Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I once heard a description of heroism that resonated so deeply with me. It said that heroes are flawed human beings who can be something greater than themselves.

This couldn’t be truer than it is for MLK and for so many of our modern day heroes. 

The truth is, we are all flawed - because we are all human. But that does not take away from our capacity for greatness.

When we can own our flaws AND our greatness and hold them simultaneously - that is when we can have our greatest IMPACT.

Another classic and favorite quote of mine from MLK Jr. is “Hate can not drive out hate, only love can do that.”

I believe it just gets to the core of so many of the issues we face in this country.

My brother shared a story today on Facebook about how in 1965, when ferrying protesters from Montgomery to Selma for the march, my father’s life was threatened by a racist cop who said “there are too many n***** loving k*kes in the world.”

I thank G-d every day for my existence - that that racist, hate filled cop didn't pull the trigger on my father. But not everybody gets so lucky. 

So I will always feel it my duty, as a Jew and as an American, to speak up against hate and do my best to lead with love. To serve… flaws and all.