On Friday, January 14, 2005, Carlton Watson, President of  Temple Emanuel,

gave the following speech for MartinLuther King, Jr. Weekend at the Temple: 

 

Shabbat Shalom, 

As Jews we honor and celebrate Shabbat as the most holy of holy days, a day to celebrate, to reflect, to thank god for creating the world and for gracing us with the many blessings of family, friends, and sacred community. On this Shabbat we are celebrating the birth of Dr. King, reflecting on his life, and his work, fighting racism, bigotry, hate, discrimination, and injustice.

I am a beneficiary of Dr. Kings Dream. A beneficiary who also experienced hate, discrimination, bigotry, and harsh judgment because of my race reflected in the color of my skin. I grew up with dreams of anguish, pain, and hurt. My dream reflected fear, apprehension, and rage. Today, as I reflect on that period I think about the ravages on a child’s mind and on a child’s spirit. I am greatly saddened in thinking about this because I know the scarring of oppression is powerful and long lasting and I think of the many innocent lives damaged or destroyed.

I have realized my freedom and each day in my prayer I reflect my eternal gratitude, because I can still see the many, many black boys and girls who did not realize their freedom. The ravages of oppression were too overwhelming, too painful. Some withered from the starvation of nurturance, because there was no one to nurture them.

Some were imprisoned, some died from overdose on drugs, some committed suicide, and some died from the violence that was the daily occurrences of life in an urban city.

I am thankful to God for my own blessings. Thankful that I found Judaism and a home at Temple Emanuel. Since walking through the doors of Temple Emanuel not once, not for the briefest moment, have I experienced overt or covert mistreatment, hostility, rejection, discrimination, or prejudice. I have always felt I was being treated with dignity and respect, I felt judged by the content of my character, by my contribution as a human being in caring for others and in caring about our world. As an African American Jewish leader in the reform movement I have found the place to join with others striving to overcome hate and bigotry, seeking to create peace and justice in the world.

As I reflected on Dr. King’s life and the sacrifices he made which benefited me by sustaining and guiding me throughout my life, I recall some of the words he spoke on the eve of that fatal day. His words, his prophesy, so powerful and emotional that each time I read his speech it brings tears to me eyes. I have chosen to read most of the speech on this special Shabbat as the means for us to experience the man, experience the dreamer, experience his power that created changes for so many people, and changed a world. 

   Carlton Watson

   Past President, Temple Emanuel