Author: Maddie Eggen
Racism is undeniably a problem in every community, including the Jewish community. The Jewish people, sharing both a common religion and ethnicity, are notoriously exclusive. This exclusivity does not stem from any sort of malicious intent, but from instinctual self-preservation that emerged after centuries of targeted persecution. However, a severely negative consequence of this is blatant racism both within and outside the Jewish community, such as erasure of Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Ethiopian Jews within Jewish circles, or outright hostility towards black gentiles. These discriminatory values are baffling as they have no place in Judaism and completely disregard Jewish and Talmudic values.
In the Mishnah, or the first part of the Talmud, asks a question that embodies what the Jewish attitudes towards POC should be:
“Why did G-d create swarms of bees, prides of lions, herds of deer, schools of fish, and flocks of birds, and only one human couple? So that no one can say to another, ‘my ancestry is superior to yours.’” (Sanhedrin 4:5)
Regardless of your race, ethnicity, gender, belief system, or identity, it is the Jewish belief that we all come from the same “parents” and origin. This concept is embodied in B’tselem Elohim, or the image of G-d, which stresses that all were created equal.
When it comes to the Black Lives Matter movement, its values are once again found in the core of the teachings of Judaism. Jewish moral concepts demand support and engagement in the fight against police brutality.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
This concept states that the Jewish people are responsible for the welfare of society at large. The basis of the Black Lives Matter movement is improving the welfare of black people in society and bettering the world for BPOC.
Mishpat: Justice
Mishpat focuses on the law and applying it to serve justice. The Black Lives Matter movement demands police reform and legal reform across the globe to address police brutality, racial bias, and discrimination in the justice system.
Tzedakah: Donation
Tzedakah is the moral obligation of charitable giving in Judaism. Tzedakah is different from Western donation in that it is not just a spontaneous, one-time donation; rather, it is an ethical and moral obligation that requires continuous acts of giving that directly impact someone or their community. This correlates to the waves of donations to black organizations due to the Black Lives Matter movement; however, this giving needs to be supplemented by activism, as required by tzedakah.
Chesed: “Loving kindness”
Chesed is emotional giving, or acts of loving kindness. In the Black Lives Matter movement, chesed is being compassionate towards the struggles of black people and simply being there to listen and offer a loving,willing ear.
Pikuach Nefesh: Saving a life
Pikuach Nefesh believes saving a life is of the utmost importance, ignoring the law and all else in favor of a person’s livelihood. This has obvious connections to the Black Lives Matter movement, as the name itself emphasizes the importance of black lives. To go further than preventing death, pikuach nefesh also values enriching lives, such as supporting organizations that are providing free mental health resources for black people at this time.
To be truly Jewish, it is vital to support black lives and actively attempt to combat racism. It is vital for the Jewish community to hold itself accountable and call out instances of racism and exclusion. Jewish values are anti-racist values. B’tselem Elohim.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or positions of Converge Interfaith.