Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
The Teachings of Trailblazers : Reflecting on International Human Rights Day
Just over a week ago, we celebrated International Human Rights day, a day that marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document, adopted in the aftermath of the Shoah, promised a better brighter future. On that day, the international community made a commitment “to the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” and stated this as “the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.”
While we have fallen short in living up to this document, I had the memorable opportunity to present a panel of four Cincinnati women who are trying to work for the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This diverse group of women have been fighting for justice, human rights, and civil rights primarily in our community. It was an evening that none in the audience will forget, and I am looking for ways to bring these great women together again so that more of us can experience them directly. Our panel was moderated by Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp, who herself has made a commitment to speak up for the rights of everyone.
Dr. Catherine Roma, founder of several choirs including MUSE: Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir, started the program by leading a song inspired by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who was a leader in the adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights. Together, we sang “Where do human rights begin?…in your hands, in your hands, in the hands of ev’ry citizen.” This original piece by MUSE reminded me that it is up to each of us to make a difference in the fight for human rights. Inviting all of us to sing, she tapped into our shared, innate urge to create music, and in inviting us all to raise our voices, we became something larger than our individual selves. Roma also shared her work with choirs in Ohio prisons, bringing to life the importance treating even those behind bars with human dignity.
We heard from the indomitable Betty Daniels Rosemond, who shared with us her stories of danger as a young Freedom Rider. In the early 1960’s, she was a New Orleans teen who stood strong for the right of African Americans to eat at the Woolworth lunch counters, to ride buses in the front seats, and to attend segregated schools. She endured being spit upon, physically threatened, arrested, and nights of terror. She left us with the incredible words, “If a cause is not worth dying for, it’s not worth living for.”
Jennifer Branch, partner in Gerhardstein & Branch, has spent her career as a civil rights lawyer, often taking cases for those who cannot afford legal protection. Taking cases no one else would take, she has fought for the rights of women to manage their own health care and for same-sex marriage. Her passion and courage inspired all of us.
Iris Roley shared the personal challenges and the painful decisions she and her family have faced as she has advocated for Cincinnati Police Department reform. She also expressed her deep appreciation for the training she got at Cincinnati’s Black House in Avondale, originally a synagogue. Roley said, “That’s where I met the people I still work with today and that’s where I got my training.” Her positive spirit inspired all to look deeper at the issues we care about. She also responded to a question about the role of black men, by sharing the story of her husband, and reaffirming that many black men are stand-up fathers, mentors, and leaders—but these are not the stories we hear.
The program was held in conjunction with an exhibition at Hebrew Union College’s Skirball Museum about Jewish South African Parliament member Helen Suzman, who devoted her life to the fight against apartheid. Suzman was a member of the South African parliament for 36 years, from 1953-1989. She was the sole opposition voice condemning apartheid during the 13-year period (1961-1974) when she was the governing body’s only member of the Progressive Party. For six of those years, she was the only woman in parliament. Helen Suzman’s life’s work was dedicated to this cause. She stated, “I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights … the indispensable elements in a democratic society—and well worth fighting for.”
If you haven’t had a chance, I encourage you to see the exhibit or learn more about Suzman. I am grateful those from the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, and Hebrew Union College had the opportunity to be inspired by these voices for justice representing the past, present and future. At the end of the panel, Rabbi Terlinchamp closed by reminding us of the story of Hanukkah, an opportunity to spread light to make our community and world better for every human being. I was inspired, and I hope others will feel that light.
