Movement for Black Lives Platform and Jewish Response
Movement for Black Lives Platform and Jewish Response
This reading list was used in an Understanding Race group meeting to discuss the Movement for Black Lives platform and the Jewish responses.
To prepare, participants read:
- The Invest-Divest section of the BLM platform (https://policy.m4bl.org/invest-divest), especially the part that pertains to Israel and BDS.
- The paper by Yotan Marom, “Toward the Next Jewish Rebellion: Facing Anti-Semitism and Assimilation in the Movement” (https://medium.com/@YotamMarom/toward-the-next-jewish-rebellion-bed5082c52fc#.qar9hivba).
Additional readings included:
- Other sections of the BLM platform to familiarize ourselves with the tenor of the work (https://policy.m4bl.org/platform).
- Any of the following articles recommended by Toba, Louise and Alan:
- How Studying the Talmud Helped me Understand Racism in America (The Forward)
- The Jewish Activist Behind the Black Lives Matter Platform (Haaretz)
- Stop Being so Arrogant, White Jews (The Forward)
- What it Meant to Attend the Jews of Color National Convening
- A Wounded Friend: A Rabbinic Response (Huff Post)
- Black Lives Matter Should Change “Genocide” Language (+972)
- JCRC Statement (JCRC)
- The Left and the Jews (Fathom)
- Is There Still a Jewish Question? (Tablet)
- T’ruah Statement on The Movement for Black Lives Platform(T’ruah)
- Black Churches in Missouri Condemn Black Lives Matter Over ‘Apartheid Israel’ Platform(Haaretz)
- J Street Blog: On the Movement for Black Lives (J Street)
- Pro-Israel Groups Smear the Movement for Black Lives for its Solidarity With Palestine (Alternet)
Mon, 25 March 2019
Upcoming Events
All Events
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Tuesday
Mar 26Religious School Gr. 3-6
Tuesday, Mar 26th 3:45p to 5:45p
Meets at First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington St. West Newton, MA -
Wednesday
Mar 27Reconstructionist Intro to Judaism
Wednesday, Mar 27th 7:30p to 9:00p
Introduction to Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach If you are beginning to explore Jewish life and practice, or seeking to fill the gaps in your Jewish education, this class is for you! Class sessions will address the foundations of Jewish living, key concepts in Judaism, and offer a taste of the wide variety of Jewish texts. For those interested in conversion to Judaism, the class will serve as a useful introduction, and rabbinic support will also be provided. Come join us on a journey towards meaningful engagement in the riches that Jewish tradition has to offer. When? Ten Wednesday evenings 7:30-9:00pm on the following dates: Jan. 30th Feb. 6th, 27th Mar. 13th, 27th Apr. 3rd, 17th May 1st, 15th, 29th Cost: There will be a sliding scale between $150-$350 for the ten sessions, but please be in touch with Rabbi Shahar (dcl@dorsheitzedek.org) if the cost is prohibitive. Location: It sounds like there is some interest in meeting in West Newton, and some interest in meeting elsewhere. The first meeting of the class will be in West Newton (at 2nd Church or FUUSN), and then Rabbi Adam will figure out based on the group if it makes sense to do some meetings in participants’ homes. -
Thursday
Mar 28Mindful Mornings
Thursday, Mar 28th 8:30a to 9:15a
This weekly gathering combines guided and silent meditation to develop our capacity for mindful awareness and to cultivate qualities of patience, gratitude, and compassion. All are welcome, whether experienced in meditation or not. The group is facilitated by CDT members with occasional participation by Rabbi Toba. No need to make a weekly commitment; join us when you’re able! (Please arrive no later than 8:30am, in order not to disrupt the session once we’ve started.) For more information, please email mindful-mornings@dorsheitzedek.org -
Friday
Mar 29Young Adult Dinner
Friday, Mar 29th 7:00p to 8:00p
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Friday
Mar 29Klezmer Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Friday, Mar 29th 8:00p to 10:00p
The Klezmer Shabbat Service was created by Amy Lieberman and Cantor Becky Khitrik in 2014 as an outgrowth of their love of Klezmer music. “Since Klezmer is primarily an instrumental genre and we love to sing, we were all interested in creating a Kabbalat Shabbat service that was built on the Kabbalat Shabbat liturgy, but for choir and congregational voices, using the melodies of the Klezmer world and a Klezmer band to accompany our singing.” The result of that work was the Klezmer Kabbalat Shabbat Service. They have brought this service to communities across the Boston area, finding ways to integrate it with the community’s context. This service is an opportunity to experience the flow of the Shabbat music in a truly unique way. All are invited! -
Saturday
Mar 30Shabbat Morning Service & Bar Mitzvah of Sid Hackett
Saturday, Mar 30th 9:45a
Please join us for musical, participatory, weekly Shabbat Morning Services and Bar Mitzvah of Sid Hackett, beginning at 9:45am. For people of all backgrounds and levels of Jewish experience. Services will be followed by a kiddush lunch. Childcare is available. All are welcome. -
Sunday
Mar 31Religious School Staff Meeting
Sunday, Mar 31st 9:30a to 12:00p
At the Second Church of Newton, 60 Highland Street, West Newton. -
Tuesday
Apr 2Religious School Gr. 3-6
Tuesday, Apr 2nd 3:45p to 5:45p
Meets at First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington St. West Newton, MA -
Tuesday
Apr 2Practicing Hope: A Mussar Class
Tuesday, Apr 2nd 7:30p to 9:00p
Practicing Hope: A Mussar Class with Rabbi Shahar Colt and Mimi Micner It is easy to look around us and feel despair at all the brokenness in our world. But to keep living, hope is essential. Where does this hope come from, and what is it really? Mussar is a Jewish framework for developing specific personal qualities. In this class we will study mussar to explore and practice some Jewish teachniques for managing despair and cultivating hope. Each class will include some learning of Jewish texts as well as conversation, reflection, and practice activities to try between sessions. Mimi Micner is a fifth year Rabbinical Student at Hebrew College in Newton. She has taught mussar in multiple contexts, including at Brown Hillel and Shir Tikva in Winchester. While in rabbinical school she has served as the Advocacy and Campaigns Specialist at Keshet, and was a Fellow with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. -
Wednesday
Apr 3Reconstructionist Intro to Judaism
Wednesday, Apr 3rd 7:30p to 9:00p
Introduction to Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach If you are beginning to explore Jewish life and practice, or seeking to fill the gaps in your Jewish education, this class is for you! Class sessions will address the foundations of Jewish living, key concepts in Judaism, and offer a taste of the wide variety of Jewish texts. For those interested in conversion to Judaism, the class will serve as a useful introduction, and rabbinic support will also be provided. Come join us on a journey towards meaningful engagement in the riches that Jewish tradition has to offer. When? Ten Wednesday evenings 7:30-9:00pm on the following dates: Jan. 30th Feb. 6th, 27th Mar. 13th, 27th Apr. 3rd, 17th May 1st, 15th, 29th Cost: There will be a sliding scale between $150-$350 for the ten sessions, but please be in touch with Rabbi Shahar (dcl@dorsheitzedek.org) if the cost is prohibitive. Location: It sounds like there is some interest in meeting in West Newton, and some interest in meeting elsewhere. The first meeting of the class will be in West Newton (at 2nd Church or FUUSN), and then Rabbi Adam will figure out based on the group if it makes sense to do some meetings in participants’ homes.
Mon, 25 March 2019