passover

The ‘Four People’
Ask Tough Questions
On Racial Justice

One of many new materials meant to
bring new challenges to old conversations.

A

special Passover supplement to
spur challenging and meaningful
conversations on racial justice
is now available from Repair the World
and the Jewish Multiracial Network.
Tweaking the tradition of Four Sons
asking loaded questions and receiving
answers in kind, the “Four People” are
each on their own racial justice journey
and ask questions reflecting their mul-
tiple perspectives, various backgrounds,
different races and different ages.
“The values underlying our Passover
tradition compel us not only to tell the
story of liberation, but to also stand as
allies of those still fighting for liberation,
including many within the Jewish com-

munity,” says David Eisner, CEO of Repair
the World. “The seder is filled with tools
and symbols for strengthening our con-
nection with the hardships of oppression
and the Divine path to winning freedom.
“Sometimes, though,” he adds, “a little
prompt can be useful to push our conver-
sation into the challenging dimensions
a modern exploration of oppression
deserves. In its evolution, the questions
and responses from the Four Sons has
often served the purpose of setting up
difficult conversations. So, it felt right
to use that as a model to investigate our
ability to act in support of racial justice
today.”
The Four People represent a

“complicated constellation of identity and
experience; they are not simply good or
bad, guileless or silent. They are Jews of
color and white Jews. They are Mizrahi,
Sephardi and Ashkenazi; they are youth,
middle-aged and elders.” They ask ques-
tions such as:
• How do people work toward equal-
ity if the tactics and strategies used by
current racial justice movements make
them uncomfortable?
• How do newcomers to these racial
justice efforts reach and engage with
marginalized communities in an authen-
tic and sustained way?
• How might Jews of color engage in
racial justice work in a way true to them-

selves, acknowledging their
own varied histories and
interests?
• How do people engage
if they are too scared to
even begin a conversation
about race?
The Four People is part
of Repair’s Act Now for Racial
Justice campaign, which, during
Passover, includes opportunities
and resources to host seders with
meaningful conversations and to
engage in service opportunities
to address urgent needs created by
racial injustice. Its Passover Pyramid
Cutout includes powerful quotes from
modern-day Jewish racial justice leaders.
Other resources address issues around
food justice.
“Young adults in particular want to
address the pressing issues and the injus-
tice they see around them,” Eisner adds.
“Act Now for Racial Justice is an avenue
for meaningful engagement, for creating
change on the ground and for continu-
ing to elevate the place of service in
American Jewish life.” •

Find the “Four People” at werepair.org/
wp-content/uploads/2017/03/The-Four-People.pdf.



dŚĞ>Ăǁ&ŝƌŵtŝƚŚ^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐ

&RX]HQV/DQVN\LVDIXOOVHUYLFHEXVLQHVVWD[HVWDWHSODQQLQJOLWLJDWLRQUHDOHVWDWHHPSOR\PHQWDQGFRPPHUFLDO
ODZILUPORFDWHGLQ2DNODQG&RXQW\VHUYLQJWKHQHHGVRILQGLYLGXDOFRUSRUDWHDQGEXVLQHVVFOLHQWVRIDOOVL]HV

i Trusts & Estates

i Litigation & Dispute Resolution

i Taxation

i Banking & Finance



i Real Estate

39395 W. Twelve Mile Road; Suite 200
Farmington Hills, Ml 48331
P 248-489-8600
F 248-489-4156
info@couzens.com
www.couzens.com

April 6 • 2017



i Probate & Trust Administration

i Business & Corporate

64

i Employment & Labor



jn



i Construction Law



:LVKLQJ\RXD+DSS\
3DVVRYHU

