Ms. Marjorie Dove Kent published an article in The Jewish Forward under the title, “It’s Time For Black Jews to Lead.” In this article she wanted to know why there are not more Black Jews marching for racial justice and participating in national campaigns such as “Black Lives Matter.” What follows was my open letter to her and the readers of The Jewish Forward. We invite you to share your views about the current level of social activism among Black Jews today.
As the rabbi of one of New York City’s Black synagogues, I accept the criticism that we have not been as visible in movements for social justice as we should be. The Torah commands all Jews to “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt.” Deut. 5:15. African American Jews also remember that we were slaves here in the United States. The purpose of remembering is to evoke a sense of empathy with all people who continue to suffer injustice anywhere in the world. Black Jews feel this responsibility very strongly.
Those of us who have been active in the campaign for racial justice have generally chosen to do so within organizations like the NAACP, Amnesty International, or smaller student and community groups. In these environments we are seen as Black people—not as Jews—unless we are wearing yarmulkes or sporting extremely large Stars of David.
The Black Jewish community is so small that its numbers alone would not be significant. Likewise, the numbers of progressive White Jews declined after the Civil Rights movement. It is as if those Jews who sacrificed their lives and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in the 1960s paid the price that allows Jews of this generation to feel exempt from such expressions of Jewish commitment, conviction, and virtue.
Jews for Racial & Economic Justice have not reached out to the Black Jewish community. Though they welcome individual Jews who “happen to be Black,” they are less comfortable with Black people who are proud of their blackness as much as their Jewishness and cherish both ethnicities as a single and indivisible identity. We hope this will change. We would like to march arm in arm with them as a symbol of the true עם ישראל (Jewish people). Together we could pursue the mission of our sacred covenant, which is to be a “light to the world.”
With Torah Blessings,
Rabbi Sholomo Ben Levy
We want to know what you think. Are you actively involved in movements for social justice? If so, what has been your experience? In addition, how can we become more active, more involved, and more visible?