On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free. This moment came nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Juneteenth reminds us that justice delayed is still injustice. It teaches us that freedom is not merely a proclamation on paper, but a reality that must be brought to life. For generations, Black communities around this country have commemorated Juneteenth through gatherings, worship, music, storytelling, education, and acts of civil engagement. However, it was not until June 2021 that Juneteenth became a federal holiday, finally recognizing its significance not only in Black history, but in the American story as a whole.
As Jews, the story of liberation is central to our identity. We retell the story of the Exodus every year because freedom lies at the heart of our collective memory. Throughout Jewish history, from blood libels and inquisitions to the Holocaust and the trauma we still feel from October 7th, Jews understand that freedom and safety can never be taken for granted. It is a value that must continually be renewed, protected, and expanded. We are commanded to remember what it was like to be strangers and oppressed, and therefore to build a society rooted in justice and dignity for all people.
This week, we read Parshat Korach, which presents a complicated conversation about equality and leadership. Korach challenges Moses and Aaron, declaring: “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and GOD is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above GOD’s congregation?”
כִּ֤י כׇל־הָֽעֵדָה֙ כֻּלָּ֣ם קְדֹשִׁ֔ים וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ עַל־קְהַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃
Ki chol-ha’edah kulam k’doshim, uvetocham Adonai, umadua titnas’u al-k’hal Adonai. (Numbers 16:3)
At first, Korach’s words sound noble. After all, Judaism teaches that every person is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. Every member of the community possesses inherent dignity and worth. Yet the Torah suggests that Korach’s challenge was motivated less by pursuit of justice and more by a pursuit of power.
Still, there is a truth in Korach’s words that resonates deeply as we approach Juneteenth. If “all the community are holy,” then holiness is not merely a status, but a responsibility. In Judaism, to be holy means to be called to something higher, to live with purpose, accountability, and concern for the well-being of others. Juneteenth calls us to take that truth seriously, not only in our beliefs, but in the society we strive to build. Slavery stands in direct opposition to that vision, denying the freedom and dignity that allows human beings to fulfill their God given potential. Juneteenth marks not only the announcement of freedom, but the ongoing work of creating a society in which every person can live with dignity, equality, and opportunity.
As we prepare to observe Juneteenth, we are called to examine our own responsibilities. If we are indeed a holy people, set apart for a sacred purpose, how are we responding to the injustices we encounter? Do we turn away, or do we take part in the ongoing work of bringing freedom, dignity, and opportunity to others? And when we use our voices, are we seeking recognition for ourselves, or are we using them in service of something greater than ourselves?
May this week inspire us to honor the ongoing work of freedom. May we listen deeply and fully to the stories of those who have struggled for liberation. And may we embrace the responsibilities that come with holiness, using our voices, our influence, and our communities to help create a world where we truly recognize that “all the community are holy,” and where the dignity of every human being is upheld.
— Cantor Lauren Blasband-Roth