One of the best pieces I’ve read about being Jewish on Labor Day is this article from The Jewish Advocate by David Dolev of the New England Jewish Labor Committee. As the rabbi of a congregation that is currently building a new synagogue facility, I was especially appreciative of his closing paragraph:
Let us remember all of these things on Labor Day. The next time we need to build an addition to our synagogue or hire a janitor for our institution make sure that those we hire receive fair wages and benefits. In that way we can use our economic capacity to empower workers, support real social change, and fulfill our Judaic legacy.
Hear, hear! Labor Day is indeed a welcome reminder of what the legacy of the labor movement should mean to the 21st century Jewish community.
