Why this? Why now?
Our Purpose
“It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.” - Rabbi Tarfon, Pirkei Avot
Elul is a time when we engage in cheshbon ha-nefesh, an accounting of the soul. In preparation for the yamim nora’im, we turn inward; we examine how we have fallen short of our best selves and begin to consider what we plan to do better in the coming year.
The murder of George Floyd was a tremendous shock to our collective conscience. This moment presents the greatest opportunity in 50 years to deal a fatal blow to America’s most intractable problem, systemic racism. We cannot afford to waste it. Elul presents the perfect opportunity to examine our connection to, and role in perpetuating, this stain on our nation.
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Our Intention
We will study one source a day (or more, if they’re really short) between now and Rosh Hashanah. Sources will be sent out weekly and may include articles, podcasts, videos, music, and more. I haven’t decided on all of them yet. Some will reflect specifically Jewish perspectives, but most will not; when doing anti-bias work, it is important to center the voices of those whose experience is not like ours, not center ourselves and those like us. Plan on about 15-30 minutes a day to engage with the content.
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You will study these in chevruta (pairs) or triads. Some people may want to meet with their study partners daily; others will need to meet less frequently. We will match you with a study partner who is looking to meet with the same frequency.
Our Definitions
“The most effective adaptation of racism over time is the idea that racism is conscious bias held by mean people.” - Robin DiAngelo
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This is a dangerous myth because it allows us to separate ourselves from racism. In reality, racism is the systemic intersection of prejudice and privilege.
Everyone has biases and prejudices, whether conscious or not. And every white person has benefited from white privilege, whether intentional or not.
Neither of these facts makes you a bad person.
But together, they mean we are all complicit in systemic racism.
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I define “white” as “generally accepted as white by other white people.” It is not a biological fact but an ever-changing social construct. Beige-skinned Jews were not white until after WWII; now we are.
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Being white is nothing to feel guilt or shame over. The sins of earlier generations of white Americans are not our fault.
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But the fact that we still benefit from those sins means that we are responsible for doing our part to repair the harm they caused.
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Together we will create brave space
Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”
We exist in the real world
We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.
In this space
We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,
We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,
We call each other to more truth and love
We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.
We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.
We will not be perfect.
This space will not be perfect.
It will not always be what we wish it to be
But
It will be our brave space together,
and
We will work on it side by side
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-Micky ScottBey Jones
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