“Justice, justice you shall pursue…”
Building on our Jewish commitments to social justice and solidarity with other historically subordinated groups, Beth El’s Antiracism Working Group mobilizes clergy, staff, leadership and congregants to move toward becoming antiracist individuals and an antiracist congregation.
Antiracism Resolution |
We increase awareness of assumptions, norms and unconscious biases that can appear unwelcoming to Jews of Color, and challenge practices and policies that can appear unwelcoming.
What We’ve Done: |
See our resources page for definitions, useful links and book lists (both general, and titles being discussed by the Beth El Antiracism Working Group).
After learning that many women are incarcerated for offenses secondary to their own abuse, and they experience injustice in court as well as in prison, Elaine Barnartt-Goldstein led a collection of home goods and financial contributions from Beth El members to support New Beginnings Re-entry Services Women Empowerment House in Dorchester. Women Empowerment House, a project of New Beginnings Re-Entry Services, is a residential program that helps formerly incarcerated, unhoused, and predominantly Black women navigate the overwhelming complexities of reentering society after their release from prison. Each woman is expected to stay a year to 18 months, the median amount of time for women’s recidivism, which the program is designed to prevent.
Women Empowerment House is the brainchild of Stacey Borden, a formerly incarcerated Black woman who earned a master’s in social work with a concentration in addiction studies. Thanks to Stacey’s vision and leadership, Women Empowerment House offers peer support, programs in money management, educational assistance, addiction rehabilitation, and other re-entry services, as well as room and board. Elaine and the Beth El donors were proud to support Stacey’s extraordinary work, which reached its fulfillment with a grand opening of the House on April 19, 2022.
Your donation to Women Empowerment House helps post-incarcerated women rebuild their families and their lives. Click here to donate.