The Charlotte Jewish News- June- July 2026- Page 22
Pride Month: Celebrating Love, Authenticity, and Family
By Rabbi Cohen
There’ s something about a milestone anniversary that does more than invite celebration – it invites reflection.
On July 4, 2026, the United States will mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. A quarter millennium is not just a marker of time; it’ s an opportunity to step back and ask more fundamental questions. What ideas shaped this country at its founding? What values gave it direction? And perhaps most importantly – why have those ideas endured? From its earliest days, America has stood for freedom, justice, and opportunity. These ideals are so familiar that we rarely stop to examine them. They are
By Jennifer Jones Horton
Just as Purim reminds us of the courage to reveal who we truly are, Pride Month invites us to celebrate authenticity, visibility, and love. We are each created in God’ s image, unique and sacred, with the capacity to shine the goodness within us. May we all be so lucky to find genuine love, the kind that transforms our lives and radiates outward, making a positive impact on the world.
No one should have the power to define the limits of love for another human because love is infinite, diverse, and holy. And just as we honor each person’ s dignity, we are called to honor families in all the beautiful forms they arrive in: biological, blended, queer, adopted, or chosen. Every family connection is sacred, and every person within it deserves love, respect, and acceptance.
Jewish Tradition Gives Us Guidance for Honoring and Supporting Others
• Kibbud Av Va’ Em( Honor Your Father and Mother) One of the Ten Commandments, this mitzvah teaches respect and care for one’ s parents. Jewish tradition also extends this to valuing family relationships more broadly, including siblings, chosen family, and the communities we love.
• Ahavat Yisrael( Love of Others): Jewish teachings encourage kindness, love, and acceptance of all people.
• Pikuach Nefesh( Community Responsibility) Caring for and protecting the well-being of family members( and chosen family) is a sacred duty.
As Jews, we are also called to be allies to the LGBTQ + community: to speak up against injustice, offer support, amplify voices, and celebrate diversity. Being an ally is not only an act of kindness but also a mitzvah, an expression of Tikkun Olam
part of the language of everyday life, woven into civic culture and public discourse. Yet historically, they are far from obvious.
The notion that all people are created equal, that individuals possess inherent dignity, and that society should be built on moral responsibility rather than hierarchy – these were once radical ideas. For most of human history, inequality was assumed, power was concentrated, and rights were reserved for the few.
So where did a different vision come from?
As our country approaches this historic milestone, it feels especially meaningful for our own community here in Charlotte to take a closer look – not only at the history of these ideas, but at their deeper roots.
In turn, this summer, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute( JLI) will offer a course titled“ Sinai and Civics: The Jewish Ethics that Shaped America’ s Founding,” exploring a compelling possibility: that some of the core principles we associate with American democracy may be traced, in part, to the ethical and spiritual framework of the Torah.
The course will be taught by Rabbi Yossi Groner over four Tuesday evenings, from July 14 through August 4, from 7:30 – 9 p. m., at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, 6619 Sardis Road. It will be offered in an engaging, discussion-based format and qualifies for CLE credits. The cost is $ 99 per student or $ 180 per couple. For more information, please call 704-366-3984 or visit myjli. com.
This is not a claim of simple parallels or direct borrowing. It is, rather, an invitation to think
( repairing the world) and Kavod( respect for all people).
This Pride Month, let us celebrate courage, resilience, and self-expression. By honoring love, family, and the divine
more deeply about how ideas travel, how values are carried across generations, adapted, and given new expression in different times and places.
The course will explore themes that sit at the heart of both Jewish tradition and the American experiment. Namely, the concept of a covenantal society, the origins of human equality, the moral dimensions of economic life, and the ongoing effort to balance religious liberty with a neutral public square.
These statements are not only historical but rather they continue to shape the conversations we hear every day – about law, education, public life, and personal responsibility. Taking the time to understand where these ideas come from can bring a sense of clarity and perhaps even a renewed appreciation for what often feels taken for granted.
It may also help explain a remarkable historical reality. The United States has been one of the most welcoming and supportive homes for Jewish life in the Diaspora. And here in Charlotte, we see that not only in principle but in practice. In the ability to live openly as Jews, to build institutions, to educate our children, and to contribute meaningfully to the broader community.
Beyond political freedom and economic opportunity, there is a deeper alignment at play – a quiet resonance between the values embedded in American society and those that have long been central to Jewish thought.
At a time when public conversation can feel increasingly fragmented, creating spaces for thoughtful, respectful dialogue is more important than ever. spark in every person, we make the world brighter, kinder, and more just.
Temple Kol Ami is a Reform Jewish congregation that was formed in the spring of 2010 to answer the needs of a growing and diverse Jewish community in the greater York County area. We are a warm, caring, and egalitarian community, cherishing tradition while yearning for expression in modernity. To learn more, email yorksynagogue @ gmail. com or visit templekolamisc. org.
Jewish Learning Institute: A Special Summer Course for America’ s 250th Birthday
Learning together as a community – grappling with ideas, asking questions, and hearing different perspectives – is one of the ways we strengthen not only our understanding but our connection to one another.
For those who appreciate meaningful conversation and a chance to explore the intersection of Jewish tradition and American ideals in a thoughtful, welcoming environment, this course offers a unique opportunity for our community.
As the country marks 250 years, it is not only a moment to celebrate how far America has come, but also to reflect on the ideas that continue to guide it – and the role each of us plays in carrying them forward.
Chabad of Charlotte exists to ensure the Jewish future of our community. Through authentic and loving educational and outreach programs, Chabad aims to touch and inspire every Jew in the Charlotte Metro Region. For more information, visit www. chabadnc. org.