Commitment to Fighting Racial Injustice

June 7, 2020

The Board of Directors of Congregation Beth Elohim condemns in the strongest way the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This killing, while horrifying and now infamous, is reminiscent of killings which have happened too many times before in different cities and towns in the United States.

One of the main principles of Judaism (Genesis 1:27) is that all people are created in God's image, and thus deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. On May 25, and so many times before, this principle was violated because of the color of someone's skin. As Jews, many of us have experienced discrimination based on who we are. We have been comforted in the past two years by our black neighbors who have reached out following anti-Semitic attacks on synagogues. As Jews, we need to stand with the black community when they demand justice. In addition, we stand in solidarity with the Jews of Color in our community who live with the reality of both anti-Semitism and institutional racism.

CBE's mission is to create an inclusive environment, where all people feel welcome and safe, celebrating people of all races, gender identifications and ethnicities. This mission should not stop at the walls of the Synagogue. We need to commit ourselves to work for equality and justice in our communities, on social media, and in the organizations in which we belong and work. We must confront the systemic racism that has created these inequities and make every effort to dismantle it.

This year, inspired by Rabbi Mike's leadership and nurtured by Na'aseh's social justice efforts the Racial Justice Committee formed to respond to the issues of racism and anti-Semitism. Led by Sue Abrams and Diane Baum, the committee will meet again this Tuesday, at 7PM (https://zoom.us/j/9782633061; please contact Ezra at the office if you need the password).

We will focus on what we, individually and as a synagogue community, can do to make change in our towns and in the world around us. This is a time to listen and learn, but it is, most importantly, a time to act. We encourage you to join the meeting if you are ready to take meaningful action. May this deeply painful moment of awareness become a galvanizing force for lasting change in our world.

Congregation Beth Elohim, Acton, Massachusetts

Board of Directors