Updates from JCUA

White Jews explore their unique roles in dismantling white supremacy

| By Jonathan Elbaz
Categories: Anti-Semitism & Hate, Black-Jewish Relations, Bridge Building, Economic Justice, Other
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By Rose Silverman, JCUA member One of JCUA’s new and steadily growing initiatives is the White Racial Justice Working Group (WRJWG), which I co-founded in 2019 as a space for JCUA’s white Jewish members to work together to dismantle white supremacy. Our working group calls upon the idea of an affinity space, an intentionally separate space for …

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How JCUA built its power for economic justice with the Fair Tax campaign

| By Jonathan Elbaz
Categories: Economic Justice, JCUA Campaigns, Other
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When JCUA members voted overwhelmingly to take on the Fair Tax campaign, we knew it would be difficult. Voters don’t trust Illinois lawmakers. The ultra-wealthy would do what they can to prevent tax increases. The dominant narrative in our society holds that all government intervention is bad and all individual wealth is good. Despite everything …

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How white Jews can respond to systemic racism, guided by three Jewish principles

| By Gwen Tucker
Categories: Black-Jewish Relations, Congregation Partners
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by Rabbi Bruce Elder The past few weeks have been trying for our country. We have been reminded, once again, of the pain white America has inflicted unabated on African Americans for the past 400 years. As outraged as we might be at George Floyd’s murder, white Jews must respond in a way that centers …

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Why it’s critical for Jewish communities to be engaging in racial justice learning — especially now

| By Gwen Tucker
Categories: Black-Jewish Relations, Community Issues, Human Rights, Other
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A few weeks ago, 17 of our Mishkan community members, including members of our staff and our rabbis, took part in the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs’ racial justice training for Chicago-area congregations on a rainy Sunday, over Zoom (like all things nowadays). As a spiritual community, we had already gathered a small group back …

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