Justice Ginsburg speaks at DC synagogue

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told Rosh Hashana worshippers at the nondenominational Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in downtown Washington that being Jewish has helped her have empathy for other minority groups.

Ginsburg, 84, said that Jewish values have guided her work on the bench.

“The Jewish religion is an ethical religion. That is, we are taught to do right, to love mercy, do justice, not because there’s gonna be any reward in heaven or punishment in hell. We live righteously because that’s how people should live and not anticipating any award in the hereafter,” Ginsburg said.

Ginsburg, a member of the court since 1993, is one of three Jewish justices currently serving on the Supreme Court and the longest-serving Jewish justice. The other Jewish justices are Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. Breyer also spoke last year at Sixth & I High Holidays services.