2018 Canterbury Medal Acceptance Speech

Rabbi Soloveichik gave this speech upon accepting the 2018 Canterbury Medal, a reward given by the Becket Fund to an individual who embodies an unfailing commitment to religious freedom.

First, to Becket. To Bill, to Montse, to Mark, all the lawyers and staff of the Becket Fund. I’m so grateful to you. Not only for the extraordinary honor that you’ve bestowed on me this evening, but also for one of the great privileges of my life, which is affiliation with all that you do. Being on the board of the Becket Fund allows me to experience the extraordinary pride produced by the small word “we.” Wherever I am, speaking, at any place, the synagogue or an interfaith gathering, or any other place, I get to say, “I’m on the board of the Becket Fund.” We represented the Little Sisters of the Poor. We fought for a Sikh who sought to wear his turban while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. We fight for the religious liberty of Mormons and Jews and Muslims and all people of faith in America. And my favorite we: we won that case at the United States Supreme Court.

I feel with pride my affiliation with Becket each and every day, and words cannot adequately express what I owe all of you for this privilege. To Robby. As I had the opportunity of saying at Princeton last week, “You have been for me an intellectual pole star.” I call Robby, Professor Robert George, my rebbe. Which is Hebrew for my revered rabbi, mentor, and teacher. Once, thanks to him, I attended an interfaith conference at the Vatican and in my remarks there, I called him my rebbe. Which may be the first time that anyone ever received rabbinic ordination at the Vatican, but it is actually an illustration of the bridges that he builds and of the role model that he has been for his students of all faiths.