Repair & Remedy

Jewish and Black texts about the Harms and Repair of Racism

Join Rabbi Caryn Aviv for a series about relationship harm and repair, that delves deep into the transformative power of The Torah of Inclusion™ lens. Together, we’ll learn how Jewish ideas about harm and repair, and texts written by Black Americans, can help us understand and address America’s lingering wounds from slavery and racism.

Why focus on Jewish texts speaking to America’s history of racism?

The material we’ll explore about harm and repair can be applied to any number of interpersonal and collective challenges we face. I’ve focused on the history of racism because:

• We are reckoning with the harms of the past in our own historical moment;
• The American Jewish community is becoming increasingly diverse, and more willing to welcome and include Black Americans as integral participants in the community;
• Black and white Jewish Americans and our loved ones can become better allies to one another by connecting to themes of harm and repair through our shared sacred texts;
• Black and white Jewish Americans have different, yet connected historical memories and contemporary experiences of discrimination and oppression; and
• White Jews and our loved ones/allies have been indirect beneficiaries of racism in American federal safety net programs, such as Social Security, the GI bill, bank loans for starting businesses, and federally backed mortgages, whereas historically Black Americans were excluded from these opportunities.