By Rabbi Rebecca Birk and Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel
Co-Chairs of the Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors

This week’s inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris glowed both with diversity and possibility; of age, gender and background.

We welcome their spirit and expression of collaboration and the plea to “see each other not as adversaries but as a neighbours”.

Their commitment to focus immediately on four pillars of pandemic, economic struggles, immigration and racial justice, as well as the environment and climate change, is exhilarating.

It is a new day, and a transition replete with possibility. Now the work begins; and their work influences ours here.

The new President and Vice President of the United States are both a tribute to human diversity – of age, gender and background – and committed to the Progressive values that are so dear to our hearts.

We hope we will be inspired as a similarly diverse team of Co-Chairs leading our rabbis and working closely with Liberal Judaism on these critical issues for us here in the United Kingdom.

These are values we welcome in Liberal Judaism, in our commitment to tikkun olam and in understanding our responsibilities on this earth.

In the words of the poet Adrienne Rich; ‘If not with others, how?’