Sestercentennial, Part IV: Shabbat Shalom
By RABBI JOSEPH H. PROUSER
In a letter John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776 – 250 years ago today – the future President speculated with remarkable accuracy as to how “succeeding Generations” of Americans would celebrate Independence Day – which he called “the great anniversary Festival.”
Adams foresaw holiday observances including “…Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations….”
However, as the 250th anniversary of American independence is tomorrow – Saturday, July 4, 2026 – some of these forms of celebration would conflict with traditional Shabbat observance: at least until late in the evening.
Happily, the very first form of celebration envisioned by Adams is entirely consistent with Shabbat. Independence Day, he wrote, “ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote that “Pesach tells us how the Israelites won their freedom. Shabbat tells us how they kept it.” Shabbat liberates us from temporal entanglements, frees us from the stresses of commerce, and delivers us from slavish attachment to technology.
There could be no more fitting way to celebrate tomorrow’s milestone Independence Day – American freedom and liberty – than by the faithful, joyful, loving observance of Shabbat.
Wishing you a very Happy Fourth… and a Shabbat Shalom.
May it truly be a day of Illumination.
Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser is the editor of “Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism.” The latest edition of Masorti was published online for the winter of 2025-26. A subscription is $18 per annum.
