The Jewish Family Identity Forum

By Candace R. Kwiatek, The Dayton Jewish Observer

There is a legend that following the Revolutionary War, in which the Jewish financier Haym Salomon played a crucial role, Washington asked what he would like in recognition. Salomon replied that he wanted nothing for himself but he would like something for his people. If you look above the eagle on the dollar bill’s Great Seal, you will see the 13 stars representing the colonies arranged in the shape of the Star of David.

Though this is a legend, you’ll find that the quarter does record evidence of America’s Jewish roots: values and principles our parents took for granted but all too often failed to instill in their children. Thus we, their children, have neglected to teach them to our children as well; if we know them at all. What American ideals — and their foundation in Jewish values — can be found in your pocket?

 Liberty. You need only look at the lowly quarter to discover America’s underlying principle: America stands for “Liberty.” Not freedom, for that ultimately leads to anarchy, but freedom with responsibility, with restraints.

Inspired by the Hebrew Bible, America’s architects created her blueprint starting with the Exodus, the story of the Israelites who were freed from Egypt in order to receive the message of Sinai, the restraints of the Ten Commandments. Liberty: freedom with restraints, but not too many.

In God We Trust. Just as visible on the quarter is the motto In God We Trust. My students challenged, “What about Americans who don’t believe in God? Or who aren’t Jewish or Christian? Aren’t they disenfranchised or seemingly not welcome?” No. This motto is a statement of history and principle, not a command to belief.

Knowledgeable about the past and intimately familiar with modern societies ruled by soldiers and kings, America’s founders recognized a simple fact: society’s ethical foundation can have only one source: God or humans. If humans are the source, they get to decide what’s good or evil, design justice to benefit a particular group, and arbitrarily define rights, freedoms and even truths. In the 20th century alone, we find ample evidence of where that can lead.

Instead, America’s Christian architects turned to the Hebrew Bible for inspiration, trusting in its ability to provide immutable principles for a healthy society, ones not subject to the whims of human rulers: liberty, justice, separation of powers, morality, rule of law.

Thus, America’s roots are in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and the principles by which it flourishes originated in God and the Bible. The only requirement of any American, however, is to live according to those principles as laid out in the law.

E Pluribus Unum. Found on the quarter’s Seal of the United States, the idea of “one from many” reflects the melting pot ideal originating early in the Bible. It appears at Sinai when the 12 Israelite tribes accepted the Law as a people and again when they became a single nation under the kings.

The founders envisioned a similarly unified nation, forged from immigrants united by a common American culture and set of values, a vision maintained well into the 20th century.

In fact, America’s Jewish community at the turn of the last century was so successful in establishing various agencies of acculturation that they became models for the new field of social work.

Today’s vision, however, seems to have shifted, with an accent on diversity, a plethora of hyphenated-Americans, and a younger generation that can’t identify Washington’s birthday or the meaning of the Fourth of July, a society in which the individual takes precedence, with little regard for the needs of the greater community.

Rights. Today, rights are almost uniformly defined as “things you are allowed to be, to do, or to have.” This explanation suggests rights are given or taken away depending on the whims of whoever is in charge, a concept our founders would have found puzzling.

Various current lists of rights include college education, health care, reasonable work, social security, food, equal pay, a living wage… While these may all be good things as defined by a particular society, America’s founders would not have classified them as rights. Their understanding from the Hebrew Bible was that rights were God-given and universally part of being human, and as such didn’t depend on the laws or beliefs of any culture or government, the meaning of inalienable.

By extension, rights didn’t involve taking something away from one person or group — life, liberty, money, time, labor, knowledge, etc. — in order to benefit another. Most of today’s “rights” are neither universal nor inalienable, and must therefore interfere to some degree with the rights of others…suggesting we should proceed with great caution.

Protestant work ethic. Ask today’s kids what this means, and they’re likely to look blank. Their parents might be equally challenged. The obligation to work hard and give more than is expected. The value of taking pride and finding satisfaction in a job well done. The adage that money doesn’t grow on trees, but is earned. The responsibility to clean up after yourself. The expectation to pitch in and help the family. The belief that life is dependent upon work, and is more about responsibilities than rights. The idea of saving for a rainy day, and not spending more than you earn. The conviction that prosperity earned by honestly providing a good or service for others is commendable. It may be called the Protestant work ethic, but its roots are in more than three dozen Proverbs, in the Hebrew Bible.

Down to its very foundations, America has been inspired by Jewish ideas. We may not be able to articulate all the Jewish connections, but surely we should be teaching our foundational American values. Don’t neglect the quarter in your pocket: it’s the perfect place to start.

Family Discussion: Jewish tradition places a high value on remembrance. If you were going to create a Fourth of July Jewish-American seder that celebrates the Jewish inspiration on America or shared Jewish-American values, what would you include?

Inspired by writer and lecturer Dennis Prager and my extraordinary MVS students,
this article is a shout-out to the first graduating class of Sinai Scholars to complete four full years of Jewish studies: Ari, Jackie, and Marla, and additional graduating Sinai Scholars Adam, Libby, and Sam.

Literature to share

jews and words by Amos Oz and Fania Oz-Salzberger: Biblical scholars and professors, this father-daughter team of avowed atheists makes a case for words — both spoken and written — as the sole vehicle of the Jewish people’s continuity. Especially intriguing are chapters on women and time. Irreverent. Enlightening. Challenging. Scholarly. This little tome is worth reading but don’t expect to complete it in one sitting.

When I Wore My Sailor Suit by Uri Shulevitz: Based on a memory from the author’s childhood, Sailor Suit is an imaginary adventure about courage and strength and conquering fears. Beautifully illustrated and simply told, this picture book is a delight to share. Enjoy the author’s discussion about his book on YouTube as well.