How one teacher transformed her students’ understanding of racism with a single experiment
*Photo from www.janeelliott.com* By Allen Schultz On April 5, 1968, a class of white third-grade students from Riceville, Iowa all had the same question for their teacher, Ms. Jane Elliott – why was their “Hero of the Month,” Martin Luther King Jr., killed the day...
Our Jewish identities cannot erase our racial identities
My Jewish education has made me who I am today. It has taught me to learn, question, and debate Jewish texts. It has taught me to be proud of Jewish culture and customs. It taught me how to read, write, and speak Hebrew. It has taught me to remember the Holocaust. It...
Awareness to Action Day 17 | Watch and Discuss the film “12 Years a Slave”
*The following post is part of JCJ’s Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* Discussion questions after watching the film: When Solomon is kidnapped and forced into slavery along with other African Americans, we witness the abusive power and...
Honor the legacy of Congressman John Lewis by urging the Senate to vote on the Voting Rights Advancement Act
*The following post is part of JCJ’s Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* Today, we remember the leadership and legacy of Congressman John Lewis (z"l), who passed away on Friday. JCJ Executive Director Rabbi Joel Simonds wrote on Friday...
Awareness to Action Day 10 | Watch and Discuss the film “Just Mercy”
*The following post is part of JCJ’s Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* Discussion questions after watching the film: Two thrones on which God can sit are Justice and Mercy. During the High Holy Days our prayers and mitzvot move God from the...
Awareness to Action Day 5 | Contact your local reps
*The following post is part of JCJ’s Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* Today, we are urging our community to contact their mayor, city council member, and/or supervisor and ask about efforts to reallocate funds towards community safety that...
Awareness to Action Day 3 | Watch and Discuss the film “13th”
*The following post is part of JCJ’s Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* Discussion questions after watching the film: The documentary points out that terrorism against African Americans turned into something more legal and socially...
TAKE ACTION: Justice in Policing Act 2020
*The following post is part of JCJ's Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice campaign.* On Thursday, June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The passage of this bill came one day after the...
Daily Campaign Schedule | Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice
Stay tuned to this blog with daily actions and opportunities! <<Get Involved: Click HERE to sign up for JCJ email alerts>> Updated: July 30, 2020 Awareness to Action: 21 Days Toward Racial Justice is a three-week effort to confront racism, address our...
JCJ endorses initiative aimed at achieving equity in emergency response systems
The Jewish Center for Justice recently delivered the following letter to members of the California legislature urging support for the Community Response Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Systems (C.R.I.S.E.S.) Act (AB 2054), a significant effort to accomplish police...