Racial Justice Group

Mission Statement

Kehillah’s Racial Justice Group was formed in 2020 as a reaction to the death of George Floyd and worldwide protests for racial justice. We are a politically and racially diverse group of Kehillah members. All members of Kehillah are welcome to join our meetings, which are held every two months, sometimes in person and sometimes over Zoom.

In our meetings, the Racial Justice Group uses the tools of Torah – using Jewish texts to discuss racial justice; Teshuva – reflecting on what we can do better; and Action – committing to practical actions and plans for change.

We envision a community where everyone feels supported and empowered to fully be themselves. We envision a community where the full diversity of Jewishness is recognised and celebrated. We envision a community that contributes to ending racism.

Our goals are to…

● Promote inclusion and celebrate the diversity of our kehillah and Judaism as a whole

● Be a Jewish voice to fight for equality and Justice

● Strengthen Kehillah’s relationships with other communities

● Offer solidarity to those suffering from racial discrimination

● Work in solidarity with broader social justice movements

● Diversify our understanding and practice of Jewish identity, religion and culture

● Educate about the effects of empire and colonialism to better understand racism

● Advocate for refugee and migrant justice

● End racism and antisemitism

The Racial Justice Group welcomes new members. For information about our next meeting, please email info@kehillah.org.uk.

 

the Group’s past activism

 Israel-Palestine open letter

● Mission statement

● Concerns & complaints documents/procedure

● Code of conduct

● CopWatch session (history of policing in the UK)

● Attended Child Q demo in Hackney

● Members wrote a letter of support to Sistah Space after they experienced racism at Buckingham Palace

● Participated in & contributed to crowdfunder/campaign to save New Beacon Books

● Suggested website changes from a racial justice lens & created this group’s webpage

● Held a racial justice-themed service

● Invited Joseph Finlay to speak about ‘Black-Jewish race relations’ in 20th century UK

● Held learning sessions about Jewish communities & history in Ghana & Singapore

● Supported relationship-building & joint events with Muslim Welfare House

● Released statement about previous escalation of violence in Gaza

● Shared information & learnings with synagogues in Birmingham & Sheffield

● Members spoke on panel at Limmud, sharing group’s practices

● Built relationship with Inclusive Mosque Initiative

● Co-hosted Fehinti Balogun’s Complicité’s performance on climate and racial justice

● Supported All-Black-led Kabbalat Shabbat – cross-UK, hosted by Kehillah

● Initiated and supported Black History Month divrei torah & events at Kehillah

 

Anti-Racism Work & Resources

We at Kehillah are committed to unlearn, dismantle and ultimately end racism as a community.  This is a list of anti-racism and racial justice work and resources to supplement our work towards a more just community and world.  Thank you to the various communities that have created, gathered and shared this information.