28 | JULY 2 • 2020
WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THIS MOMENT FOR YOU?
I saw [Lubavitch] people cheer-
ing when the NYPD arrived [in
response to a BLM protest] and
sobbed. I wanted to normalize
being a social justice activist
by being a visibly frum person.
This action is something one
can do as a graduate of Bais
Rivkah. The protesters who
were there were not on the
fringes [of the Chabad commu-
nity]. Also, to normalize show-
ing up for our Black neighbors.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE
OUTCOME OF THE PROTEST?
I am so excited and happy that
so many people from the Crown
Heights community showed
up in support of their Black
neighbors. We weren’
t sure what
the turnout would be. It went
beyond our expectations.
A historian explained that
3 percent of a community has
to come out and protest in the
streets in order for a revolution
to follow. We were halfway there
with our first protest. Given how
heavily policed and silenced peo-
ple are within the community, I
imagine there were many more
who would have liked to show
up but would worry about their
kids being kicked out of school
or otherwise being shamed
for being public [about their
liberal politics and activism]. I
think there is a lot of energy and
goodwill around the ideas we
are advancing, and I think we
uncovered that there’
s a lot more
support for a progressive world-
view that’
s being buried than we
had originally thought, which is
heartening and galvanizing.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEXT
STEPS WILL BE?
My hopes were to take a stand
for racial justice and support
our Black neighbors. I want-
ed both the Jewish and Black
communities to see us and
know that there is support for
this cause. Seeing the positive
response has really inspired us
organizers, and we are working
daily on meeting with local
politicians and community
groups; forming subcommit-
tees; coming up with a name
and logo; and crafting a mission
statement and focus. We hope
to plan more rallies, educational
events and generate awareness
about civic engagement and
cross-community conversation.
This (movement) is internal,
organic and rooted in Chasidic
values, so we bring something
unique to the table.
You can follow along and support the
cause at https://www.instagram.com/
ker_a_velt/
continued from page 27
Members of the
Chabad community
of Crown Heights
marched for Black
lives and held signs
expressing their
Jewish values.
COURTESY OF ILANA SPENCER
Jews in the D
Advocating for Criminal
Justice Reform
JCRC/AJC join clergy in the state capitol
to propose policy changes.
R
ecently, Rabbi Asher Lopatin,
executive director of the Jewish
Community Relations Council/
AJC (JCRC/AJC), joined more than 60
clergy from across the state and across
racial and religious divides to advocate on
the steps of the state capitol for criminal
justice reform.
The Interfaith Coalition for Criminal
Justice Reform was organized by the Rev.
Dr. Tellis Chapman, the NAACP
, Council
of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity,
and Bishop Edgar Vann.
While there, the group proposed
important policy changes on policing and
reviewing police activities. This included
a call for police departments to be com-
prised of resident members of the com-
munity; the prohibiting of chokeholds or
placing an officer’
s body on a detainee,
which causes bodily harm; requiring
public safety officers to intervene when
observing use of excessive force or other
misconduct; and the reimagining of
police department budgets to include
funding to address social and mental
health needs without direct police inter-
vention.
Lauren Garfield-Herrin is assistant director of the
JCRC/AJC.
LAUREN GARFIELD-HERRIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
TOP: Rabbi Lopatin with Dr. Steve Bland, president,
Council of Bapitist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity.
BOTTOM: Rabbi Asher Lopatin speaks on the capitol
steps surrounded by fellow clergy members.
JCRC/AJC