Goldin, Kislak lead march around federal courthouse honoring late Justice Ginsburg

Front, from left, Rep. Rebecca Kislak, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, Rabbi Sarah Mack and Sen. Gayle Goldin lead a march at U.S. District Court in Providence today to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

STATE HOUSE – Sen. Gayle L. Goldin and Rep. Rebecca Kislak, in conjunction with the National Council of Jewish Women, led a march around the U.S. District Court in Providence today in honor of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The event was a twist on a tradition in many Jewish communities of marking the end of shiva (the period of mourning) with a walk around the block. Similar walks were held at courthouses around the country today to honor the legacy of the first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

Before the march, leaders offered remarks in honor of Justice Ginsburg, who often led the dissent on the Supreme Court bench.

“Justice Ginsburg said, ‘Dissents speak to a future age. It is not simply to say “my colleagues are wrong and I would do it this way,” but the greatest dissents do become court opinions and gradually over time their views become the dominant view. So that’s the dissenter’s hope: That they are writing not for today, but for tomorrow,’” said Representative Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence) “One of Justice Ginsburg’s famous lace collars had on it the word ‘tzedek,’ which means ‘justice.’ And indeed, her jurisprudence supported a more just world. We should be inspired by her example. We should keep her memory alive through our actions.”

Said Senator Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence), “Every one of us has the power to honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy of brave dissent, and we are about to get that opportunity on Nov. 3. The most fitting honor is to carry forward her work by voting for those who will strongly support civil rights, reproductive freedom, gender and racial justice and progress toward true equality for every single person in the United States.”

Prayers and a tribute to Justice Ginsburg were offered by Rabbi Sarah Mack of Temple Beth-El in Providence, where Justice Ginsburg gave an inspiring speech in 2018. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed also spoke about Justice Ginsburg’s lasting legacy.