 JUNE 11 • 2020 | 15

go to marches, register 
new voters, organize … 
Ultimately, if you feel moved 
at the moment (and we all 
should), commit to being in 
it for the long haul. 
I would like to see the 
Jewish community using 
their political powers and 
platforms to align with the 
policies and campaigns that 
advocate for human rights 
and decency. 
Let this not be a moment 
but a movement. 

CHRIS HARRISON, 
WATERFORD
As a Jew, I can’
t think of a 
better form of sacred action 
than protest. And protest 
can mean anything from 
being on the front lines 
marching with signs to 
donating money and time to 
antiracist causes; it’
s all valid. 
Further, seeing not only so 
many black people protest-
ing, but also non-black allies, 
is incredible. This is how it 
should be.
I feel a heightened sense of 
paranoia. I hope I don’
t get 
pulled over by the wrong cop 

or my neighbors don’
t racial-
ly profile me for walking 
my dog. Despite everything, 
however, I can’
t help but feel 
hopeful. Seeing how serious-
ly everyone is finally start-
ing to take police brutality, 
unchecked authority and 
systemic racism makes me 
think that the tide might be 
shifting; that non-black peo-
ple are fully seeing what’
s 
happening.
Make antiracism a prior-
ity in your congregations 
and institutions. This isn’
t 
optional; it’
s a necessity. This 
is not just because black 
people are suffering in your 
surrounding communities, 
but because there may very 
well be black Jews and black 
family members of Jews in 
your very Jewish communi-
ties who need to be listened 
to and actively included. 
Address your individual 
and institutional implicit 
biases and learn to be OK 
with the discomfort that 
comes with it. Read books 
and articles and watch vid-
eos by antiracists. I also 
recommend rabbis, can-
tors and lay leaders also 
read the Union for Reform 
Judaism article “Ways Your 
Congregation Can Act Now 
for Racial Justice” by Rabbi 
Jonah Pesner. 
When people ask me for 
suggestions, I feel really glad 
that they’
re asking, but it 
can also get overwhelming 
right now. I want to be there 
to help people, but I also 
want them to feel confident 
enough to look things up 
themselves. The Jewish com-
munity alone has plenty of 
resources.

continued on page 16

Chris 
Harrison

COURTESY OF CHRIS HARRISON

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STORY
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STORY
Our

“It began with rain, and our roof leaking into our
house,” said Diane Starr. “We didn’t know the
cause, or the extent of the damage, or even if it
could be easily repaired. Keith and I called in a
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In the way it so often happens, there was structural
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and then run into further problems along the way,
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It seems like an unexpected expense for anything in
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could be made easier through the support of our
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