First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
~ Martin Niemöller
by Melanie Gruenwald
Martin Niemöller’s famous poem is a haunting reminder of what happens when we remain silent in the face of injustice. Today, we see a new version of this unfolding before our eyes:
First, they came for the LGBTQ+ community.
Then, they came for the immigrants.
Then, they came for trans children and athletes.
Then, they created a task force against anyone who isn’t Christian.
And then, they continued to attack our democracy.
We cannot remain silent.
Kabbalah teaches us that in moments of darkness, we must seek the light—not by ignoring the darkness, but by engaging with it, holding the tension of opposites, and choosing to act.
The Power of Choice in the Face of Darkness
Mel Robbins, in her interview with Oprah Winfrey, shares a profound truth: “There are three things that are always in our control: what you think, what you do (or don’t do), and how you respond to your emotions.”
We can’t control what others say or do. We can’t control the systems that oppress. But we can control our response. And our response matters.
Kabbalah speaks of the tzimtzum, the contraction of divine light to make space for creation. Darkness, too, makes space—for change, for awakening, for action. But that space is meaningless unless we step into it with intention.
We hold opposites, always.We strive to persevere in the sefirah of Netzah- to act with tenacity and persistence in times of oppression- and, also, we know where this is a place of Hod, acceptance. We can’t change what is. The election is done… but we can choose how we respond to it.
Mel Robbins teaches about “Let them,” where we actively choose to relinquish control.
And also, we can say “Let me,” where we get to choose our action and claim our power.
Choosing to Speak, Choosing to Act
Silence is a choice. Action is a choice. Every day, we decide whether to ignore the suffering around us or to engage, whether to be bystanders or to step into the role of co-creators of a better world.
This is not about politics; it is about humanity.
This is about standing up for the sacred dignity of every soul. Our hearts are big enough for everyone
This is about understanding that we are all interconnected, and if we fail to act now, we may find ourselves alone when we need others to stand for us.
So, what can we do?
- Speak out—against discrimination, against injustice, against the normalization of hate.
- Hold the opposites—acknowledge the pain, yet seek the sparks of light within it.
- Take action—big or small, every act of resistance, every act of love, every step toward justice matters.
This is our moment to choose. Will we stand in the darkness, or will we create light?
Some places where you can make a difference:
SUPPORT REFUGEES WITH JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE COLORADO
Current Volunteer Opportunities
On-Call Support Volunteer:
We’re looking for assistance in the following areas:
- Transportation to medical appointments
- Public Transit Orientation
- Social Security Applications
- State ID Assistance
- School Enrollment
- Housing Setup
- Donations (must be able to lift)
- Admin/Office Support
Volunteers in these roles would be contacted as specific needs arise, helping us more efficiently meet the needs of families.
Support Teams:
We also have the opportunity for groups of 2-6 volunteers to be matched with refugee families to assist with tasks such as grocery shopping, ESL tutoring, public transportation assistance, and neighborhood introductions. Groups must apply together, with one designated Team Lead as the primary point of contact for our Volunteer Services staff. The commitment is approximately 3-5 hours per week for a 6-month period.
Contact Marissa Greene, JFS Volunteer Services Manager @ mgreene@jewishfamilyservice.org to learn more
Other ways to help:
JFS needs to raise $145,000 to provide the direct cash assistance that was promised to refugees from the U.S State department for rent, food, bills, and more.
Please consider donating to the Yana Vishnitsky Refugee Resettlement program to help cover funding gap created by recent policy changes.
PROJECT WORTHMORE Volunteer Opportunities: https://projectworthmore.org/volunteer/
GEORGE WASHINGTON HS Food Pantry: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F054FABAA28A02-50730099-george#/
PLACE BRIDGE ACADEMY volunteer opportunities: https://place.dpsk12.org/volunteer-opportunities/
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WELCOME CENTER– seeking volunteers for tutoring
https://www.rockymountainwelcome.org/
Contact Diana Huguera- dhiguera@rockymountainwelcome.org
PFLAG DENVER seeking volunteers- https://www.pflagdenver.org/volunteer-with-pflag-denver
HIAS Action Guide:
https://hias.org/wp-content/uploads/HIAS-Action-Guide-for-Congregations-Communities.pdf
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