The state of our country and the world continues to weigh heavily on my heart as we are all constantly consumed with news about ICE’s violent and scary presence in many of our cities, community members struggling to access food as SNAP benefit funding has been cut for many Americans, attacks on transgender and LGBQ+ youth and adults, gun violence in our schools, and more. Like many others, I am starting to feel burned out from constantly holding so many feelings in my heart and the role that I play in supporting the LGBTQ+ community through these trying times. 

In this week’s torah portion, Parshat Yitro, Moses is also burned out. He has just led the Israelites out of Egypt and continues to lead them toward a new life, serving as teacher, judge, intermediary, and authority all at once. When Moses’s father-in-law, Yitro, arrives, he sees all that Moses is holding onto and is alarmed; he knows that if Moses continues to hold onto everything, he will burn out. Yitro insists that such leadership is unsustainable and cannot last, and encourages Moses not to lead alone but to appoint others to share the responsibilities. Moses doesn’t just give up on his work by delegating; he acts as a leader, ensuring he can sustain himself and his community can continue to thrive. 

Over the past two weeks, I have experienced powerful moments of resilience through my advocacy work. The first moment was in Washington, DC, where I met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and the second was in Tallahassee, where I met with Florida legislators and spoke at committee hearings. In both experiences, I wasn’t in these meetings alone; I was with teachers, therapists, trans people, immigrants, nurses, college students, Jewish people, people of other faith traditions, parents of LGBTQ+ children, allies, democrats, republicans, and more. For some folks, it was their first time in advocacy meetings; for others, they were seasoned professionals, but everyone brought their lived experiences and personal narratives that shaped conversations about the impacts of harmful LGBTQ+ legislation and the importance of supporting pro-LGBTQ+ bills. We met with lawmakers who continue to be brave and support the LGBTQ+ community, even when it’s not popular, and other lawmakers who dehumanize the LGBTQ+ community through their words and actions. 

My biggest takeaway from the past two weeks is that, in a world that feels divided in so many ways, people from all backgrounds and experiences came together to build power and live their values. Similar to Moses, before my advocacy trips, I was feeling burnt out, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders, but seeing my community in action inspired me, showing me that I am not alone in this fight for equality. 

Later in Parshat Yitro, the Israelites approach Mount Sinai and receive the Ten Commandments from God. This pivotal moment in our Torah has always guided how I live out my Jewish values with themes of respect, dignity, honesty, and gratitude. While this would be a perfect opportunity to come up with my own version of the Ten Commandments for LGBTQ+ action, I’ll leave you with a few commandments or calls to action today. In the spirit of the Jewish value Lo Taamod al Dam Reiecha, Do Not Stand By, right now is a moment to take action for LGBTQ+ rights. 

Each person within an advocacy movement can contribute in different ways. Whether it’s taking time to take action by writing postcards, calling your legislators, sending an email, or even meeting with lawmakers in person, engaging in challenging conversations with those who have different views from you on LGBTQ+ issues, or donating money to causes that are important to you, you are living out your values. There are so many ways to be involved, something as simple as ensuring that folks in your community who are participating in advocacy have food and transportation is a form of taking action. Each person in our community plays a powerful role in this moment, and when we all work together in synergy, we show up, keep each other safe, build community, and ensure a bright future for our Jewish and LGBTQ+ community.