June 11, 2020
Dear Friends:
We are profoundly disturbed by the specter of racism and discrimination in this country and join with all those demanding that we live up to the principles of freedom, equality, and justice that are the cornerstones of our society.
These same principles are integral to who we are. We take great pride in our own diversity, as a Jewish community and as a larger movement. People of color, of diverse faiths and backgrounds, new immigrants and veteran Americans all are part of our community. They are JCC members and participants, and they hold proud and honored places in our Jewish Community Center and Camping program. Embracing and honoring that diversity is fundamental to our mission, and may now be more important than ever.
We are heartbroken by the recent, senseless murders of Black Americans, and countless others invoked in the cries we are hearing all over the globe.
When one community hurts, we all feel that pain. Standing in our Jewish context and experience, we link arms with the Black community to denounce the egregious crimes of hate and intolerance, the murders of precious lives.
How can we be better? How can we ensure that injustice does not prevail in our community?
Rooted in our Jewish values of justice (tzedek), loving kindness (chesed), and repairing the world (tikkun olam), we wholeheartedly honor the experiences of our Black colleagues and commit to work internally to create space for healing and justice in our JCC.
Community is at the center of our name. We are made better daily by our Black colleagues and community members, those who care for our seniors and children, tend to our health and wellness, enrich us through arts and culture, and strengthen us in countless other ways. We thank them not only with words, but loving action.
May we begin here, with both humility and strength. Let us do better, and play our important part, in repairing this world.
Sincerely,
Gary Bernstein
Chief Executive Officer
Gary.bernstein@nepajca.org
570-824-4646 X200
