https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggu-2LFmiOo

Jewish Family Services of San Diego presented, “Becoming an Anti-Racist Jewish Community.” It was a community event on Zoom that quickly got filled up to capacity. The organizers live streamed it on you tube and the recording remains on youtube channel. I (Dr. Abigail Weissman) found it really helpful, especially during the beginning parts of the presentation to discuss the differences between experiencing antisemitism as a white Jew, or as Rabbi Yael said, a white passing Jewish person, Ashkenazi Jewish person and racism as a black person, Jewish or otherwise. I really appreciate the stories and personal reflections shared by Rabbi Yael Ridberg, Congregation Dor Hadash and Kelsey Greenberg Young, Education Director, ADL San Diego.

I found it well worth a viewing. Please do watch or listen to it when you have the opportunity.

Here is the official information about the presentation from https://www.jfssd.org/event/becoming-an-anti-racist-jewish-community/ . Please also see the website for many resources to deepen one’s learning.

Moderator:
Nate Looney, Jews of Color Recruiter, Avodah

Panelists:

Rabbi Yael Ridberg, Congregation Dor Hadash
Kelsey Greenberg Young, Education Director, ADL San Diego
Micah Parzen, CEO, Museum of Man

Description: The Jewish community has a long record of fighting injustice. Our rabbis marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement. And yet, pointing to that history or to our value of tzedek- justice without action today is not enough. We must commit to tangible acts of tikkun olam- repairing the world, specifically as it relates to undoing the systemic racism experienced by the African-American/Black community. It starts with each of us being vulnerable enough to examine our own implicit biases and then having the sometimes uncomfortable yet necessary conversations with our kids, our families, and as a community.

JFS invites the Jewish community to come together to learn about implicit bias, how to recognize covert racism and microaggressions, and to understand the role of becoming an ally in this work. Our speakers will provide tools on how to become an anti-racist and take actions to create meaningful and transformative action.