BK Social Action Alerts/Blog

Dear Bnai Keshet,

A week out from Charlottesville, many of us are feeling the reverberations of pain and fear in ourselves and those around us.  I wanted to share with all of you the words I wrote last week for the Montclair Local:

"The white supremacy we must fight in this country is home grown, with deep American roots that extend to this country's founding and the centuries of colonization that preceded it.  Even though it is baked into the bread of our nation, I continue to have hope for change.  I know that those who were forced to labor and suffer to build this nation are at the forefront of building it into a nation of justice and love, and I trust them and put my faith in them.  I know that those of us whose families came here by choice and found opportunity and hope, like my family, will be standing beside them."

It is more important than ever to point out the anti-Semitism which unites white supremacist ideologies while also noticing the continued trauma unleased on the Black community, immigrant communities, and other communities at risk.  To paraphrase the words of Hillel, it is a time to be working both wholly for ourselves and others.  

I hope you'll sign on to this statement co-sponsored by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, among many other Jewish organizations, denouncing all forms of hate. 

I also hope you will continue to turn toward our strong Jewish community as a source of inspiration and hope, and a launching point for social activism.  If you need a rabbi to talk to about these events or anything else, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or Rabbi Elliott. 

in hope and love,

Rabbi Ariann

We invite you to join Rabbi Elliott and others from our community for this Bnai Keshet co-sponsored event.

Just days before a historic United Nations summit addressing the global refugee crisis, the #JewsForRefugees Assembly will bring the NYC Jewish community together to call on the United States delegation to take leadership to protect the safety and dignity of millions of refugees worldwide. The gathering will feature refugee speakers, policy experts, and community leaders who will lay out a vision for what we hope to see happen at the United Nations.

The last time that international leaders united to produce a vision for refugees was in 1951, following the Holocaust. 65 years later, join us to be a part of a powerful Jewish voice in support of contemporary refugees.

Bnai Keshet Welcomed Syrian Refugees For “The Best Jewish Christmas Syrian Refugee Dinner Ever.” Links to a sampling of the media coverage: Huffington Post; NJ Jewish News; Montclair Times; NJ.COM; another NJ.COM; The Forward; Philly Voice; and many others.