

The full letter is masterful:

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-06-02-0135

I believe that Judaism, in the story of the Exodus from Egypt has a lot to teach about freedom. Recently a colleague of mine pointed out something I hadn’t seen before. That the children of Israel started kvetching, complaining, even before they got to the Sea of Reeds. It is a sign of being free that you can kvetch. Slaves can’t kvetch.

Perhaps one of the readings I like best is from the haggadah that my husband complied from a number of sources.

“Tonight, we participate as members of multiple communities. As Jews, the Exodus is our heritage, and equality, justice and peace are our dreams… 

Freedom from bondage and freedom from oppresion
Freedom from hunger and freedom from want
Freedom from hatred and freedom from fear
Freedom to think and freedom to speak
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn
Freedom to love and freedom to share
Freedom to hope and freedom to rejoice.” 

The language for me soars. It is aspirational and it offers hope. Our nation is not perfect. Far from it. We have a responsibility, as did the Children of Israel once they crossed the Sea of Reeds, to make it the best possible place it can be. That is the value and the purpose of Tikkun Olam, Repairing the World.

We talk about the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly, freedom to bear arms.

This year I would add the freedom to vote. This year I would like freedom to include freedom from medical bills and student loans. Not just for the Kleins. This year I would add the freedom to read what I want and when. This year I would add the freedom to gather, at a parade, at a concert, at a school, at a synagogue. We need to work for these freedoms and these rights.

Last night we attended a lovely concert of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, outdoors in a park in a neighboring town. The Armed Forces Medley made me tear up. These are what these older gentleman (they all seemed to be men) who rose to thunderous applause had been fighting for. At some point I looked around. There didn’t seem to be any visible security. How refreshing and how scary that I would even think about it.

The concert was wonderful, the balm I needed for my soul. Outdoor air, setting sun, great music and a picnic dinner. Like being at Tanglewoord or the Esplanade or Ravinia and NO TRAFFIC!

How will I spend the 4th? Running a race. Eating some of that yummy 4th food. Watching 1776 and Hamilton (Did you know that Hamilton may have been Jewish?) And maybe writing letters to elected officials or helping to register new voters.

At the end of George Washington’s letter he ends with a prayer: “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy.”. May it continue to be so. Happy 4th. Celebrate. And roll up your sleeves and make this a great nation. The one that Washington and Hamilton and our ancestors who arrived on these shores as immigrants dreamed of.

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