Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner (he/him) represents the Reform Movement to Congress and the administration as the director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. He also serves as the senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism. Named one of the most influential rabbis in America, he has been an inspirational leader, creative entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for social justice.
Here are a few things your congregation can do now to support Black and Brown people both within the Jewish community and beyond, both directly and on a systemic level.
It is almost impossible to describe the depth and the breadth of the trauma our Israeli family is experiencing. In many ways, October 7th never ended, despite one year having elapsed. What occurred and continues to occur is still too raw for meaning making. So please – join with me in bearing witness.
Sixty-two years ago, the founders of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (the RAC) stood in the White House Garden and presented President John F. Kennedy with a historic Torah from the Isaac Mayer Wise Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio. This auspicious anniversary allows us to look back on milestones like this one with pride as we renew our inspiration.
I remember my visit to Pittsburgh, to the Tree of Life and Dor Hadash Synagogue just hours after the tragic massacre, the worst incident of violence against Jews in American history. It was also weeks before the 2018 midterm elections.