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Poster Commentary
"Judaism is founded on human faith and divine promise that the world can be perfected."Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
Poster design:Ruah Edelstein

by Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg

Judaism’s central message is tikkun olam (repairing and perfecting the world). The Torah teaches that all humans are called to join in the work of making this earth a better place. We are not alone and can work with God to make this happen. If we devote our lives to perfecting the world, if we partner with the generations before us and build on their accomplishments, if we partner with the incoming generations, educating them to join the mission, then together we will eventually achieve our goal.

To achieve our vision, we will have to overcome poverty, hunger, oppression, war, sickness, and more enemies of life. This accomplishment is called the Messianic Age in Jewish tradition.

Creating such a paradise is so hard that people are tempted to back away or give up before starting. Judaism responds: Do not give up. Have faith in God, your partner. Have faith in yourself and your ability to work hard and achieve the impossible. Have faith in your fellow Jews’ willingness to work for the goal. Have faith in all human beings—for they, too, want to improve the world. Have faith in the generations yet to come that they will continue the mission.

Before Sinai, at Sinai, and subsequently, Jews stepped up and pledged: we have faith, and we will commit our lives to tikkun olam. The divine response was a promise: if you do your share, I will partner with you for as long as it takes. At the moment when human faith and divine promise intersected, the Torah was given. Judaism was born. Jewish identity was forged. Our mission began. 

Author
Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
1933–present
Lives in New York
Rabbi, author

Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg is a leading thinker, activist, and professional in the American Jewish community. He has served in the Orthodox rabbinate and academia, and continues to be a leader in Jewish communal life. Rabbi Greenberg is founding president of both CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and of Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation. He is a pioneer in Holocaust education and commemoration, and has written extensively on Jewish theology, the ethics of Jewish power, Jewish-Christian relations, and religious and cultural pluralism. Rabbi Greenberg is the author of several books, monographs, and articles, and continues to inspire the Jewish world with his teaching. 

Artist
Ruah Edelstein
Valencia CA
Animator
Cinematographer

Ruah Edelstein is an animation artist, cinematographer, and cofounder of Lumen Animae, an international amity of creative partnerships that brings together different art forms. She was born in Lithuania, where she began her training in fine arts. Edelstein moved to western Europe to pursue a career in acting and later became interested in animation. Edelstein studied for a Master of Fine Arts at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and now serves on their faculty as an instructor of film production. Her film, Died 100 Times, brought Edelstein international recognition. 

Quote
"Judaism is founded on human faith and divine promise that the world can be perfected."Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg

The central paradigm of Jewish religion is redemption.  According to the Bible, the human being is created in the image of God.  According to the Rabbis this means that every single person is unique and equal, endowed with the dignity of infinite value.  But in history most humans have been degraded or denied their due.  Judaism affirms that this condition should never be accepted; it must and will be overcome. 

The Jewish religion is founded on the divine assurance and human belief that the world will be perfected... Before we are done, humanity will achieve the fullest realization of the dignity of the human being.