Shabbat Message from JCCWRP President, Howard M. Rieger
This week President Obama delivered his farewell address in Chicago, and next week Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. Though strongly held opinions about both men divide our community and the country as a whole, Pres. Obama said something on which we can all agree when he underscored what has become the guiding principle of the Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park and the rationale for your involvement with us.
He stated that governmental outcomes depend on our participation and on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship. He urged that we embrace the joyous task we have been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours because, for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title — the most important office in a democracy — citizen. He noted that our democracy needs each of us, not just when there’s an election, not just when our own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If something needs fixing, he urged us to lace up our shoes, get moving, and do some organizing. Show up, dive in, stay at it.
I am proud to join with many of you in a collective effort to make West Rogers Park a better place to live. We are fortunate to partner with Alderman Silverstein and our other elected officials to make that happen. They can’t do it alone. They need the power of the people behind them. And with us providing that force, look at what we have been able to achieve together. And just consider how much more we will be able to accomplish together in the days ahead.
Show up. Dive in. We need you.
Shabbat Shalom,
Howard
hmrieger@gmail.com