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6 | SEPTEMBER 10 • 2020 

ings of Black people, I chose 
my own comfort and said 
nothing at all. But no more. 
I am empowered by the 
huge uprising happening 
around the country. As a new 
mother, I am more invested 
in the future of humanity 
than ever before. I am happy 
to finally be here. I wish I 
had gotten here sooner. Now, 
I prefer to piss someone off 
by saying the wrong thing 
than to stay silent in the 
face of what is happening to 
our brothers and sisters at 
the hands of systems we all 
implicitly uphold. 
As Jews, we know all too 
well what it is like to be 
victimized by other human 
beings while the rest of 
humanity stands still and 
silent. We know this pain. We 
carry this trauma for gener-
ations. We say, “never again.” 
Our generational trauma, 
which can sometimes feel like 
a heavy load to carry, can be 
our asset. It can empower us 
to show up, to speak up. Not 
only against discrimination 
directed at us, but against 
discrimination and hate 
that systematically make the 
everyday lives of our Black 
and brown brothers and sis-
ters difficult, frightening and 
exhausting.
Our trauma may lead us 
to seek to blend in, assim-
ilate and hibernate in our 
privilege. Let’
s not let it. 
We can do so much more. 
Remember, our liberation 
is bound with the liberation 
of our entire human family. 
We do not all have to agree 
about politics, but I do think 
it is important that we all 
agree that being alive and, 
furthermore, not being tar-
geted or persecuted by your 

government, is a basic human 
right for all people. Until that 
is reflected in our policies 
and our systems, we need to 
show up and challenge these 
systems. 

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS 
FOR THINGS YOU CAN DO 
TO SHOW UP: 
• Support antiracist organi-
zations, such as EJI, NAACP, 
ACLU and The Bail Project. 
• Contribute your time 
and skills to antiracist grass-
roots organizations such as 
DJJ and Detroit Will Breathe. 
• Educate yourself. A good 
place to start is the book So 
You Want to Talk About Race by 
Ijeoma Oluo. 
• Support Black-owned 
businesses. Ima, Detroit 
Vegan Soul and Good Cakes 
and Bakes are three of my 
favorites. 
• Think before you speak. 
When you meet someone 
who lives in the city, ask 
them, “How do you like your 
neighborhood?” instead of, 
“Do you feel safe?” You may 
not mean it that way, but this 
question perpetuates a very 
racist idea of a “dangerous 
Black neighborhood,” accord-
ing to Ibram X. Kendi. 
• Adopt antiracist policies 
and attitudes. For example, 
if a visitor to your syna-
gogue says that s/he is Jewish 
(regardless of the color of 
their skin), believe them. 
Don’
t ask further questions. 
• Encourage your employer 
to be antiracist in its poli-
cies — hiring, retention and 
more. Don’
t be silent. Show 
up. 

Yifat Clein is a social worker and 
mom living in the city of Detroit. 
She was born and raised in Kibbutz 
Sasa, Israel.

IT’
S TIME continued from page 5

most read on the web

Each month, the JN will let you know the stories that were 
read most often online. If you missed any, you can go to the 
jewishnews.com and search for them by title. Here’
s what was 
most popular in August.

TOP 10 ON THE WEB 
1. ‘
Rewind’
: Jewish Filmmaker Confronts his Traumatic 
 
 Childhood (from May)
2. Johnny Pomodoro’
s New Owners Plan Improvements 
 
Along with more Gourmet Items
3. The Future of Shul: How Declining Memberships and 
 
COVID-19 Could Change the Way We Worship
4. Danny Raskin: Detroit Eats
5. Jewish Surgical Oncologist Fulfills his Dream of Aliyah, 
 
Securing New Job
6. Rabbi Lauren Berkun Delivers Benediction at the 
 
Democratic National Convention
7. A New Jewish Leader: Michigan Native is Changing 
 
Millennial Jewish Life in Brooklyn
8. Meet Gabi Grossbard, an Orthodox Jew Running for 
 
Congress (from July)
9. New Heads of Schools on the Block
10. Teaching Resiliency

TOPS ON FACEBOOK
1. Johnny Pomodoro’
s New Owners Plan Improvements 
 
Along with more Gourmet Items
2. 2 Detroit Delis Now Offer Meatless Vegan Corn Beef
3. Danny Raskin: Detroit-Themed Restaurant Opens in Florida
4. Kids Kicking Cancer’
s Virtual Classes Lead to In-Person 
 
Belting Ceremony for Young Marital Artists
5. Podcast FedRadioDetroit Aims to Share Standout 
 
Stories in the Jewish Community

TOP 5 ON INSTAGRAM:
1. Marvin’
s Marvelous Mechanical Museum Misses its Visitors
2. A New Jewish Leader: Michigan Native is Changing 
 
Millennial Jewish Life in Brooklyn
3. Johnny Pomodoro’
s New Owners Plan Improvements Along 
 
with more Gourmet Items
4. Newlyweds Separated by Canada-US Border Closure
5. Marvin’
s Marvelous Mechanical Museum Opens GoFundMe 
 
Page to Help with Expenses

