Jews Talk Racial Justice - Ep 71: Tu B’Shvat and MLK Day: Deepening the Roots of Racial Justice

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QUICK EPISODE OVERVIEW

As MLK Day and Tu B'Shvat overlap this coming week, April and Tracie unpack the lessons we can learn from trees and their growth in our racial justice journeys. They get into the nuances and differences between treating the symptoms of oppression and injustice – often addressed through “service” – and diagnosing and healing the root causes. And, they think about what we can do to genuinely honor Dr. King’s legacy. 

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Tracie tells us that the Torah forbids us from eating a tree’s fruit within the first three years of its life. What lessons can we draw from this in our own lives, particularly when it comes to taking action to advance racial justice?

  2. How have you celebrated Martin Luther King Day in the past? Have you ever been part of a community that takes part in community service in honor of this day or MLK’s legacy?

  3. As April reminds us, we live in a world where people are suffering and service is needed. How can we make sure we aren’t rushing into action while balancing taking necessary action (and not hesitating)? What are signs that the service we are doing is actually contributing to or further perpetuating systems of oppression?

  4. Trees grow mighty and strong over time and often last generations, as April tells us. So too, the work of sustainable and deeply impactful racial justice work takes time, strong roots, and meaningful relationships. What can/does this look like for you as an individual or as a member of your communities? 

  5. April briefly mentions that we often only read or listen to watered-down soundbites of King’s quotes, and Tracie later references MLK’s quote about the “content of one’s character” as one that folks often use to justify “colorblindness.” Has this been your experience with MLK’s quotes and ideas? What was the narrative you learned when you first learned about him?

  6. What’s your familiarity with Dr. King’s writings, sermons, and speeches? Besides him, are there other Black liberation leaders, change makers, or scholars whose work has particularly resonated with you? What about folks who aren’t men? 

  7. April and Tracie name that folks often try to honor Dr. King’s legacy on MLK day (and often they miss the mark because they don’t fully understand his legacy). Following the last question and regarding another person you named, what is specific to their legacy and how can you honor it?

  8. April wants us to ask ourselves how we as individuals and the communities and organizations we are a part of are complicit in racial injustice and oppression. Reflect upon this. What specific ways are you or the communities in which you are a part complicit?

  9. Tracie recounts that at her synagogue after reading King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” they are going to ask folks to name their next commitment. What is something that you would like to commit to? And, how will you keep yourself accountable and receive support?

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?

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