Proud of You

Jewish pride emerges when a member of the tribe is appointed to a high government position. Perhaps it is our shared, troubled history that boosts collective self-satisfaction when one of our own ascends to a powerful post. Witnessing Jews in positions of power, we transcend our collective sense of weakness arising from times of subjugation. A few of the recent nominations to President Elect Biden’s cabinet sparked such pride. Yet, Torah cautions us to also add a bit of reflection.

Antony Blinken, nominated to be Secretary of State, has spoken about his stepfather who was a holocaust survivor. Janet Yellen is set to become the first woman Treasury secretary, although not the first Jew to hold that position. Alejandro Mayorkas, nominated to head the Department of Homeland Security has a Cuban Jewish father and Romanian Jewish mother. Add to the list, Ron Klain, the next chief of staff.

There’s a similar story in Torah. At parshat Miketz, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and suggests a plan to mitigate the catastrophe of an impending famine. Pharaoh immediately selects Joseph as the man to guide Egypt through a time of crisis.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הֲנִמְצָ֣א כָזֶ֔ה אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃

And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of God?”  This appointment of a Jewish minister was extraordinary. Not only did Pharaoh select Joseph, but the monarch also remarked of Joseph’s relationship to the God of Israel.

As the story continues, Joseph stockpiles food. When the famine begins, Joseph offers grain to the people. First, the people are asked to pay with their possessions. Next, they offer up their lands. By this artifice Joseph has effectively enslaved the Egyptian people even as he has saved them from starvation.

The entirety of the Joseph story reminds me that my pride in Jews holding leadership positions should also note the possibility that powerful people may concurrently succeed and fail.  Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor, and Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury, both Jewish, serve the current administration. Some positive developments took place. For example, Kushner worked to expand Israel’s ties with Arab nations and Mnuchin co-created the $2.3 Billion Covid Relief Act. Yet, Kushner and Mnuchin participated in an administration that worked to ban refugees, degrade the working class and disenfranchise minorities.

Perhaps you anticipate better outcomes from Blinken, Yellen and Mayorkas. Yet, it is worth noting that the exercise of power, even when pursuing noble goals like Joseph preventing famine, might also have negative consequences.

We may all take pride in our shared Jewish identity with new administration officials. Yet, let’s consider that there might be competing values at stake. Our enthusiasm for Jews in leadership roles is a fair initial reaction. Yet, Jewish pride does not warrant limitless devotion when powerful people are entrusted with the future of our nation and the world. Our job is to remind our leaders of Jewish values; preserving life, expanding dignity and pursuing justice.

I’ll close with the words of the late R’ Jonathan Sacks: I believe the great challenge of politics is to keep policies humane and that politicians remain humble, so that power, always so dangerous, is not used for harm. That is an ongoing challenge, and tests even the best.

Rabbi Evan J. Krame