[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 47 (Monday, March 16, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E217-E218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATING RABBI JOSEPH R. BLACK

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 16, 2026

  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.

[[Page E218]]

  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.

                          ____________________