We all have dreams. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream was of a just and equal society in which all individuals were respected for their contributions and where all citizens have equal basic rights and opportunities.
Today, an area in which we continue to experience vast inequality is in health care. This is true when you consider a global perspective, but also when you look at the United States alone. When it comes to infant mortality rates, which are commonly used to indicate a nation’s health status, the U.S. has a rate that continues to be higher than the OECD average. If you do a simple Google search on “health disparities in the U.S.,” statistics from the CDC, AHRQ and other agencies indicate that unacceptable disparities across gender, geographic, racial and socioeconomic lines continue to exist in our country.
Clearly, we have a lot of work to do to ensure that all citizens have access to the right care, at the right time and in a setting close to home. At UMHS, we are working to find solutions to prioritize work on health care disparities in a variety of ways but, most demonstrably, through the newly created UMHS Office of Health Equity and Inclusion. In the coming weeks, we will announce the new Director of this Office.
Today, in honor of Dr. King’s life and dreams, I asked Allison Krieger to interview my father, Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch, about a period in his life when he worked with Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. His memories and lessons continue to remind me personally that if you doubt what we can do for the future, you need only look at some of the great lessons from our past.
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In honor of his efforts on behalf of the legislation, President Lyndon B. Johnson presents Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch with a pen he used to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1966. (Photo courtesy of From The Hill To The Mount)
How did you meet Dr. King?
In 1962, I was selected as the Founding Director of an exciting new institution in Washington called the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The RAC was founded to represent Jewish social concerns and bring to bear the social justice message of Judaism on the major issues confronting society. We testified before Senate and Congressional committees on issues of social concern, convened conferences, established training programs for clergy and lay leaders, issued publications and activated members of congregations to participate in the political process. Wherever possible we participated with Protestant and Catholic groups, civil liberties and civil rights organizations, and a host of like-minded organizations.
Martin Luther King and I had a mutual friend who suggested that, because we shared common interests and goals, we should meet. So, shortly after I arrived in Washington, Dr. King visited me and we immediately struck up a friendship. Within the first few minutes of meeting him, I recognized his passionate commitment to social justice, his love of the biblical message and his intellectual brilliance.
Dr. King used your office when he would go to Washington, D.C., correct?
Yes. When I discovered that he made frequent trips to Washington, but did not have an office, I told him that he would always have one at the RAC and he graciously accepted my invitation. An additional incentive for him was the fact that the offices of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights were located in our Center. The Leadership Conference on Civil rights was an umbrella group which included the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Protestant and Catholic groups, and a host of labor groups, women’s groups and other organizations advocating full rights for minority groups, with special emphasis on rights for African Americans.
Is it accurate that much of the Civil Rights legislation in place today was drafted in your offices?
Yes. In fact, the RAC’s conference room was where critical meetings were held and where public civic groups debated the complex issues of the civil rights legislation. Today, that venue is considered an historic landmark.
How did you and your organization become involved in the 1963 March on Washington?
When Martin Luther King first proposed the March even liberal backers feared that it would lead to violence, and that the interruption of the normal Washington routine would be counterproductive. We – the RAC and I personally – disagreed. Though I initially underestimated the potential significance of the event, I knew that it would be important and productive. So, RAC staff and I became active in every aspect of the planning and implementation of the event. And contrary to some of the nay-sayers, I insisted that it would be peaceful – so much so that we brought Ora, not yet seven years old, with us. It is a day she has never forgotten. For our country and for the world it is a day enshrined in history. It reinforced and became a symbol for the struggle for human rights for all human beings and for all eras
You personally played a significant role in the 1965 Selma, Alabama demonstration, too. Tell me about that.
Yes. I received a call from a friend in the Washington Council of Churches and he told me that Dr. King had issued a call to clergy of all faiths to join him in Selma to demonstrate their support for voters’ rights. They already had 13 Protestant clergymen and one Catholic priest. They wanted me to represent the Jewish clergy. It was considered extremely dangerous – several people had already been killed. I called Bella at home, explained the situation and asked if she would agree to let me go. Of course, she responded as she always has, that I had to do my duty and she encouraged me to go.
When I arrived in Selma, my fellow travelers and I were immediately taken to the church where the demonstration was being held. Thousands of people were gathered outside, and the church itself was packed to the rafters. We were lead to the pulpit where Dr. King was addressing the crowd. When he finished, he came up to me and said “Dick, you’re next.” I was totally unprepared!
For the next 30 minutes, I offered three thoughts – the words of the Midrash. First, I said that Jewish tradition teaches us that when God created man, he created only one man. Why? So that no man would ever be able to say my father is better than your father.
Next, I shared my second thought that according to Jewish tradition, God created man using dust from the four corners of the earth. Why? So that no person would ever be able to say the place from which I come is better than the place from which you come.
Then, I delivered my third and final thought, that when God created man, he used every color of dust. Why? So that no man would ever be able to say the color of my skin is better than the color of your skin.
Thunderous applause lasted for several minutes. Never in my life have I experienced such exaltation and gratification from an audience.
In your book From the Hill to the Mount, you shared your observation that when it comes to civic controversies “No individual and no organization is omniscient and no one has a monopoly on the solution.” Do you think that we, as a nation, have become more adept at dealing with major civic issues?
I consider it to be a great privilege to have engaged in many major public controversies. What did I learn? Human society is not like the human body. When it comes to the body, you can discover cures for diseases through research and discovery. But, when it comes to the ills of society, there are no quick cures, no panaceas. There are no experts who have all the answers and who project sure-fire solutions to poverty, injustice, discrimination, inequity and a host of other afflictions confronting every society.
What we desperately require are leaders who are passionate advocates for social justice, but who understand that in a democracy the active participation of a majority is essential for social progress. To achieve a majority requires a willingness to consider the validity of divergent views, and to seek compromise. To the extent that I was involved in the deliberations resulting in the civil rights legislation of the 1960′s, I was involved in compromise. Martin Luther King himself was a great compromiser. But he never lost sight of the ultimate goal. He knew that future generations would continue the struggle, even as his efforts were grounded in the struggles of previous generations. Without the generation of Martin Luther King, would we have the generation of President Barack Obama?
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Three days later, on April 7. 1968, my family attended a memorial service in his honor convened by the Washington, D.C.-area Jewish community and attended by more than 2,000 people. Because of their relationship, my father, was asked to deliver the eulogy. Below is an excerpt from that speech. Though my specific memories of that day have suffered the toll of time, the feelings remain with me as if it were 45 days ago instead of 45 years. And those feelings are sadness and loss, but also hope and promise.
“[Dr. King] made us look at ourselves in the light of eternity. He made us stand firm on our foundations. He showed us the gap between America’s promise and America’s fulfillment. He would not let us forget that there were human beings who were being treated less than human. From bus to waiting room to lunchroom to hotel room to voting booth to slum house to ghetto school to university campus to employment offices, he confronted us with the America we had refused to believe existed.
He shattered our illusions, but he restored our dream – the American dream. He helped us to see that our fundamental goal was not to make the world safe for democracy, but rather to make democracy safe for the world. And in doing so, he became our conscience. His pulpit was the street, his congregation all mankind, and his message universal.
And that is why he was struck down. The forces of hatred always seek to destroy our noblest symbols. But they seek in vain. . . . The assassins never learn that the symbol is more than a man’s body. It is a man’s life, his work, his deeds, his values. The destruction of the body only serves to enhance the value of the spirit. The wanton taking of life only generates new life for the forces of good. The symbol in death becomes more than the symbol in life. It assumes a new life, a new mission of its own. Freed from the frailties of the human body, it soars to new heights of influence.”
I am deeply, deeply touched by this interview and the information within it. What a powerful message and certainly it must have been an honr to be so close to history in the making. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Timely and poignant, thank you very much for sharing your memories with us.
Thank you so much for sharing your family’s commmitment to social justice and your father’s personal experiences with Dr. King.
Awe inspiring to learn some tidbits of history not commonly known. Thanks.
Thank you Dr. Pescovitz, for asking Ms. Krieger to interview your father about his friendship with Dr. King and for sharing it with the rest of us. They are both amazing men.
Thank you very much for sharing this piece of your personal history. I very much enjoyed reading and learning from this piece.
Thanks for sharing these reflections and connecting the generations with your personal family story. Inspiring.
Ora, thank you for sharing this moving story. Your dad was a spiritual pioneer, you must be very proud of him.
Thank you for sharing this important piece of history. How blessed we are to have first hand and the insightful vision of your father, Ora. thank you again. What a beautiful fabric your family has woven.
Thank you for reminding me of the significance and importance of the man we remember and honor today.
Thank you for sharing your story – how fortunate for your father and your family to have known such an amazing man as Mr. King and for your father to be a part of our history.
Thank you for sharing this enlightening interview and for allowing me to share it with my 7 year old daughter in honor of Dr. King and those who helped fight for equality. It is leaders like your father, Rabbi Hirsch, who have helped change our society for the better. The sacrifice, kindness, vision, and unparalleled acts of bravery demonstrated by such leaders has made the dream a reality.
Thank you I am inspired.
Many thanks for sharing this inspiring story.
Everyone is blessed with this gift, but it requires that we consider the life of another. Thank God for those who have helped others even though they were risking their own well being. The importance and benefits of curricula including the study of history is often under recognized, but knowing history allows us to see the growth and success of humanity providing encouragement and emphasizing the value of life.
Thank you Dr. Pescovitz for sharing this amazing personal moment in history. I am in awe that I can be so physically close to someone whose family was immersed in a critical point in our history; I love the three thoughts of the Midrash that your Father shared at the 1965 Selma, Alabama Demonstration. Another reflective reminder of just how very much the same we are as human beings desptite our collective tendencies to emphasize our differences. May we continue to experience monumental historical moments!
What a wonderful, inspirational personal story to be able to share on this special day. Thank you so much.
Thank you for sharing your legacy. I am inspired by your story, and your fathers’ words. We are indeed so lucky to have you lead our health system!!
This is a wonderful story and beautiful message to share with us on this very important day. Thank you.
I am always impressed by Dr. Pescovitz’s openness in sharing details about her life experiences. The recollection of her father’s message when he spoke in Selma gave me chills. It is the courage of people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Hirsch, that make it possible for every day people, like myself, to carry forward their dreams.
WOW. This is so amazing. Thank you. You are so wonderful Dr. Ora.
A wonderful contribution to a very significant day. The second Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama and the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Celebration.What a poignant and beautiful eulogy. Thanks you so much!!
This is a wonderful story. Thank you so much for sharing. I plan on sharing it with my children this evening.
Thanks again
Iwas especially struck by the words spoken by your Father at Selma to the Dreamers gathered there. In my heart I am standing and applauding along with everyone present that day.
The things we never know of someone, underneath the surface of who they really are. This story really touched me, and was very interesting to read, to imagine all of the different emotions experienced during those times of the movement and the vision many different individuals had to focus on for one cause. Thank you for sharing this story and interview.
That must have been an honor to work with Dr King. Great person!
Thank you so much for sharing the interview with your Father. It appears that not only did he make a huge difference in our world but he inspirated his 7 year old daughther to also make a difference. “The Michigan Difference”
Thank you for sharing this very thoughtful piece. It is a most appropriate reflection on the journey and experiences those who have come before us led.
So glad I took the time to read this. Thanks for sharing your father’s wisdom. Amazing what you can learn, even from those in your own little corner of the world (UMHS).
Thanks for sharing. It always helps to hear different perspectives about history.
Ora, thank you for sharing this personal piece of history with us on this very momentous day. Your father’s interview is truly special.
Thank you Dr. Pescovitz for sharing this amazing story. I love your father’s three thoughts of the Midrash…such an inspiration!
This was very touching.
Thank you Dr Ora Pescovitz and Dad for sharing such a touching,intriguing ,moving and historic moment with us. This had to have been one of the best that any family could have happen to and witness on this day in history, MLK Day! What a story.
I’m moved and inspired, along with everyone else! Thanks for reminding us of the significance of this day and the people who worked hard to get us here. I’m schepping nachas, and my father would be too!
Ora – your story is more than inspiring and motivating. Allison – your writing, as always, is superb and so incredibly thoughtful. Thanks.
Dear Ora,
Thank you so much for sharing you and your father’s incredible story!
Maria
I am so proud to be working in a place that not only talks the talk by organizing a celebration of Dr. King’s life, but whose leaders have walked the walk, even if they were 7 at the time. Thank you, Dr. Pescovitz, for sharing your father’s amazing story with us.
Thanks so very much for sharing this deeply important and moving story! Especially today with the Inauguration of President Obama and the celebration of Rev. Martin Luther King Day, a day that is steeped in memory and symbolism, you have made it much more. God Bless your father!
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story with us. I know you are very proud of your parents and I am sure they are extrememly proud of you. As a wife and mother I was moved by your mothers committment and support of your fathers ideals and willingness to lose her husband and her daughters father. Blessings that you all went on to make a difference in this world. May the rest of us especially today remember that we can all be part of the dream!
Like the others, I wanted to thank you for sharing. I remember well the March in Selma, and the horrifying day Martin Luther King was killed.Your father “Talked the Talk, and Walked the Walk”. You must be so proud. He was a real Mensch.
One of the most touching and meaningful tributes I have ever seen. I shall not forget it. Very grateful to have this personal inspiration shared by one of our leaders, and to know that your vision and beliefs are guided by the influence of such incredible human beings.
This is a great story!
Ora, thanks for sharing this truly inspiring story of MLK and your father. Clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Thank you for sharing your father’s personal experience ..
Its Very inspiring and motivating..Proud to be a part of UMHS..
Best Wishes,
Megha
Dr. Pescovitz, when you first come to UMHS, we knoew that we were beyond lucky to have hired the finest candidate. But I don’t think any of us envisioned that extra gift that we are all the beneficiaries of: your gift of word and story-telling. Every time you write to us, we are inspired. By sharing the story of your father and your own personal recollections of Dr. King, you are sharing the legacy of not only Dr. King, but civil and relgious rights in America. With deepest gratitude for this additioinal gift you have brought to us.
Thank you for sharing your father’s story! I love the humanity demonstrated by the three thoughts he shared in Selma. The simplity and wisdom of the message is very moving!
Dr. Pescovitz, this was a very inspiring article. I was really touched by what I’ve read of your father. But also, I am touched by what your mother said to your dad when he asked if he could participate in the Civil Rights Movement. Thank you so much for sharing this information and I will definitely do the same. If you had not done this, many of us would not have known!
What a great line. “Freed from the frailties of the human body, it soars to new heights of influence.” Thank you for sharing.
What an awe inspiring piece! Thanks to Dr. Pecosvitz, Rabbi Hirsch and Allison. We sure are our neighbour’s keeper. It is heartening to know that we have amazing guiding footsteps to walk in towards making our our world a better place-without exclusive regard for race, religion, gender, origin, orientation and/or….. .
I am overwhelmed and delighted at all of your wonderful comments. I want you to know that I am honored to share this inspiring story with the UMHS community, which inspires me so much every single day. Also, I am sharing your comments with my parents, who are quite touched, as well.
Thank you so much for sharing this inspiring story. Some leaders are born, but most leaders are made – through tough choices and hard work. Your parents made a great team, worked closely with the Reverend Doctor King and other leaders, inspired a generation, and clearly inspired you to follow in their footsteps to become a leader and make a difference. Thanks again for sharing these important and touching memories.
Dr. Pescovitz, Rabbi Hirsch and Allison. Thank you for sharing this great milestone in history. As people of faith we need to continue to spread the word that we are all one in the eyes of God.
Thank you so much, Dr. Pescovitz, for your openness in sharing this beautiful testimony with us. What a wonderful reminder as we face so much injustice continuing to happen in our world. Dr. King, your father, and others who worked for the civil rights movement are truly inspirations!
It was very moving to read the article with your memories and your father’s memories. I have been lucky to have been connected to many parts of your extended family for most of my life and feel proud to be a small part of continuing the path to try to keep those values alive and find ways to strengthen them here in Israel. May your efforts continue to be a light for others.
In friendship, Gwen
Ora’s story prompted me to surf the web for news clippings about a favorite family story. My Dad, Wes Vivian, was elected to the US Congress to represent our district in Ann Arbor in fall 1964. Just a few months after he took office he traveled to Selma, AL, to get a firsthand look at demonstrations against voting discrimination and to observe voter registration efforts.
King had been jailed for agitatin’. He and hundreds of students publically protested the outrageous voting restrictions, for example requiring a white person to vouch for them. The congregation met with city officials to get King released. Dad said the atmosphere was very tense. He especially remembered how fearful the drivers were to and from the airport. And no wonder considering the infamous police action taken on the Selma-Montgomery marches a month later, and several murders that year.
For years I’ve been looking for news clippings of the event. I could not find his name anywhere but I did find this photo. The caption reads
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shown with a congressional delegation after his release from jail at Selma, Alabama on Feb. 5, 1965. The group, headed by Rep. Charles Diggs, D-Mich, left, came to Selma to observe the racial situation first hand. At right is Rev. Ralph Abernathy, an associate of King who was jailed with him. (AP Photo)”
Although this was just a small contribution, this is one of the things I’m proudest of my father for.