Congratulating Rabbi Joseph R. Black

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Representative Jason Crow, to congratulate our friend, Rabbi Joseph R. Black on his retirement and elevation to Rabbi Emeritus of the Temple Emanuel congregation in Denver.

Over his 43-year rabbinical career, crossing the country from Minneapolis to Albuquerque to Denver, where he served for 14 years as Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Black has exemplified what he calls the sacred work of ``connecting tissue''--bringing people, text, tradition, and time into focus for his community. This same spirit of connection has made him a vital bridge between faith and public service in Colorado.

An award-winning songwriter and nationally recognized musician, Rabbi Black has recorded seven albums of original music and published two songbooks, becoming one of the most popular Jewish contemporary artists in the United States. Music has always been central to Jewish spiritual life, transmitted through voice, rhythm, and song long before prayer was fixed on the page. Rabbi Black brought this tradition to life with a thoughtful blend of music, storytelling, creativity, and Jewish learning that made ancient wisdom accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.

His musical ministry transcends entertainment--it is activism set to melody. As he sang in the title track of his most recent album, Praying with Our Feet: ``we will not stand idly by, and watch our values die. When we heed the call for justice, we are praying with our feet.'' These words embody the essence of civic engagement--that faith without action rings hollow, and that true spiritual leadership requires translating values into public service.

Rabbi Black's commitment to civic engagement reaches far beyond the recording studio or the synagogue walls. For 14 years, Rabbi Black has delivered opening prayers at the Colorado House of Representatives, offering lawmakers spiritual grounding as they undertake the ``holy'' and consequential work of governance. His message to legislators was to see beyond partisanship, remember their duty to all constituents, and find the divine spark in every person they serve.

Even in retirement, Rabbi Black continues to provide moral leadership on issues of justice and human dignity. His voice has been a beacon of moral clarity, calling out the forces of intolerance and defending the vulnerable against collective punishment.

As Rabbi Black has shown us through four decades of service, the work of repairing our world's ``connecting tissue'' is never finished--it passes from generation to generation, from community to community, and from those who sing justice into being to those who carry the melody forward.

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