Driven by Jewish values, ongoing opportunities to learn, host, and serve during High Holidays and beyond
Press Release – New York, NY – Offering opportunities to stand against racial injustice through service, Repair the World today launched “Act Now for Racial Justice”, a campaign that coincides with the Jewish High Holidays and that will continue through MLK Day and Passover in 2017. The campaign includes resources for young adults to learn how racism permeates economic, social, and criminal justice systems; to host meals and discussions with peers exploring how our food systems perpetuate racial injustice; and to take action and serve with communities to move closer to racial justice.
“Like in the African American community, young adults are leading our Jewish community in creating change; and, by standing in solidarity, they are making a meaningful difference, sending an important signal, and building deep relationships across racial lines,” said David Eisner, CEO of Repair that World. “Our Jewish values compel us to stand for racial justice and to right the wrongs we see nearly daily; this feels especially urgent right now, as we look to understand where we’ve fallen short over the past year, and to mark the New Year by resolving to do better. Act Now for Racial Justice offers our community tools to take action through service in a Jewish context, and to address important inequities in our communities.”
The meals hosted during the campaign will be part of Repair the World’s Turn The Tables initiative, and will include educational materials, including discussion guides. A portion of the meals are supported by OneTable.
Learn more at http://werepair.org/high-holidays, including information on service opportunities around the country to counteract racial injustices in food and educational equity. Follow #ActNowForRacialJustice on Twitter for stories and interviews with Jews of color and others standing against racial injustice Act Now for Racial Justice will continue to offer service and reflection opportunities year-round, including on MLK Day and Passover 2017.
To stand as allies with victims of racial injustice, Repair will send a Jewish delegation to Facing Race, November 10-12 in Atlanta, GA. Facing Race is a collaborative endeavor to grow the racial justice movement and the largest multiracial, intergenerational gathering for organizers, educators, creatives and other leaders.
“Meaningful service in solidarity with communities of color is a powerful way to take a stand against racial injustice,” Eisner adds. “We are all part of America’s racial justice journey and young adults often look for active roles they can play to positively impact this journey. Frankly, each of us already play a role in the racial justice journey of our community and our country. The question we each need to ask is whether we are satisfied today with what that role has been.”
Repair the World—part of the Slingshot Class of 2016 in recognition of its innovative approach to Jewish life and engagement—coordinates major service initiatives year-round, including through its flagship program, Repair the World Communities. Repair recently hosted the inaugural Service Matters: A Summit on Jewish Service, which also included 35 partners from the Jewish and secular service worlds.
