President Obama Inauguration

I was attending the Ravsak conference for administrators and lay leaders of community day schools during the time of the inauguration. Since the conference was held in San Francisco, the ceremony was at 9am on Tuesday, January 20th; conference organizers arranged to show the event in real time in the ballroom on a large screen. Luckily, the technology all worked, enabling us to see everything from the entrance of the main dignitaries to the final benediction. Sharing this event with over 300 other educators was quite moving – we laughed, cried, cheered and applauded – joined as a community in this historic moment.

We were struck by the sea of people of all colors proudly waving American flags, a show of patriotism not frequently seen, especially in recent years. Many of us shared stories: of our work in inner city schools, of our role in the civil rights movement, of remembrances of assassinations and murders of blacks and whites, of first hand experiences with public bathrooms and water fountains marked “colored” and “white,” of segregated restaurants and schools. How far we have come; how much further we have to go.

Rabbi Harold Kushner provides this commentary in Etz Hayim on the Torah section of Mishpatim: “The decency of a society is measured by how it cares for its least powerful members.” Our society will be remembered for how we treat our most marginalized people – those who are poor, who are immigrants, who are different races or religions, who are gay, lesbian or transgendered, or who have dis/abilities.

Perhaps the power of President Obama’s inauguration will be an inspiration to create more inclusive American moments.