It’s more common to hear “rest in peace,” but for Ruth Bader Ginsburg we will say aleha hashalom — peace be upon her. For her family, we offer our condolences — Hamakom y’nachem etchem b’toch sh’ar availai tziyon ee yerushalayim; may God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, though she was little, Ginsburg was fierce. Her iconic tenacity and intelligence has inspired multiple generations. Her accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but there’s a common thread that weaves through each story: Perseverance.
Every time a door closed in her face, Ginsburg found a window to open or a lock to pick. She started at Harvard, where the dean asked her why she would take a spot in the class that “should go to a man,” then transferred to Columbia, where she graduated top of her class. At the same time, she cared for her husband — also a law student — who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and their toddler. After her graduation from Columbia, Ginsburg tried for several clerkships, but the doors of opportunity were closed to her based on her status as a woman and a mother. She had even been recommended for a clerkship with the Supreme Court, but no one took the time to interview her.
A mentor, Gerald Gunther, helped her get a clerkship with New York judge Edmund Palmieri by threatening to never send him a clerk again (and Gunther regularly sent Palmieri his best students). Gunther helped Ginsburg get her foot in the door, and she forced her way in, one step at a time, by constantly exceeding everyone’s expectations.
Ginsburg fought long and hard — more so than she should have had to — to clear the path for future generations. Her hallmark issue was women’s rights, but in her crusade for gender equality, she rightfully pointed out how discrimination on the basis of gender hurt men and women: Women were barred from opportunities deemed to belong only to men and men were barred from essential services deemed only necessary for women. Thanks to Ginsburg, women have a (legal) opportunity to attend Virginia Military Institute and men qualify for tax deductions for being a primary caregiver; women would not automatically be discounted as executors of a loved one’s estate and men could receive survivor’s benefits.
Her legacy is vast and powerful. She has left us landmark opinions — and dissents. Her poignant but concise sayings have left us dozens of quotes to keep us inspired and motivated and continually working toward justice. Her actions have helped to create a nation where sex or gender or sexuality are not grounds for discrimination, where legal and bodily autonomy are guaranteed rights. She has made our country better.
There is no replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was larger than life — iconized as the Notorious R.B.G. — and yet so very human, experiencing the same struggles and strife as the rest of us. We mourn the loss of not only a great Supreme Court justice, but a wonderful person.
The best way we can honor her memory is to continue her fight. In her own words: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
