Session 9: Parashat Tetzaveh

Rabbi Jacob M. Rothschild, "And None Shall Make Them Afraid," 1958

The ner tamid has been a fixture of Jewish houses of worship for centuries, symbolizing both steadfast faith in the Eternal, and persistent determination to maintain Jewish community. This week’s parasha, with its instructions for kindling the Eternal Flame in the Tabernacle, may have inspired one rabbi who pointed dramatically to the ner tamid in his sanctuary at a critical moment in American history.

The Temple in Atlanta was bombed in 1958 partly because of Rabbi Jacob M. Rothschild’s outspoken leadership on civil rights. The morning after the bombing, the roadside marquee outside the synagogue displayed the title of Rothschild’s upcoming sermon: “And None Shall Make Them Afraid.” Then, on the following Shabbat, many of Atlanta’s leading civic and religious leaders attended the service, and the rabbi’s reference to the ner tamid helped open the way for the city’s successful racial integration.

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