Editor’s note: Rabbi Jacob Fine shared these remarks at Congregation B’nai Israel’s Tikkun Olam virtual legislative gathering with state legislators and 115 members of the Jewish community on Saturday.
We are gathering on a sober morning in a frightening time. The morning after border patrol agents in Minneapolis murdered Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a VA hospital, and a U.S. citizen. This murder follows the killing of Renee Nicole Good, also a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, and mother of three.
A New York Times reporter on the ground described that “what we are watching unfold in Minneapolis is a dark, dystopian future becoming reality.”
This coming Shabbat, Jews around the world will read the story of the Exodus — the Israelites fleeing Egypt, chased by the Egyptian army, trapped between the danger pressing in behind them and profound uncertainty ahead.
Near the climax of this story, Moses tells the terrified Israelites:
“Do not be afraid! Stand firm and see the deliverance which God will work for you today.”
Then comes a surprising verse, seemingly out of context: God calls to Moses and says: “Why do you cry out to Me?! Speak to the people and tell them to march forward.”
This becomes the turning point of the story. The Israelites are not yet free; they are exhausted, afraid, and unsure whether the future will hold safety or disaster. God has brought them this far, but now tells them that liberation will not happen without their own proactivity.
It is important to notice here that, unlike Moses, God does not say, “Be fearless.” How could they not be afraid!? They are simply commanded to step forward.
Just as the Israelites were called to act even amid fear and uncertainty, so too we are called to move forward in our own fearful and uncertain time. In a moment of cascading crises — at a time when our own Jewish community confronts a rise in antisemitism both locally and around the globe, when the world feels broken in too many ways and too many places all at once — it is so understandable to freeze: to wait for clarity, for assurance, for permission, or for someone else to act first.
“Go forward” does not mean everyone does the same thing. It means each of us acts from where we stand, with the tools we have, in alignment with the values we hold dear. For some of us, this looks like organizing or protesting; for others, caregiving, teaching, feeding, listening, giving, or building community. Liberation does not require that we all be heroes, but it does require that we all move.
The sea did not part because the Israelites were certain it would. It split because, step by step, the people moved forward, even without knowing what would happen. Each act we take, grounded in love, justice and compassion, has the power to move the world forward and lead to our collective liberation.
If we listen carefully enough, we might just hear the universe calling out to us, “Why do you cry out to Me?! March forward!”
So let this moment amount to more than grief or outrage alone. Let it be a charge. To our legislators: we call on you to move forward with moral courage — to protect life, uphold justice, and craft policies rooted not in fear or expediency, but in compassion and human dignity.
And to all of us: may we refuse despair and isolation. May we link arms across differences, recommit ourselves to justice, and take the next faithful step — however small — toward a world where no one is disposable and no one stands alone. The path ahead may be uncertain, but the call is clear. It is time to move forward, together.
Rabbi Jacob Fine serves as Interim Lead Rabbi at Congregational B’nai Israel in Northampton.