COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | REPAIR THE WORLD
Racial Justice Initiative
“It is upon me to receive the mitzvah of the Creator, to love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our Mission
Racism remains a critical barrier for far too many people in America. The TBE Racial Justice Initiative provides opportunities for our community to further develop our understanding of how racism impacts our economic, social, and justice systems and to work to address these inequities. We hope to see our community transformed towards a deeper understanding and engagement with issues around racial justice.
Guiding Principles
Reflect: Work within our own community to deepen our understanding of the historical and present systems that contribute to racism.
Relate: Develop relationships within the Jewish community and across race with partners we can collaborate with to support racial justice efforts.
Reform: Take meaningful and powerful action with our partners in pursuit of policy changes to dismantle structural racism at all levels — local, state and national — and across all institutions and systems — education, food, housing, law enforcement and criminal justice, media and wealth creation.
These principles are based on the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC)’s Racial Justice Campaign model.
Reach Out
Ediss Gandelman
Amy Benjamin
Sheri Kassirer
Geoff Sherwood
Sandy Aronson
781.997.4218
Upcoming Events
Subcommittees
Reflect (Education)
Provide an educational framework to explore topics of interest to the committee and the broader TBE community. Potential activities include: films, book clubs, book reviews, panels, performances.
Contact
Ediss Gandelman
Relate (Direct Service)
Provide direct service opportunities that enable members to develop sustained, meaningful relationships with individuals and communities directly impacted by racism and racial injustice. Our first project, Partakers “College Behind Bars” Mentoring program, trains and matches church- and synagogue-based teams of volunteers with incarcerated men and women participating in the Boston University Prison Education Program.
Contact
Amy Benjamin
Reform (Action and Advocacy)
Engage in action and advocacy for legislative and other systemic change. RJI has participated in the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) Criminal Justice Reform campaign targeting the MA legislature. GBIO priorities include eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing, bail reform, reducing solitary confinement, and reducing/eliminating excessive fines.
Contact
Sheri Kassirer
Geoff Sherwood
News & Updates
Shabbat Shirah on MLK Day
Shabbat Shirah fortuitously fell on the same weekend that TBE commemorated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
read more
Partakers: College Behind Bars
Our team visits MCI Concord monthly to mentor Randy, a 30-year-old man who has been incarcerated for 11 years, as he earns his degree.
read more
Receiver and Giver
My TBE volunteer activities have provided me with an opportunity to fulfill the Jewish values of visiting the sick and working for justice.
Gallery
