What is it?

A monthly series of conversations with Rabbi Shankman to create a dialogue about race, racial disparity, inequity, change needed for just equality, and creating culture of belonging.

Open to all (members & non-members), you can show up for one event or all of them.

The conversations will all be held on Zoom, but won’t be recorded to encourage open conversation

What are we trying to get out of these conversations?

• Provide a space for conversations about difficult topics
• Create community & build relationships
• Engage more people in caring about racial justice and acting for equity and belonging internally & externally

How will each session work?

• Start with a discussion of a short reading/video/podcast
• Why this is a Jewish conversation, tied to our values and beliefs?
• Consider new thinking and spur additional conversations with others
• Learn ways to act

Possible Discussion Topics

• January: Why are we having this conversation? Jelani Cobb article on Black History Month
• February 21, 1 pm: Looking inward and discussing implicit Bias. Based on Jessica Nordell’s The End of Bias: A Beginning (Watch the video of her event at WHC)
• March 6, noon: Continuing looking inward: How our own life experiences impact our recognition of racial bias & inequity.
• April – December: Looking outward at racial inequity
  • In our community: Redlining. Glen Echo Park
  • Health disparities
  • Education disparities: dispelling myths about equal opportunity.
  • The law: historical impact & continuing inequities. Looking at how the laws in US set up to create inequity.
  • School to Prison pipeline
  • Intersectionality of prejudice
  • Antisemitism and Racism
• Other topics: The Jews of Color experience