By tova stabin

I’ve been attending political rallies and events of one sort or another since I was about 12 years old —  so well over a half a century. I’ve been going to synagogues longer than that. Currently, I belong to the local synagogue Temple Beth Israel and work with the Racial Justice Committee and the Board (all opinions here are my own). I go to temple services for holidays, sometimes on Friday nights and occasionally Saturday morning. 

I don’t consider myself a particularly religiously observant Jew, but the Sabbath is important to me. Even when I don’t go to services, I try to make Saturday be a different sort of day. Maybe I have French toast challah (leftover from the night before), lounge a little longer by a bench at Delta Ponds, read a novel (rather than obsessing about the news), chat with friends, etc. Basically, I try to make it a day where I just let myself “be” instead of “do.” 

Of course, that’s all a lot harder when the world is on fire. So another thing I do, especially recently and surely in the last half century, is attend protests on Shabbat. It really doesn’t fit in with my Shabbat observance, thus though it be, and being an introvert, I’m not really thrilled with crowds, but still, it’s important right now, especially to show up in numbers. So, I go. 

But I always have his nagging feeling. Why are weekend rallies always on Saturday? Why never, or at least rarely, on a Sunday? I’ve occasionally written letters about this to organizations but have not gotten responses. When I have sometimes expressed this in person (to non-Jews), I sometimes am told that people go to church on Sundays and want the day off. It’s usually without acknowledgement that others might have a different day for attending services or a “day off.” 

And when I am feeling particularly ungenerous, I note that to my knowledge many church services are an hour, sometimes followed by coffee or the like. My Reconstructionist Saturday services — which are shorter than some Orthodox or Conservative congregations — is about three or more hours and frequently a lunch afterward. 

To my knowledge, many Christian denominations do not have restrictions particular to the Sabbath in the way Judaism has, such as not riding, writing, cooking, etc. Of course, these are related to how observant one is along with a side of some rabbinic interpretation for certain laws. In some analysis then it would seem less disturbing to have demonstrations on Sundays rather than Saturdays. And yet…

I am appreciative that people fight back against right-wing notions that this is a Christian country. Still, it could be good for us to truly look at ourselves and see in what ways we perpetuate the idea of a Christian nation. When we presume it makes most sense to have major protests, as well as other community-wide events, on Saturdays, we are presuming Sunday is the “natural” day of rest — even for people who don’t attend church services. 

We say, for instance, separation of church and state, assuming the religious institution we all are part of is a church. Try saying separation of synagogue and state or mosque and state — doesn’t seem quite right. And what holiday is an official national holiday? Christmas, which even if celebrated in a “secular manner” is still part of Christian culture, including the word Christ as part of its name. While I would argue that we are not supposed to be a Christian nation, I also want a deeper examination at the ways we are, and what needs to change.

There is much going on that demands attention these days. Maybe having demos and other major events on Sunday is not worth the mention. 

But I know what it’s meant to be on the receiving end of so-called small gestures of inclusiveness. It can bring me back to hope, sanity, safety; we all need that. Particularly with the rise of antisemitism, how much goodwill could it show to not have all the major demos, events, etc. be on Saturdays, to show this sign of inclusivity? How good would it feel to easily ask those who regularly go to Saturday services or who are observant to join me in the streets? To know we are not just looking at surfaces, but for a deeper systemic understanding and a broad inclusivity. Even for an introvert like me, that would be a demo I’d be particularly happy to attend.

tova stabin retired from the University of Oregon but continues as an activist and freelance writer, editor and educator. She is a member of the Temple Beth Israel Board and the chair of their Racial Justice Committee.