The Message Of Charlie Kirk To The Jewish people

By: Philip Rosen

It’s Sunday morning and I’ve been watching many of the tributes to Charlie Kirk, including cabinet members and members of the administration. I met Charlie Kirk at a couple of Republican events and I really enjoyed talking to him. He was engaging. He was entrancing. And he listened.

There are several messages we need to learn from Charlie Kirk and the way he lived his life.

First of all, he taught us that culture comes ahead of politics, and faith comes ahead of culture. His connection to his faith should teach the Jewish people a lesson that connection to our faith is an essential ingredient of a moral and ethical life.

Second, his connection to family was the essence of his life, and Turning Point, the organization he founded, emphasized this connection to family. Jews need to learn and emphasize this connection.

Third, he crossed the country to discuss and argue with people who didn’t agree with his platform. Hundreds of thousands of young people challenged him and raised questions. He listened. And responded. Probably no greater preacher existed in this era.

Perhaps the greatest lesson we should learn from Charlie Kirk and the way he lived his life is his adherence to a religious principle that exists in the Jewish religion, but is not practiced in the Christian religion, and that is a concept of the Sabbath or Shabbos. G‑d rested on the seventh day of creation and commanded that we take the seventh day as a day of rest.

In many synagogues and temples across the world, there’s a concept of “Turn Friday night into Shabbos.” As emphasized by Charlie Kirk, the concept is to turn off your phones, turn off your work, and spend time with your family. If we could learn from Charlie Kirk’s life, we should all take one week, one month, or one year and turn Friday night into Shabbos. What that means could range from lighting Shabbos candles and having a meal with your family to a full day with your family and friends. The concept of Shabbos is one that, after they were released, many of the hostages that were held by Palestinians in Gaza started to keep, in order to thank G‑d for their lives. In our United States of America it’s so easy to keep Friday night as Shabbos. Jews, let’s learn from a great Christian and turn Friday night into Shabbos. n

Philip Rosen is the chair of the World Jewish Congress-American Section and Director Emeritus, Former Executive Officer, of the Birthright Israel Foundation.