By Rabbi Rick Sherwin
One verse in the Torah underlies the philosophy of both Christianity and Judaism (Leviticus 19.18): ואהבת לרעך במוך - “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In the Christian Testament, Luke offers his application in the name of Jesus (6.31): “Do to others as you would want them to do to you.” In the Talmud, Hillel offers his inspiring application (Shabbat 31a), “That which you would not want to be done to you, you must not do to others.”
Under the spiritual guidance of Rev. Terry Steed Pierce, Joy Metropolitan Community Church in Orlando, promotes inclusivity and supports the Biblical priorities of extending dignity to every human being (Genesis 1.27), and acting in a Godly way (Exodus 34.6). On Sunday, 3/23/2025, the Orlando community was stunned by a group professing to be good Christians and followers of Jesus marching into the sanctuary and disrupting the morning worship service with their shouts labeling the church a “Synagogue of Sin”. Their intrusion is an affront to the LGBTQ community, an affront to the Jewish community, and – quite frankly – an insult to the wider Christian community.
The intruders certainly violate both versions of the Golden Rule: they would not want anyone churlishly interrupting their service as they did Rev. Terri’s inclusive and joyful service!
Many of us feel helpless as our American culture becomes increasingly anti-LGBTQ, misogynistic, xenophobic, and racist. We are witnessing the political intrusion into safe spaces, which include Biblically based Cities of Refuge and Religious Sanctuaries. It has become our religious responsibility to push back. We must “love each other as ourselves” by protecting each other as our statement of love. It is our mitzva to speak up and to speak out even when the offending community does not want to listen. Maybe, just maybe, our voice will pierce just one heart.
I have often shared one of my favorite stories in the Talmud (Avoda Zara 18b): The Sages debate whether or not a Jew may attend gladiator games. The weight of opinion is that one’s attendance might be viewed as support for the mauling and murdering of slaves. Rabbi Nathan disagrees: “A Jew is certainly permitted to attend the games, for when the crowd shouts for the death of the slave, the Jew may stand up and shout to save him. Perhaps the emperor will hear that one voice and spare the slave's life.” Perhaps that one voice might stir the conscience of those whose ears are open.
Our conscience – both individual and collective – must be guided by the words of Desmond Tutu (1931-2021), Archbishop of Cape Town: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Loving others is not merely the sharing of emotion. It is the active extension of “heart, soul, and body” (Deuteronomy 6.5): to educate, to empathize, and to actively protect.
The intrusion into the safe space of worship is a violation of every moral principle offered by the Apostles in the Christian Testament and by the Rabbis of the Talmud. The Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, teaches us that every human being – including those who are different – must be treated with dignity, not just to love each other but to advocate for each other.
The words of Elie Wiesel (1928-2016), Author Laureate of The Holocaust, continue to remind us, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
The Biblical prophets spoke out when no one seemed to be listening, but somehow, their impassioned voices continue to be quoted, continue to be heard, continue to inspire us to act. These ancient heroes of conscience set a model for us to emulate today.
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