A Letter to Fellow Jews on Open Discourse, Rigorous Inquiry, and Generosity of Spirit
We are Jews of a variety of political, religious, and ideological stripes. We hold diverse views but we unite in affirming the indispensable need for rigorous, open discourse in all aspects of Jewish communal life.
We write to note our concern that, in many key contexts and several critical moments, significant portions of our community have not successfully lived up to these values when assessing contemporary social justice movements. Too many Jewish public figures have engendered discussions of concepts like “intersectionality”, “critical race theory”, “white privilege” (or “white supremacy”), and other like terms where they are painted in simplistic, even glib, forms that bear little to no relationship to what proponents of these theories actually advocate. It is especially alarming that these bad faith critiques have accelerated alongside the growing recognition of the impacts of racism in America, including inside our Jewish community.
Unfortunately, we have regularly seen Jewish organizations, public figures, and media outlets level “critiques” of social justice concepts that are almost entirely unmoored from any engagement with their actual content. We have read with dismay too many articles that purport to speak authoritatively on social justice without ever citing or even referencing crucial primary source material, leading to a marked gap between what these concepts are alleged to assert about Jews (and others) compared to what they actually say. Nuance is swept aside to support uncharitable or outright hostile interpretations, and obvious absurdities are presented so that these concepts can be dismissed without further thought. The result is an impoverishment of Jewish communal discourse and a failure of our thought leaders to fulfill the basic obligations of an honest interlocutor.
Ironically, while those who criticize these social justice terms (and their associated political movements) often level their concerns in language of free speech and liberal discourse, they frequently do not display the generosity of spirit and commitment to fair, impartial, and rigorous reading that makes genuine inquiry and debate possible.
Just as Jews can reasonably insist that those who speak about, e.g., Zionism, antisemitism, Orthodoxy, “chosenness”, or other weighted terms avoid strawman caricatures of such concepts, basic respect should compel Jewish speakers to seek out genuine knowledge of social justice theories grounded in actual, reputable primary source texts. Sweeping statements that such theories (for example) make crude divisions of the world into “oppressor” and “oppressed” classes, or explicitly identify Jews as White supremacist dominators, must be supported with evidence, not simply stated as if fact. Indeed, it seems apparent that the purpose of framing social justice concepts in such obviously farcical fashion is to avoid a reasoned discourse which might have to engage seriously with the significant normative, analytical, and observational insights such concepts bring to bear on crucial issues of equity. Such evasion is fundamentally incompatible with principles of open inquiry and fearless engagement that characterize Jewish communal discourse in its most robust and authentic form.
The signatories to this letter may take differing views as to the degree to which concepts like intersectionality and critical race theory aid in improving our understanding of Jewish experience. But we agree that any discussion about these concepts must take them seriously and read them fairly, and we are concerned that the attempt by some in the Jewish community to present such theories as inherently offensive, dangerous, or (paradoxically) censorial is in effect demanding the suppression or dismissal of important conversations the Jewish community should be having.
Many inside and outside of the Jewish community, including but not limited to Jews of Color, have been intimately involved in the creation, development, and application of social justice concepts — to the Jewish case and beyond. We urge that the Jewish community commit to including these voices as part of developing our collective understanding of what these concepts actually mean; and avoid speaking on these subjects based on rumor, innuendo, or hyperbolic sentiment. A commitment to such inclusion and to fair readings does not compel any particular conclusion; it does not demand either blind acceptance or knee-jerk criticism. Rather, it is the indispensable foundation on which any informed position on these matters must rest.
We, again, reiterate our view that liberal deliberative values are absolutely essential to the health and vitality of the Jewish community — values which include openness to challenging ideas and refusal to indulge in strawmanning, hyperbole, or other tools of dismissal. Precisely because we commit to these values, we are insistent that we live these values out in all contexts — including when engaging with theories of social justice that may be discomforting or controversial. We are confident that a recommitment to these values in the social justice context will help promote free, sophisticated, generous, and charitable engagement with all those who care about securing an equitable world.
We invite you to sign onto this open letter to add your voice to this call for open discourse, rigorous inquiry and generosity of spirit.
Signed,
(Affiliations for informational purposes only)
Rabbi Herschel “Brodie” Aberson, Temple Beth Shalom of the East Valley, Chandler, AZ
Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder, Atlanta, GA
Rabbi Ruth Adar, HaMaqom, The Place, Berkeley, CA
William Adler, Associate Professor, Northeastern Illinois University Department of Political Science, Skokie, IL
Ruth Alcabes, West Hartford, CT
Emma Ruth Anderson, Montrose, CA, USA
Judah Ariel, Washington, DC
Rabbi Susan Averbach, Society for Humanistic Judaism, San Francisci, CA
Dr. Dan Aviv, ADRABA, Toronto, ON
Rabbi Dr. Chava Bahle, Or Tzafon, Suttons Bay, MI
Rabbi Ruven Barkan, Tucson, AZ
Susie Berg, Toronto, ON
Amanda Berman, Zioness, New York, NY
Rabbi Cecelia Beyer, Temple Sholom, Bridgewater, NJ
Rabbi Binyamin Biber, President of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis, Silver Spring, MD
David Bocarsly, Activist, Los Angeles, CA
Harold Braswell, Associate Professor of Health Care Ethics, Faculty Co-Advisor to Jewish Student Association, Saint Louis University; Programming Board, Saint Louis, MO
Isaac Bresnick, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Dr. Mia Brett, New York, NY
Ariel Brickman, Washington, DC
Bradley Burston, Ha’aretz, Jaffa, Israel
Rabbi Adam Chalom, Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation, Deerfield, IL
Bill Chomsky, JewishColumbus, Columbus, OH
Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Claussen, Elon University, Elon, NC
Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen, American Jewish University, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Emily Cohen, New York, NY
Andrea Beth Damsky, La Mesa, CA
Deborah Dash Moore, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Barry Deutsch, Author, “Hereville”, Portland, OR
Mady Deutsch, Italy
Dr. Samuel N. Dorf, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH
Marie Duncan, New York, NY
Rabbi David Eber, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Chicago, IL
Ruth Egherman, Walnut Creek, CA
Tori Egherman, Oy Vey Acts, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Jean Elson, University of New Hampshire, Emerita, Durham, NH
Louis Evans, New York, NY
Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick, Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI
Keshira HaLev Fife, Kesher Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Carli Fink, Canada
Ziv Finkelstein, Toronto, ON
Dennis Fischman, Temple B’nai Brith, Somerville MA
Sam Fleischacker, LAS Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Evanston, IL
Peter Fox, American Jewish Committee ACCESS NY Board
Shai Franklin, Senior Fellow, The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute, New York, NY
Rabbi Eli Freedman, Congregation Rodeph Shalom, Philadelphia, PA
Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, Open Door Judaism, Buffalo, NY
Rabbi Jonah Geffen, New York, NY
Courtney Harrison Geese, Secular Synagogue, Aachen, Germany
Todd Gitlin, Columbia University, New York, NY
Michael Giuliani, Scotch Plains, NJ
Daryn Glassbrook, Mobile, AL
Rabbi Bob Gluck, University at Albany, Albany, NY
Stefani Goerlich, LMSW-Clinical, LISW, LCSW, CST, Author, Educator, & Clinician, Detroit, MI
Rabbi Dr. Linda Gold, New York, NY
Rebekka Gold, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Astoria, NY
Daniel S. Goldberg, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg, Malkhut, Jackson Heights, NY
Erica Goldman, MA/MBA, New York, NY
Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman, Pittsburgh, PA
Eric Greene, Jewish Multiracial Network, Los Angeles, LA
Rachel Hall
Rabbi Denise Handlarski, Secular Synagogue, Toronto, ON, Canada
Shawn C Harris
Kate and Alisa Hermann-Wu, Boston, MA
Cantor Linda HIrschhorn, Temple Beth Sholom, San Leandro, CA
Rabbi Heidi Hoover, B’ShERT, Brooklyn, NY
Jonathan Horowitz, Chicago, IL
Rabbi Michael Howald, Temple Israel, Staten Island, NY
Sylvia Izzo Hunter, Toronto, ON, Canada
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, T’ruah, New York, NY
Jonathan Jacoby, Los Angeles, LA
Rabbi David Jaffe, The Kirva Institute — Inside Out Wisdom and Action, Sharon, MA
Jeanette Gonzalez Jaffe, Odessa, FL
Rabbi Marisa James, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York, NY
Robert Johnston, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Rabbi Cassi Kail, Temple Beth El, San Pedro, CA
Rabbi Justin S. Kerber, BCC, Congregation Beth Shalom, Indianapolis, IN
Emily Kesselman, Philadelphia, PA
Aaron Keyak, Jewish Engagement Director, Biden for President, Washington, DC
Vlad Khaykin, San Francisco, CA
Rabbi Emma Kippley-Ogman, St. Paul, MN
Rabbi Douglas E. Krantz, Townsend, DE
Rabbi Alex Kress, Beth Shir Shalom, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed, Prison Chaplain, Bronx, NY
Rabbi Jeremy Kridel, Machar, the Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism, Ellicott City, MD
Rabbi Gail Labovitz, American Jewish University, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Michael Adam Latz, Minneapolis, MN
Rabbi Adam Lautman, Washington, DC
Rabbi Esther Lederman, URJ, Washington, DC
Libby Lenkinsky, Brooklyn, NY
Larry Lennhoff, Massachussetts
Rachel Lerner, T’ruah, Brooklyn, NY
Rebecca Lesses, Ph.D., Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
Gabriel Levin, Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Jamie Levine Daniel, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Renan Levine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Marion I. Lipshutz, MA, MSLIS, Poughkeepsie, NY
Joe Lockard, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Analucía Lopezrevoredo, Founder & ED, Jewtina y Co., Portland, OR
Andy Lulka, Toronto, ON, Canada
Samantha Lundy, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
Amanda Lynn, New York, NY
Andrew Mandel, Tzedek Box
Liviya Mendelsohn, Toronto, ON, Canada
Julia Métraux, Berkeley, CA
Dr. Seth J Meyer, Bridgewater, MA
Laura Janine Mintz, MD, PhD, MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve Univeristy, Cleveland, OH
Yaël Mizrahi-Arnaud, Forum For Regional Thinking/NYU, Brooklyn, NY
Dr. Karen R Mock, C.M., JSpaceCanada, Toronto, ON, Canada
Susan Morais, Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Betsy More, Jewish Women’s Archive, Belmont, MA
David S. Moskowitz, California
Stephanie Moss, Gainesville, FL
David N. Myers, UCLA, Los Angeles, LA
Stan Nadel, U of Portland — Salzburg Austria Center, Salzburg, Austria
David Naftulin
Elad Nehorai, Long Beach, CA
Sydney Nestel, Toronto, ON
Richard Jeffrey Newman, Nassau Community College, Long Island, NY
Louis E. Newman, John M. and Elizabeth W. Musser Professor of Religious Studies, Emeritus, Carleton College
Matt Nosanchuk, President, New York Jewish Agenda, New York, NY
Rabbi Phyllis Ocean Berman, Mashpiaa, ALEPH Ordination Program, Philadelphia, PA
Michelle L. Oxman, Member, Beth Emeth, The Free Synagogue, Evanston, IL
Sharonna Pearl, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Carly Pildis, Washington, DC
Rabbi Robin Podolsky, Bend the Arc, Los Angeles, CA
Lauren Post, Houston, TX
Jeremy F. Price, Assistant Professor of Technology, Innovation and Pedagogy in Urban Education, IU School of Education-Indianapolis at IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Nigel Quartey, Baltimore, MD
Rabbi Ruti Regan, Somerville, MA
Harry Reis, New York, NY
Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed, Plainview, NY
Jill Rodde, Tzedek Box, Portland, OR
Lex Rofeberg, Judaism Unbound, Providence, RI
Judith Rosenbaum, Ph.D., Jewish Women’s Archive, Newton, MA
Rifky Rosensweig, Toronto, ON, Canada
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Evanston, IL
Jeffrey Adam Sachs, Acadia University, Nova Scotia, Canada
Joel Sanchez, LCSW, Jews In All Hues, Mexico City, Mexico
Harry Sanders, Calgary, AB, Canada
Rabbi Michael Satz, Temple B’nai Or, Morristown, NJ
Edie Saunders, Toronto, ON, Canada
Professor Paul Scham, University of Maryland, Washington, DC
David Schraub, Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, OR
Rabbi Judith Seid, Tri-Valley Cultural Jews, a CSJO affiliate, California
Rabbi David Seidenberg, neohasid.org, Northampton, MA
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Ahud Sela, Temple Ramat Zion, Northridge, CA
Eli Sennesh, Boston, MA
Rabbi Gerald Serotta, Chevy Chase, MD
Rabbanit Dr. Liz Shayne, Yeshivat Maharat, New York, NY
Allison Siegelman, Jewish Community Foundation of Central PA, York, PA
Abe Silberstein, Brooklyn, NY
Yoshi Silverstein, Mitsui Collective, Pittsburgh, PA
Rabbi Suzanne Singer, Temple Beth El, Riverside, CA
Eliana Sisman, UCLA student, Los Angeles, CA
Tema Smith, The Forward, Toronto, ON, Canada
Daniel Sokatch, New Israel Fund, San Francisco, CA
Gregg Solkovits, President, Democrats for Israel — LA, Los Angeles, LA
Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation Bonai Shalom, Boulder, CO
Ken Sperber, MD, Sharon, MA
Devon Spier, Rabbinical Student, Ontario, Canada
Liz Spikol, Philadelphia, PA
Rabbi Joshua Stanton, East End Temple, New York, NY
Justin B. Stein, Ph.D., Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jacob Stutzman, Ph.D., University of Kansas
Barry A. Swan, Madrikh, Beth Haskalah, Society for Humanistic Judaism, Rochester, NY
Dr. Ezra Temko, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL
Stephen Michael Tow, Temple Oakland Sinai, Temple Beth Shalom, San Leandro Coalition for Racial Justice, San Leandro, CA
Professor Irene Tucker, University of California, Irvine, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Jason van Leeuwen, Temple B’nai Hayim, Sherman Oaks, CA
Dr. Sarah Waisvisz, Queen’s University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Michael Walzer, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ
Dr. Kenneth Waltzer, Michigan State University, Haslett, MI
Rabbi Andrew Warmflash, West Orange, NJ
Dov Waxman, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Alan Jay Weisbard, University of Wisconsin Law School (Retired), Bethesda, MD
Rabbi Lew Weiss, Indianapolis, IN
Alex Weisz, Academy for Jewish Religion, California, Seattle, WA
Diane Winston
Cantor Cheryl Wunch, Toronto, ON, Canada
Rabbi Bridget Wynne, Jewish Gateways, Albany, CA
Rabbi Adir Yolkut, White Plains, NY
Alex Zeldin, The Forward, New York, NY
Jelle Simcha Zijlstra, Oy Vey Acts, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rabbi Sara Zober, Reno, NV
