Dear Friends,
At various times in my rabbinate I have been accused of being too “political” in my sermons. Usually such comments came after a sermon or Shabbat message that addressed social policy. Each time I have tried to explain that social policy, ie. politics, is how we act on and live our values and commitments. Usually, however, the disagreement over what I said or didn’t say overshadowed this somewhat nuanced distinction.
This distinction is a Jewish issue as Judaism has always taught that we are responsible for one another. Judaism has always taught that we must do our part to ensure the poor do not go to bed hungry. Judaism has always taught that our fast on Yom Kippur should lead us to be concerned for, and act on behalf of, the most vulnerable in our community. That’s not politics… that’s Judaism. And as the 2024 election approaches it is important to keep that in mind.
There are, of course, limits to what I can or should say with regard to politics. As the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 amendment to section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code makes clear, entities such as houses of worship that are exempt from federal income tax cannot:
Participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of – or in opposition to – any candidate for public office.
Since the Johnson Amendment passed some 70 years ago, a religious leader who used the pulpit to endorse a candidate risked their religious institution losing its Tax-Exempt status.
A number of years ago, Rabbi David Saperstein, former director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, offered five guidelines for how congregations and politicians might take positions while staying within the bounds of the Johnson amendment. These included:
- It is never appropriate explicitly or implicitly to impose a religious test for public office. To vote either for or against a person because of their creed is to impose a religious test and that is a clear violation of the spirit of the Constitution.
- Religious leaders should refrain from using religious authority or threats to coerce the political decisions of American citizens or candidates. At their best, religious leaders serve as the moral code or conscience of society.
- Candidates should refrain from citing religion as the exclusive authority for their position on issues. Democracy requires the ability to test public policies in reasoned discourse in a free marketplace of ideas.
- Politicians should try to be inclusive of all citizens when in their public capacity they choose to speak religiously.
- Religious organizations have constitutional freedom and we would argue a moral duty to speak out on the great issues that confront our nation, but as tax–exempt entities they should never endorse or oppose candidates for public office. Identifying a candidate or political party with God compromises our moral standards. Accordingly candidates and their campaign staffs should respect the sacred space of churches and synagogues and never seek to organize partisan support in houses of worship. While religious organizations should refrain from partisan political activity, clergy have every right to endorse or oppose candidates in their individual capacities.
In other words, while endorsing specific candidates or political parties is not acceptable, endorsing values from the pulpit is not only acceptable but a moral obligation.
So while I will refrain from offering any endorsements in the upcoming election I will offer a few thoughts.
First, what is at issue for me each time there is an election is whether the choices we make as a country will affirm and deepen our sense of responsibility to one another. Will we elect individuals who believe in servant-leadership and seek to deepen the social contract, or will we elect individuals whose main political aspiration is to gain and maintain power?
Second, in an age of weaponized misinformation, we need to take the time to challenge our assumptions about candidates. What have they actually said on the campaign trail? What policies are they embracing and what kind of country will those policies help create?
Third, we need to look past the politics of personality. Years ago a friend told me he was voting for a candidate because, “He’s the type of guy I would love to have a beer with.” We don’t need leaders who are drinking buddies. We need leaders who are upright, who share our values and will enact policies that are in keeping with those values.
Finally, none of this matters if we don’t vote. Especially this year it is incumbent upon each of us to make our voices heard by casting our votes. More than that, it is more important than ever that we make sure our children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends all vote as well. Despite the worrisome trends in recent years, this country has offered our community more opportunity and security than we have ever known. We OWE it to this country to be part of the political process.
Early voting begins tomorrow. Make a plan. Bring a friend. And vote.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel Cohen