Shavuot and Memorial Day weekend coincide this year, leading to some hard choices for fans of both cheesecake and barbeque! Conflicting culinary delights aside, these two holidays — one religious, the other national — actually share some complementary themes.

Shavuot marks the moment — seven weeks after our redemption from slavery — when we received the Torah. While we may have gained our freedom on Passover, we were not yet a people. Transforming an unwieldy and contentious group of former slaves into an actual people required a value system. And that was the gift of the Torah. It was there, at Sinai on Shavuot, that former slaves became “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

In the centuries since Sinai, freedom hasn’t been a given. Jewish history from Spain to Soviet Russia is rife with stories of Jews being stripped of their liberties, and yet we remained “a holy nation,” even in our darkest hours. That’s because our core Jewish values — collective responsibility, caring for the needy, and teaching Torah to our children — traveled with us, guiding us forward to a time when we could live fully and freely as Jews.

And moving now to Memorial Day … Some of the best days we’ve had as a people have been on these shores, as American Jews. Like all who have come to this country seeking freedom and equality, we have been willing and proud to fight in defense of these rights. Memorial Day is the moment to honor the sacrifice of American servicemen and women who died so that we could all live freely.

One of the reasons the United States has been such a beacon to the world is that Americans — like those who stood at Sinai — have long appreciated that freedom alone is not enough. Freedom doesn’t ensure the hungry are fed. A value system tells us to care for the poor. Freedom doesn’t ensure we’ll all get along. It’s a value system that teaches us we need to respect those with whom we disagree. Freedom can’t undo prejudice and bigotry. But a value system compels us to try.

Shavuot and Memorial Day don’t just go well together, they enhance one another, creating a completely Jewish and proudly American moment.

Shabbat shalom, Chag sameach — and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend with family and friends.