The Sea Never Parted for Black Folks in America

in , , ,

Just like Twitty, I’ve had my own recent epiphany about Pesach. While the narratives between Jews and Black folks enslaved in American chattel slavery have often been , there is a crucial difference. For Black folks in America, the sea never parted. They were never able to escape their enslavers and oppressors nor the systems of enslavement and oppression that have held them hostage. So this year, as we move out of the Pesach season, I think that it is important to acknowledge this reality in our work and in future Seders until freedom is actually achieved for all people, and especially for Black, Indigenous, and other folks of the Global Majority. Until slavery and it’s offspring have been uprooted in America, none of us are free.

Read More

Tracie’s Torah Takeaway: Parsha Shemini (Lev 9:1 - 11:47) on Intention and Impact

in , ,

This week’s portion can be a challenging one. Over the past several parshot (portions), we’ve been reading instructions about how the priests, Aaron’s sons, are supposed to treat different sacrifices offered on the altar of the mishkan, the tabernacle. In this week’s portion, we’ve moved past instructions, and we see Aaron and his sons actually slaughter the calf of sin offering, mark the horns of the altar with its blood, and turn the appropriate bits into smoke upon the altar. We see this happen with Aaron’s sin offering, with the people’s sin offering, and with the people’s offering of well-being. These animal sacrifices happen again and again, pretty much the way we read it was supposed to, with oft-repeated phrases that turn a vegetarian’s stomach, like “the protruberance of the liver.” To be honest, it’s tough for me to to pay close attention or to distinguish between this portion and earlier ones describing sacrifices.

And then something curious happens.

Read More

Jews Talk Racial Justice - S2E8: BOTH a lot to learn AND something to contribute

in , ,

April and Tracie continue to flesh out some of the key obstacles from their flip the script resource with the help of a question from a listener. One of the limiting beliefs that shows up in racial justice work is the sense that you've learned a lot, but not enough to take action. April and Tracie dig into this notion and give some suggestions for ways to productively hold the both / and of having a lot to learn AND having being able to humbly and meaningfully contribute.

Read More

Jews Talk Racial Justice - S2E6: Getting Unstuck when Fear has you Frozen

in , ,

“Even when we do things right, people are still going to be upset, because they have unhealed trauma. Our country is drowning in unhealed, unaddressed trauma, and it plays out in all kinds of ways. But how I would love for it not to continue to play out is stopping or impeding good people from doing courageous, trajectory-shifting work for our community around justice. In this case, specifically, racial justice.” - April N. Baskin

Read More

Jews Talk Racial Justice - S2E4: Deepen the Learning on White Leadership

in , ,

Continuing their work in "flipping the script," April and Tracie offer some nuance and context for when white people can and should lead racial justice work. That conversation leads to contemplation on giving and receiving comfort and feedback, both within affinity spaces (with people with a shared identity) and across lines of difference.

Read More

Jews Talk Racial Justice - Ep 20: The Insurrection and the Delusion of White Supremacy

in , ,

“There are folks who keep saying ‘this isn't who we are.’ I don't think that's true. This is exactly who we are, but it's not who we have to be. We can be better.” - Tracie Guy-Decker

Read More

Jews Talk Racial Justice - Ep 19: Jews Talk Black Lives Matter

in , ,

“So what’s my response when someone asks for a more palatable phrase? ‘You know what? Let's figure that out later. Right now, let's do what we need to do to dismantle the structures that are allowing Black people to be endangered on our streets.’” - Tracie Guy-Decker

Read More