Good evening. On behalf of CAA’s Social Action Committee, I want to thank the Rabbi, the Board and the community for the opportunity to talk about this pilgrimage. I’m excited to share with you my reflections on the Pilgrimage, entitled “Deconstructing Racism to Reconstruct Judaism.” This pilgrimage was an opportunity for me to explore my own history, biases, knowledge, as well as a chance to deepen my awareness of the issues as it relates to both the larger society and the intersection of Judaism and civil rights.
Since we just celebrated Earth Day last week, I want to begin with a land acknowledgement:
“I acknowledge that this service is being held on the traditional lands of the Wampanoag and Pakanoket People, and to honor with gratitude the elders both past and present who have stewarded the land throughout generations. This acknowledgement calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well”
Who was on the pilgrimage: This trip was organized by Reconstructing Judaism movement. There were 200 people, including Black Jews, Jews of Color, White Jews, Reconstructionist and those who defined themselves as Reconstructionist “adjacent.” Rabbis, Rabbinical students, congregational leaders, and others, such as myself.
I also want to acknowledge that this pilgrimage was rooted in Jewish values, to name a few:
On this Pilgrimage we went to Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham and Atlanta. Tonight I want to focus on two sites that impacted me the most:
Reflections:
This trip was designed to educate around the history of slavery, to raise awareness that the impact is still with us today, to understand the racist structures that effect all of us, whether we are privileged or not, and to understand the experience of Jews of Color in our communities.
A helpful metaphor for this work is the 3-legged stool, reflecting on an individual level, a community level and a societal level. First, I want to offer reflections on my individual journey and then talk a bit about the community level. I have long thought I knew a great deal about the history and impact of slavery. I grew up in New Orleans. As a young child I recall seeing bathrooms and water fountains with “whites only” and “colored only” signs. I have lived in 2 majority-minority cities (NOLA and Cleveland). I have read many books, listened to podcasts, watched movies and interacted with many persons of color. Still I was unprepared for the depth of the cruelty that occurred. The sites we visited told the story of those enslaved, but also spoke to the impact on those involved and benefitting from slavery. As one of the rabbis on our trip noted,“ it’s not my story but it is about me.”
Bryan Stephenson, founder of the EJI and Legacy Museum notes, notes slavery did not end, it merely evolved to Jim Crow. The EJI museum also draws a comparison to Nazi Germany and the impact of US History, specifically Jim Crow laws that were the basis of Nazi Germany’s reign of terror and the extermination of 6 million Jews and others deemed undesirable. For example, the Nazi banning marriage between Jews and Aryans and the focus on racial purity was patterned after Jim Crow laws banning interracial marriage. The museum illustrates how Jim Crow evolved into mass incarceration. An excellent book on this topic is The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander writes.
It’s hard to look at the history and not realize that much of the wealth of this country was built on the backs of slaves, literally. As New Englanders we like to think of ourselves as better than the southerners who owned slaves. But in fact, the wealth of this section of the country was, in large part, due to the history of northern cities, importing and selling humans. Our hands were not clean. And while we can’t be held responsible for past history, as white Jews we often benefit, in many ways, from systems that are still in play today, whether it be the criminal legal system, housing and job discrimination, tax codes that benefit the wealthy, the list goes on and on.
For me personally, I had a moment of recalling my 7th grade Louisiana history class where we were taught that following the emancipation of slaves, reconstruction and the northern “carpet baggers,” were interlopers who sought to partner with newly enfranchised slaves to gain political and/or economic power, thus destroying the Southern way of life. In Louisiana, two “carpetbaggers” were elected as governors and many served in the judiciary, state legislatures, and other institutions, such as the mint and the IRS. LA had the largest % of “carpetbaggers” in positions of power than any other Southern state, which explains how it came to be taught in LA history. I actually had the image of the textbook with a picture of the carpet baggers in my head. Sadly for most of my life, I had no real understanding of reconstruction. It wasn’t until about 10 – 12 years ago that I heard a lecture at BU on the importance of reconstruction, how it allowed for African-Americans to gain some power and how the 1876 election of Rutherford Hayes ended any gains and led to Jim Crow laws and the rise of the KKK.
During the trip I experienced a range of emotions.
And yet as a Jew and considering the rise of anti-Semitism, I have other considerations and identities. What does this mean for me as a Jew, for our community here at CAA particularly the relationship between Black – BIPOC Jews and White Jews?
In Selma we met with Ms. Joanne Bland, a civil rights heroine who at 11 years old, was on the Edmund Pettis Bridge bridge on Bloody Sunday. For those who may not know members of the African American community in Alabama were going to march from Selma to Montgomery to protest the murder of Jimmy Lee Jackson, a black man shot by a white state trooper. As they crossed the EPB, they were met by police who ordered them to disperse and then assaulted them with tear gas, whips and billy clubs. Two days later Dr. King led a group of over 2,000 people across the bridge to march to Montgomery. Many of us hold images of Rabbi Heschel walking arm in arm with Rev. Dr. MLK, Jr. across that bridge. Ms. Bland reminded us that there were Jews on both sides of the bridge. After meeting with Ms. Bland, we walked across the bridge. I’ve been sitting with that statement, “there were Jews on both sides” for a long time, particularly when I walked across the bridge. I would like to think that I would have been on the side with the marchers, but I don’t know. But it’s possible I would have been on the other side, particularly considering how I was socialized early on in my childhood.
In Selma, Ms. Bland spoke about not understanding how Jews, who suffered through the Holocaust, could stand with the police and/or would not show up for their struggle. We know that in the aftermath of the Holocaust, many Jews felt a need to keep their heads down, to not draw attention to themselves. Totally understandable. The conversation reminded me of the discussion this community had around putting up a Black Lives Matter sign after the killing of George Floyd. From what I heard, there were those who were concerned about calling attention to our community given the rise in anti-Semitism. These are complex issues for sure and I certainly don’t have answers.
Yet, for me, I remind myself that I still benefit from white privilege. I don’t have to worry about driving while black, bird watching while black, or simple living while black. What am I willing to do to create a more equitable society? What side am I on today? How much will I put myself on the line, particularly as anti-Semitism continues to rise? I am committed to standing with those most vulnerable and to speak out against hate in all forms. Here at Agudas Achim, I realize that we are all at differing places and have different experiences. That said, I hope each of you will ask yourself these questions as well. To quote the great historian Howard Zinn, “you can’t be neutral on a moving train.”
Finally I ask, what we can do as a community. Tonight I share with you what we heard from the Jews of Color (JoC) on our pilgrimage. One thing they noted is that there is rarely a time when they enter synagogue space that they aren’t asked how they came to Judaism, are they really Jewish, did they convert, etc. . . . They noted that too often Jews and Judaism are seen through a lens of whiteness. And as such, they often struggle to balance their layered identities.
One myth about Jews of Color (JoC) is that they converted. In fact, 65% of Jews from survey conducted by the Jews of Color Initiative were raised Jewish. Additionally a survey by Pew Research Center found that 13% of Jews report that they live in multi-racial households. Pew’s research also shows, “nearly 3 in 10 Jewish adults under the age of 30 (28%) identify as BIPOC . One thing I considered was whether there are many Jews of color in the Greater Attleboro/RI area.
So, I ask you, to consider what this means for us as a community that holds itself up as welcoming?
How does our experience as white Jews color our understanding of who is Jewish?
As the Jewish community evolves and as we seek to reach out to young Jews, how can we be an ally to Jews of Color?
In closing I want to suggest that if you are looking to challenge yourself, consider a trip to these critical civil rights sites. Kim Bodemer and I hope to plan a congregational trip in Spring of 2024. More details will be forthcoming later in the year. Finally, my reflection was presented as part of the work of the synagogue’s Social Action Committee. If you are interested in joining our committee, and I hope some of you are, please reach out to myself, Eve Condon or Emily Adler.
Thank you for listening.
Shabbat Shalom
Resources: Click here for a list of podcasts, articles, and books Marcia suggests.
