As Jews, we are compelled to act
As Jews, Tzedek or “Justice” is a central tenet of the Torah. The quote “Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof,” from Deuteronomy 16:20, is a requirement, an edict- not a suggestion. Rabbinic commentary and Jewish text from ancient to modern repeatedly defines and explores what it means to treat people justly and fairly. Halacha (Jewish law) and Middot (Jewish values) echo these teachings.
Justice is also an important part of our lived history in America. Jews led the Labor Movement of the early 20th century and played an active role in the fight for suffrage. Jewish demonstrators and activists were an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s.
We continue in that tradition of standing for justice today; it’s inspiring to see communities from across the Jewish spectrum protesting violence against Black people in the wake of George Floyd. At a march in Brooklyn on June 7, Orthodox former state Assemblyman Dov Hikind said: “Being here today is not a choice… We have an obligation to speak up when there’s injustice, in particular when that injustice results in the life of a person being taken.” In LA, Rachel Sumekh- whose family was forced to flee Iran- said this: “How can we hear those stories and not want to be able to say to our grandchildren or our children that when we witnessed the same injustice in our country, this place that gave us a home, that we don’t have those same stories of speaking out and fighting that injustice?” Jews taking part in protests around the country have been blowing the shofar as a wake-up call because, as Portland-based Rabbi Ariel Stone put it, “this is a time of Earth-shattering importance”
Abraham Joshua Heschel famously said he was “praying with his legs” when he marched in Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965. Those of us who are marching today for Black lives are honoring Heschel’s legacy. However, marching is not enough. We’ve got to do the difficult work required to dismantle the institutions of racism and white supremacy in America, including- for those of us who identify as white- addressing our own privilege, as we are, by definition, beneficiaries of these very institutions. That’s why the work is hard. That’s why the road is long. And that’s why it’s so necessary we begin today.
It is our hope that the resources provided here help us to take the first steps, in genuine pursuit of tzedek for all.
Together in justice,
Rachel Weinstein White
Fig Tree
Abraham Joshua Heschel with Dr Martin Luther King, Jr in Selma (1965)
Jewish Organizations for Equity and Justice
This list represents a tiny fraction of the orgs who are doing this important work. Email us if you’d like us to add someone.
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice: "For 25 years, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ) has pursued racial and economic justice in New York City by advancing systemic changes that result in concrete improvements in people’s everyday lives. We are inspired by Jewish tradition to fight for a sustainable world with an equitable distribution of economic and cultural resources and political power."
Jews United for Justice: Drawing on a tradition of Jewish commitment to justice and the talents and dedication of our leaders, JUFJ is a grassroots community that seeks to repair the world by working locally for social, racial, and economic justice.
Repair the World: A national organization with deep roots in Brooklyn which seeks to inspire American Jews and their communities to give their time and effort to serve those in need.
T’ruah: Brings a rabbinic voice and the power of the Jewish community to protecting and advancing human rights.
T’ruah’s Resources page on police brutality, protests, and the Black Lives Matter Movement is HERE.
Jewish Social Justice Roundtable: 64 organizations pursuing social justice from a Jewish perspective.
Keshet: A national grassroots organization that works for the full equality and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Jews in Jewish life.
Bend the Arc: Building the power and passion of the progressive Jewish movement in America by bringing together Jews from across the country to advocate and organize for a more just and equal society.