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I never want to live in theocracy, a society where the state law is religious law and the government is led by religious leaders. But I do believe that Judaism has important values that can come to bear on the great issues of the day (immigration, health care, individual rights and responsibilities, and more) and can help shape public policy. That is why we take our 10th graders each year to the L’Taken Social Justice Seminar to learn about advocacy. And that is why I spent most of Wednesday this week at the Virginia House of Delegates in Richmond.

Every Wednesday, the Speaker of the House hosts an early morning “Interfaith Devotional Program,” where different clergy from Virginia are invited to teach and discuss a text from their tradition. It is attended by legislators, aides, government officials, and others. And every day that the House of Delegates is in session, it begins with an Invocation, a prayer offered by a religious officiant of various denominations.

On Wednesday this week, I was honored both to lead the study session and to offer the Invocation. I taught from this week’s Torah portion about the building of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, and how it was the creation of a place for God’s Presence to dwell, enabled by the community working together to take care of one another. The Invocation I gave focused on the offerings the Israelites brought to build the Mishkan and the different gifts that Virginians can bring to shape our society: kindness, compassion, strength, patience, and the desire to make our world a better place.

I was proud to be joined on Wednesday by my Delegate, Laura Jane Cohen, Delegate Kathy Tran, and Delegate Dan Helmer, all of them part of the TBS community. For one small congregation, that is great representation! All three of them bring Jewish values to bear in their work as legislators, not imposing our religious teachings on others, but using them to help our Commonwealth fulfill its potential.

Based on the feedback I got from the legislators who spoke with me afterwards, both my teaching and my prayer were well received. I feel that they were opportunities to lift up Jewish values in the midst of Virginia’s legislative leadership and demonstrate how they can impact public policy. As I said in my Invocation, I pray that the House of Delegates will guide and govern our Commonwealth, with fairness and justice for all, so that it may always be a home to decency, uprightness, and goodness. And I pray that we might all use our skills and talents to build a society worthy of God’s Presence. 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi David S. Widzer, D.D.