Tzedek Council Blog

 

Hi everyone. I want to thank you all again for attending tonight’s Pride and Anti-Racism Havdalah. My name is Gabby Potter for those who do not know me. My pronouns are they, them, theirs. I am on the leadership council of the Open Yad Project and am a member of Congregation Kol Ami’s anti-racism working group. I am a white, Jewish, queer, nonbinary person.

White Jews: We need to talk. We need to be honest about the ways in which we perpetuate white supremacy in our workplaces, in our homes, in our schools, in our places of worship, and in our communities. We also need to be honest about how it is our responsibility to combat racism in all of these places. No one else’s. My call to action for all of us is to continue to find ways to get involved and STAY involved. This has been a long-term fight with Black people at the frontlines and this will continue to be a long-term fight. We, as non-Black folx, need to make sure that we will remain in this fight for justice not only when BLM is a hashtag, but always. We vow to take action each and every day. We vow to unlearn and relearn history, culture, and knowledge. We vow to do better. We vow to talk to each other about how central valuing and uplifting Black people, Black dreams, and Black futures is to our humanity and to our Judaism. 

 

To our fellow congregants of color, we see you. We stand with you. Our words will not be empty. We are not just allies in this fight; we are accomplices.

 

Since its inception, Kol Ami has worked to be not only an inclusive space for all, but also to combat racism in our community and in our world. Kol Ami’s institutional fight against anti-Black racism is not new. This is a renewed responsibility for us all. A continued reminder that no one is free until everyone is free. That when we work to break down each and every system of oppression (and not just the ones that impact us directly): we practice Tikkun Olam. We live Tikkun Olam. We heal the world.

Black Lives Matter. Black Jewish Lives Matter. Black Queer Lives Matter. Black Trans Lives Matter.