In Solidarity
In Solidarity
A Message from Rabbi Hannah (3/19/21)
Dear Friends,
Our hearts break as we reflect on the lives lost this past week, including six Asian American women. Zichronam livracha -- may each one of their memories be a blessing. We grieve together with all of our AAPI neighbors, including Jewish members of the AAPI community, who are scared, hurting, and enraged. We stand in solidarity, angry and ready to take action, following the cues of the AAPI community. How many times in one year must we recall our Torah’s teaching that we must not stand idly by the blood of our neighbor? We share these resources for action, below, and are open to learn more.
Rabbi Hannah Spiro
From Jews for Racial and Economic Justice:
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Get updates on ways that Jews can show up in the days ahead. Sign up here using a form created by JFREJ mensch Rafael Shimunov.
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Learn how to interrupt incidents of hate violence, support survivors, and keep yourself and others safe. JFREJ, the Center for Anti-Violence Education, and NYC Against Hate are offering an upstander training for all JFREJ members on Monday, March 29th from 5:30–7:30PM Please join us if your observance practices allow. We will also schedule another training after Passover.
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Download our NYC Against Hate resources for fighting hate violence.
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Additional resources here.
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If you need to report an incident of anti-Asian identity-based violence, you can use this multilingual reporting portal.
From the Anti-Defamation League:
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Speak Up Against Anti-Asian Hate: Members of the House of Representatives have introduced H. Res. 151, led by Representative Grace Meng and H. Res. 153, led by Representative Michelle Steel, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment related to COVID-19. ADL urges Congress to speak out against bias and hate and support Asian and Asian-American communities by adopting these measures. CONTACT CONGRESS
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Condemn Hate and Violence Against Asian American Women: Join the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum in asking your elected officials to condemn this hate. By completing this form, a message will be sent directly to your elected officials demanding a response. DEMAND ACTION HERE
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Educational Resources: Coronavirus and Infectious Racism, Huddled Mass or Second Class?: Challenging Anti-Immigrant Bias in the U.S., MORE EDUCATION RESOURCES HERE
A Message from Rabbi Hannah (5/31/20)
“And God said: What have you done?! Your brother’s blood cries out from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10)
The Talmud teaches us that anyone who destroys a life has destroyed an entire world (Sanhedrin 37a). For hundreds of years, systemic racism has brought on the murder of enumerable Black Americans. It is time to demand that our institutions recognize that Black lives matter and act accordingly. Indeed, each Black life means the world.
Our brothers’ and sisters’ blood cry out from the ground. As a Havurah, we must stand with our Black community members and the Black leaders around our country who are working towards justice and tikkun olam, the repair of our broken world. We will not be silent -- rather, we will support Black-led justice movements with our voices, our money, and our time.
For many of us, there is so much work to be done to learn how to support this movement. For me, a big part of that learning will be acquainting myself better with the many Black-led organizations that have been doing this work for years. Resource Generation has put together a large (though not exhaustive) map and spreadsheet of such organizations, and the Minnesota Freedom Fund is directing folks to donate to other local organizations that share their vision. Join me in reading up on the important Black liberation organizing going on in our city and around the country, and then throwing wholehearted support toward that liberation.
We hear the call from the ground, and we answer with the call of a shofar, arousing each one of us from our slumber and renewing us to unapologetically pursue justice.
Rabbi Hannah Spiro
To see the 6/25/20 letter signed in support of the Black Lives Matter movement by Hill Havurah and 600+ other Jewish organizations and synagogues, you can click here.
Tue, October 8 2024
6 Tishrei 5785