For 22 years, Craig Taubman, singer/songwriter and founder of the Pico Union Project, has been producing Jewels of Elul, an offering of reflections for the 29 days leading up to the High Holidays. This year’s theme for the Jewels is, “If not now, when?”
These new Jewels have been gathered from a wide range of voices, including Rabbi Sharon Brous, Alex Vindman, Harriet Rossetto and Sarah Hurwitz. While Craig has said that this may be his last year of producing the thought-provoking series, we hope he finds the inspiration to keep it going for many more! Thank you, Craig, for letting us reprint one of the Jewels.
Two Realms
If not now, when . . .?
One way to answer this question is deeply personal. If not now, when will I express my love for my wife, children and grandchildren? If not now, when will I convey my gratitude for all of those who make my life better? If not now, when will I take time to appreciate all that I am blessed with and how fortunate I am? If not now, when will I take extra time to appreciate the beauty of a sunset? If not now, when will I focus on how I can be a better person in the many aspects of my life?
But another way to approach this question is for our society and even our world. If not now, when will we recognize the enormous problem of climate change, which is an existential threat to life on the planet? If not now, when will we take actions to save the planet? If not now, when will we recognize and deal with the enormous wealth disparity in the United States? It is estimated that the top one percent of households and nonprofit organizations hold 31.2 percent of the country’s net worth — the largest gap in any developed country. If not now, when will we confront the devastating poverty of so many worldwide?
Of course, Judaism teaches that these two realms are not separate and that each of us has a duty to do what we can to repair the world. So if not now, when will we recognize our obligation to do better to heal our broken world?
— Erwin Chemerinsky
Erwin Chemerinsky is Dean and the Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
To learn more or to get a copy of Jewels of Elul, visit jewelsofelul.com