July 4th: What are we celebrating?

The evening descends, and beside the smoldering smoke of barbecues and the last slices of watermelon, people are waiting for the first fireworks shell to explode. "Bombs bursting in air" may stream through your mind, or perhaps the melody of a Sousa march, as you sit, one among millions of Americans, on beach blankets, folding chairs, and rooftops. You might even pause to wonder: What are we celebrating tonight? Is it the acts of men in the late 18^th century? A superpower at its height? A melting pot of possibilities? On your blanket or rooftop, you may be asking:

What is my connection to this celebration?

As you wait for the fireworks to begin, you might take a moment to reflect on the following:

PART ONE:

Trace your family’s story. Do you know who was the first in your family to come to America? Where did they come from and where did they arrive? What else do you know about them?

Who were the first in your family to have American-born parents? Grandparents? Great-grandparents?

Recall a major historical event or trend in America that had an impact on your family.

PART TWO:

"…that all are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." – from the Declaration of Independence

Reflect on the past year: What has been the biggest divide in American life? Race? Class? Gender? Ideology?

Though we cannot wish away those divides, imagine for a moment that you could put aside the tensions. When have you experienced a sense of unity in America? Revisit a moment when you felt connected to being an American in a way that affirms its diversity.

What could you do in the coming year to celebrate and foster the diversity of America?

PART THREE:

Seasonal celebrations are marked with two blessings, one for the holiday and one that acts as a general blessing for special occasions. As you watch the fireworks, and celebrate another year of freedom, you might pause to recite the following:

Yevarach et kol ha-msubim kan, otam v’et baytam,v’et zaram, v’et kol asher lahem.

Bless all who are assembled here, their homes, their children, and all that they have.

Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’keyemanu, v’hegeyanu, lazman ha’zeh.

Blessed are You who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to reach this moment.

 

"Not by negation and neglect of our Jewish souls, but by contributing what is finest in us to America and by taking the finest in America unto ourselves can we become loyal to America."