Beth El Antiracism Working Group: 2021 in Review

January

• Interfaith Martin Luther King Day event
• Workshops for clergy, staff and lay leadership on becoming an antiracist congregation
• Discussion of Breaking the Antisemitism Cycle Through Solidarity
• Discussion of Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

February

• Mission statement for the Antiracism Working Group written
• Collection drive for Women’s Empowerment, a project of New Beginnings Re-entry Services in Roxbury providing housing and support services to formerly incarcerated women
• Community conversation about I’m Not Racist, Am I?

March

• Workshop for Board of Directors on becoming an antiracist congregation
• Discussion of The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

April

• Statement of solidarity with Americans of Asian descent following the Atlanta murders
• Learning opportunity on racism against Asian Americans
• Discussion of The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

May

• Participation in Reform Jewish Movement’s inaugural Racial Justice Initiative
• Discussion of The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

June

• Community conversation on housing justice for Shavuot in partnership with Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
• Participation in the Reform movement’s Racial Justice Initiative sessions
• Fundraising campaign to purchase culturally appropriate books for predominantly Black and Latinx sickle-cell disease pediatric patients
• Discussion of I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

July

• Meeting with Roxbury United Neighborhoods to identify opportunities to become “co-conspirators”

August

• Bystander intervention training workshop
• State-level advocacy for prison construction moratorium and antiracism, equity and justice in education

September

• Placed 4×8 foot banner outside Beth El with the message “We Stand for Racial Justice: Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue.” Banner sourced from Black-owned business.
• Met with Roxbury United Neighborhoods
• Community conversation on “Being White and Being Jewish for Elul”
• Discussion of So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• Creation of Antiracist Greeter Guidelines for ushers at Shabbat and High Holidays
• Development of inclusion and belonging language for Beth El website’s “About Us” page

October

• Inaugural “Pursuing Justice Series” panel presentation: “Bending the Criminal (In)justice System Toward Justice” featuring Stacey Borden, founder and executive director of New Beginnings Re-Entry Services in Roxbury; Latanya Henderson, founder and executive director of All Things Art in Roxbury; State Rep. Carmine Gentile and State Sen. Jamie Eldridge
• Stand out and state-level advocacy in support of moratorium on prison construction

November

• Participation in Reform Jewish Movement’s National Call-in Campaign for Voting Rights
• Discussion of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
• Participation in USCJ-sponsored “Race Consciousness Training” series led by Heather Miller and Eitan Dantzig

December

• Holiday gift drive for youth served by All Things Art, Inc. in Roxbury
• Discussion of Passing by Nella Larsen and the film based on the book