As we approach the Fourth of July, we pause to celebrate the founding of a nation that has, for nearly 250 years, stood as a beacon of liberty – and for the Jewish people in particular, a place where we have been free to build, to worship, to lead, and to belong.

It is fitting that when America’s founders sought words to inscribe on the Liberty Bell, they turned to the Torah itself, “proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). This verse describes the jubilee year’s call, where freedom and renewal became one of the founding expressions of the American ideal. Long before 1776, our tradition understood that true liberty is not only personal but communal, a responsibility to ensure that freedom is shared, protected, and renewed for every generation.

America’s founders wrote of unalienable rights, the pursuit of happiness, and ideals that echo values deeply rooted in our own Jewish tradition: the dignity of every person, the pursuit of justice, and the responsibility we carry in how we treat each other. Generations of Jewish immigrants found in America not just refuge, but partnership. The chance to contribute to American life while remaining proudly unapologetically and spiritually Jewish.

The work of our Federations, strengthening Jewish life, caring for the vulnerable, creating bridges between communities, and standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, reflects the very best of what it means to be both Jewish and American. These identities merge and reinforce for each other, Tikkun Olam and the obligation to be unified, kind, and loving to each other.

At a time when antisemitism is rising in its visibility and intensity, both here and around the globe, we hope and pray that America will continue to lead not just in word but in deed, in combatting and defeating hatred and making every effort to protect the safety and dignity of every Jew in our country. This is our founders’ promise that liberty is not secure for anyone until it is secure for everyone.

This July 4th, as we contemplate the echoes of that ancient call, we celebrate our freedoms that we too often take for granted, and at the same time we recommit ourselves, along with every American, to the work of building more unity, fairness, and greater compassion, in every community and across this great country.

We wish and your families a safe, joyful, and meaningful Fourth of July.