After meeting for three and a half months, learning about racial inequities in the Jewish and larger community, and listening to the stories of many racial justice advocates, the JCRC’s Racial Justice Working Group (RJWG) has created a list of recommendations for both major institutions and individuals to work towards racial justice.
The RJWG chair was Deborah Goldman; members included: Corey Auerbach, Rabbi Ori Bergman, Molly Carr, Ann Marie Carosella, Adam Fogel, Hannah Gabelnick, Amy Heumann, Leslie Shuman Kramer, Risé Kulik, Sharon Nosenchuck, Rabbi Sara Rich and Harvey Sanders. Mara Koven-Gelman, JCRC director, provided staff support.
Major institutional recommendations include offering racial justice workshops, creating a travelling presentation of RJWG work, strengthening efforts to be a true multiracial, multiethnic Jewish community, engaging in JFNA’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) program, strengthening relationships with the Black community, and forming a JCRC Racial Justice sub-committee.
Individual actions include studying antiracist resources, supporting the NAACP, supporting Black businesses, speaking up against injustice, being physically present in support of protests by those don’t have the security of white privilege, shifting actions from charity to justice, and finding people in the community who are doing this work and asking – “How can we help you?”
The RJWG will be presenting its findings and recommendation to the BJF Executive Committee and Board of Directors later this month. The final report will be available after those meetings. Contact Mara Koven-Gelman.
