The Call To Involvement: The Last Class: The Last Meal

Jewish tradition demands our awareness in the widening gap of economic inequality

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to view a screening of a new documentary called “The Last Class”. It chronicles the last semester of teaching at UC Berkely by Robert Reich, who, among other positions, was Labor Secretary under President Clinton. It is a lovely film and deals, in large part with his transition from a life of academics and political involvement to retirement and his challenges as to how to deal with that transition. Many of the emotions he expresses will find resonance with many of us. What is also evident in the film, which does cover snippets of some of his lectures, is a recurring theme of the dangers inherent in the growth of income inequality. In several clips, some using graphs, Reich examines the dangerous trend now evident in this country, of the growing gap between the rich and the not. His warnings are clear and direct, the growing trend in the inequality of wealth could spell the end of our economic and political system.

Even a casual reading of current events will reflect that concern. The current government shutdown had highlighted how many people have very little, if any, economic cushion. The focus on health care is especially meaningful to our now multi-generational cohort of elders. A recent article in Forbes magazine detailed some of the impact of the shutdown on elders. The staff furloughs “includes about 40% of the staff of the Department of Health and Human Services, which manages Medicare, Medicaid and programs funded under the Older Americans Act such as Meals on Wheels, Area Agencies on Aging, falls prevention, and respite for family caregivers.” We are already seeing some impact on SNAP benefits and programs that impact young people.

We are living with regular reports of a rising stock market, a possible AI “bubble” and, at the same time, more people accessing food pantries. Reich’s warning about this growing gap seems to be playing out in real time with real people. I raise this because many elders will be and are being impacted and we have, in our texts and tradition, a point of view that seems to run counter to what we are seeing. Simply put, a review of our tradition would seem to indicate that society has an obligation to provide for the basic needs of everyone. There is no one method that is discussed, but there is the mood in tradition that society has that obligation. The texts that discuss care for the poor, the widow, the needy stem from Prophetic and Torah texts and those ethics continue.

There is wide agreement among the denominations on this sentiment. Writing in his “In Matters of Life and Death”, Rabbi Elliot Dorff presents a classic overview on this issue: “Jewish Sources make it clear, though, that health care is not only an individual and family responsibility but also a communal one. This social aspect of health care manifests itself in Jewish law in two ways: first no community is complete until it has the personnel (and one assumes the facilities) to provide health care; second, the community must pay for the health care of those who cannot afford it as part of its provisions for the poor.”. We need to be active in the fight to eradicate this growing economic gap. One suggestion, especially relevant now, is to support your local food pantry. The requests for support and help are growing daily and by your active support you can make a difference. Our Jewish tradition calls out to us to be aware and be involved.

Shalom,

Rabbi Richard F Address