Listen, Learn, & Act

Anti-Racism Resources For Our Community

Racism’s horrific scope is plain for all to see. From COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on communities of color, to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers, recent tragedies have sparked widespread pain and anger and a heightened urgency around these issues. We are obligated to work together to address the dehumanization of a group of people in the form of systemic racism. Among the many who now step forward in solidarity are countless Jews, representing synagogues and other Jewish institutions, who understand that we have sacred difficult work to do together. 

To help us renew and deepen our commitment to the Black community as well as support Jews of Color; specifically Black Jews, the JCRC of Greater Washington has created a resource list – for learning and self-examination around explicit and implicit racism, and for taking concrete anti-racist action to advance justice and equity in our society.  Whether you are a seasoned social justice activist or are delving into this work for the first time, the JCRC is here to support you, and help you create a plan of action that works for your institution, synagogue, group, or family.  

USING THESE MATERIALS  

No two synagogues, institutions, schools, or families are the same.

Use the Anti-Racism Scaffolding Document and Jewish Organizational Assessment to gauge where your synagogue, institution, school, or family is on the spectrum of core knowledge, self-awareness, engagement with Black and Brown neighbors, and building a welcoming environment especially for Jews of Color within your community.

We suggest the following key questions as a starting point in this process:

  • How can I build bridges, foster a sense of welcoming and belonging, and engage Jews of Color, both within my institution and beyond, in this process?
  • How can I/we work together to dismantle systems of racism?
    • Further learning regarding racism and addressing power and privilege 
    • Improving internal self-awareness and conducting a self-audit of our institution
    • Legislative activism to further social change  
    • Deepening ties to faith communities of color and embracing and building bridges with Jews of Color
  • Which specific demographic(s) within my institution do I wish to further engage?
  • Which education and engagement platforms are likely to be the most successful in connecting to that demographic? 
  • Which sources will have the most resonance for my institution?  
  • Have I set realistic, achievable goals for this initiative, and do I have stakeholder support for those goals?

Listen, Learn, & Act: 5 Things You Can Do Now

  1. Check yourself: Perform a self-audit on privilege and bias and encourage your organization to do the same.
  2. Watch a recording of our panel discussion on how synagogues can become meaningfully involved in advancing racial justice
  3. Speak out: Email state and local legislators to demand that the government take steps to avoid a mass eviction crisis stemming from the COVID pandemic, which will disproportionately impact black and brown people
  4. Support Black business owners, such as Black-owned Etsy shops and Black owned restaurants
  5. Talk about race with your family and commit to reading and discussing books and articles about race

Legislative Action

Local Resources

Criminal Justice Reform

Economic Equity and Justice

Education

Housing

DC Statehood

These texts can be used to start a conversation about race and equity. They focus on people being created in the image of God and the universal need for justice.

Books

Reading lists:

Articles

Films

For more information on these issues and to get involved with the JCRC please follow this link and complete the form.

Disclaimer

This toolkit was compiled by JCRC staff in response to community requests for information and guidance on discussing racism and building an anti-racist Jewish community. This is not an exhaustive list and does not constitute endorsement. We will continue to cultivate this list as new items are created and shared. We welcome suggestions for adding to this toolkit.

HOW JCRC CAN HELP 

The JCRC of Greater Washington is one of the only JCRC's nationwide with a staff member dedicated solely to interfaith and intergroup relations, Rabbi Abbi Sharofsky. We strongly encourage you to leverage and access JCRC’s:

  • Substantive public policy and program design expertise
  • Resources exploring the intersection of antisemitism and racism
  • Depth and breadth of local grass-roots knowledge and relationships with interfaith and intergroup partners, government officials, and other community leaders
  • Deep knowledge of local and national best practices both within the Jewish community and beyond

Rabbi Sharofsky and our other JCRC staff members are available to:

  • Consult with you about the best way to distill and utilize the enormous amount of educational and programmatic resource material available
  • Help you design a program or series of programs focused on increasing understanding of racism and laying the foundation for positive cultural change and activism
  • Facilitate or help catalyze programs at your synagogue, institution, school, or group, including book groups, study circles, ongoing intergroup and/or interfaith dialogue groups, Judaic text study, teen initiatives, giving circles, and enhanced social action groups focused on issues related to racial justice and equity
  • Brief and/or train your board, social action committee, and/or congregants on legislative action, empowering individuals to participate in state and local advocacy days and advocacy initiatives related to racial justice and equity

Contact us with recommendations and to request more information.