Class of 2026, Congratulations!

We are here today to celebrate the completion of your general and Judaic studies at CESJDS. You should be proud of your hard work, dedication, achievement, and all of your accomplishments.

And let’s remember that you didn’t do this on your own. Your parents were there to support you along the way, and they gave you an enormous gift of a Jewish education that will be the foundation of your future.

So, my first bit of advice for you is to always be thankful. Saying thank you is important and it’s easy to forget to say it. On that note, class of 2026, I want to set a good example and say thank you for inviting me to speak to you today. In all seriousness, you should say thank you to your parents for this gift. How thankful should you be? Well, I did the calculation, and you do not want to know the answer. Let’s just say it was a large number. Try to say a few ‘thank you’s this weekend. I will check in with your parents Sunday to see how you are doing on that.

In your life up to this point your parents have made many decisions for you, but now as a young adult you will be making the decisions for yourself. That may sound good to you, but sometimes in life there are tough decisions to be made. How will you handle these situations?

Often the answer lies in knowing who you are and what your values are. Fortunately, you are a member of a faith community where you have already started working on this. Don’t worry if you haven’t fully figured this out yet. You’re only 18 years old. You’re not supposed to have figured it out yet, but you are supposed to continue the process. And I’m going to share a secret. We adults haven’t finished figuring that out yet. It’s a lifelong process. And it’s one of the most important things you will do in your life. Be open to new ideas and others’ perspectives. Thinking deeply about what others believe will help you bring into focus what you believe.

Now what is your responsibility moving forward as you end childhood and enter adulthood? I have a couple of thoughts to share on that. These aren’t new ideas, just ones that I think bear repeating at this time in your life.

Be kind. Kindness is a simple idea that can be tricky at times. We all have moments when we are focused on the task at hand or preoccupied with the challenges before us. In those moments it’s easy to lose track of those around you and how your actions, or inaction, affect those people. Be kind, with your words and deeds. It will bring more joy to your life when you remember to be kind.

Again, what is your responsibility moving forward?

Martin Luther King Jr. said “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And what you need to understand is that it doesn’t bend on its own. We make it bend. We bring justice into the world when we work to make the world a better place. As you enter adulthood you become part of this great responsibility that we all share. Help the people who need your help. As you figure out who you are and what your values are, figure out where you can make a difference. In what way can you improve the lives of others? Maybe it will be in your local community. Wherever you end up living your life, there will be people in need in that place. Maybe it will be in your faith community. I suspect that every shul and synagogue have programs in place to help others. Maybe you will make an impact nationally. How can you make the United States a better place? Or how can you make Israel a better place? Whatever part of the world where you see a need and feel a connection to the people there, you can work to bring justice. This is part of living in community with one another.

At this point I had planned to conclude my remarks by reading a passage from the Tanakh. As it turns out it is the same verse form Micah that you read earlier, so I will say…

It is your responsibility to do justice.

It is your responsibility to love kindness.

Class of 2026, I look forward to seeing the difference you make in the world as you walk humbly into your future.