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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, December 1, 2016:
Rabbi Shawn Zevit of Mishkan Shalom, guest of Councilwoman Cindy Bass (8th District), gives a stirring invocation before Council.
A
B
B
So
why
riding
the
wave
of
thanksgiving
to
be
here
today
and
this
confluence
in
the
jewish
calendar
is
a
very,
very
powerful
piece
want
to
read
a
couple
of
quotes
and
then
I'm
going
to
end
with
the
melody
in
honor
of
a
recently
deceased
Jewish
artists
that
I've
put
to
Psalm,
77
and
I
know
you'll
all
join
me
in
the
chorus
or
even
lip-sync,
depending
on
your
own
proclivities.
There,
the
duo
of
Rabbi,
Abraham,
Joshua,
Heschel
and
Reverend,
dr.
B
We
are
hugging
each
other,
even
tighter
these
days,
and
glad
that
the
graces
of
the
universe
have
brought
us
closer
together
across
race
and
religion
and
various
lines.
So
heschel
said
there
is
no
time
for
neutrality
and
King
said.
The
ultimate
measure
of
a
person
is
not
where
she
or
he
stands
in
the
time
of
comfort
and
convenience,
but
where
she
or
he
stands
at
times
of
challenge
and
controversy.
B
As
Jewish
leaders,
we
strive
to
teach
the
values
which
have
sustained
our
people
for
centuries,
seeing
each
individual
created
in
God's
image
deserving
respect
care
and
compassion.
Liberty
and
justice
for
all
is
a
Jewish
value,
so
we
focus
our
hearts
riding
on
the
wave
of
this
Thanksgiving
to
take
a
stand
against
racism.
Racist
emails,
graffiti
assaults
that
have
shaken
our
own
Philadelphia
community
hate
has
no
place
in
America,
least
of
all
in
the
city
of
brotherly
and
sisterly
love
as
faithful
Americans.
We
are
absolutely
committed
to
the
safety
of
all.
B
We
Jews
treasure
freedom
and
know
that
hate
damages
the
hater
as
well
as
the
hated.
Our
faith
has
sustained
us
through
centuries
of
slavery
and
oppression,
discrimination
and
bigotry.
Our
gratitude
for
freedom
demands
that
we
stand
with
others
and
oppose
all
who
attempt
to
intimidate
or
threaten
our
neighbors.
So,
as
we
gather
on
this
day
around
tables
large
and
small,
let
us
welcome
each
soul,
who
sits
with
us
as
a
member
of
one
human
family,
seeing
God
in
one
another
offering
prayers
of
gratitude.
B
This
year,
our
song
is
one
of
hope
that
we
can
build
a
city
and
a
bridge
of
love
between
our
brothers
&,
our
sisters
all
over
the
land
and
in
my
heart
today,
as
I
address
you
I
think
of
the
Tollbooth
operator
who
I
passed
through
the
other
day.
This
is
a
day
to
lift
all
our
eyes
and
make
connections
to
not
pass
one
relational
moment
an
opportunity,
and
this
older
african-american
woman
as
she
took
my
ticket
and
we
had
the
transactional
exchange.
I
said
how
are
you
doing
today?
She
said
I'm.
B
Having
a
hard
time.
We
got
to
pray
and
I
said:
yes,
we'll
pray,
but
we're
also
going
to
march
together
and
we're
going
to
stand
together
because
prayers
are
one
thing,
but
we
need
action
too,
and
her
arm
reached
out
of
the
toll,
booth
and
grabbed
mine
and
would
not
let
go
for
a
whole
minute
saying.
Yes,
we
must
do
this
together.