Joint Statement of Solidarity by Jewish Communal Organizations

Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association were among 180 Jewish communal organizations issuing the following statement:

We join today as representatives of Jewish American communal organizations to urge our political leaders and all our fellow Americans to treat this public health crisis as a moment for kindness and solidarity, and to make extra efforts to reach towards one another in support, not look to blame or scapegoat.

Jews as a people have a long history of being singled out and stigmatized during times of societal crisis, including being blamed without basis for the spread of disease. Particularly in times of great fear, uncertainty and unrest, that demonization can increase the risk and even open the door to violent outbursts of bigotry and hatred. This history compels us to call on all people and particularly all leaders to reject conspiracy theories and the singling out of Asian Americans, foreigners, immigrants, Jews, or any other communities in this moment.

We also request our nation’s leaders to consistently refer to this disease only by its clinical name, COVID-19, and to avoid problematic descriptions for it, such as “the Chinese virus.” Use of these terms could lead some people to blame particular groups for a deadly disease that infects equally, without regard for race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Now is the time to promote unity, to reach across the aisle in compassion, to show an extra measure of empathy toward all people, and to love our neighbors like ourselves.

National Organizations and Institutions

• ADL
• AJC
• ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
• Ameinu
• American Jewish World Service
• Americans for Peace Now
• Avodah
• B’nai B’rith International
• Be’chol Lashon
• Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
• Central Conference of American Rabbis
• Creating Connected Communities
• Habonim Dror North America
• Hadassah
• Hazon
• HIAS
• IKAR
• J Street
• Jewish Council of Public Affairs
• Jewish Educators Assembly
• Jewish Fertility Foundation
• Jewish Labor Committee
• Jewish Multiracial Network
• Jewish Women International
• Jewish World Watch
• Jews United for Democracy & Justice
• Jews United for Justice
• Keshet
• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
• Moving Traditions
• National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry
• National Council of Jewish Women
• ORT America
• Rabbinical Assembly
• Rabbinical Council of America
• Reconstructing Judaism
• Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
• Religious Action Center
• Society for Humanistic Judaism
• The Workers Circle
• Tivnu: Building Justice
• T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
• Union for Reform Judaism
• Uri L’Tzedek: Orthodox Social Justice
• Women of Reform Judaism
• Yaffed

State and Local Organizations and Institutions

• Arizona Jews for Justice
• Baltimore Jewish Council
• Bay Jewish Community, Inc. dba, Temple B’nai Israel
• Bender JCC of Greater Washington
• Beth Jacob Congregation
• Beth Moshe Congregation
• Beth Shalom – Atlanta, GA
• Birmingham Jewish Federation
• Birmingham Temple Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
• B’nai B’rith International – Great Lakes Region
• Buffalo Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council
• Canton Jewish Community Federation
• Carolina Jews for Justice
• Charleston Jewish Federation
• Chicago Jewish Labor Committee
• Colorado Jewish Community Relations Council
• Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
• Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
• Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
• Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
• Congregation Bet Haverim, Atlanta, GA
• Congregation Beth Ahm, West Bloomfield, MI
• Congregation Etz Chaim, Marietta, GA
• Congregation Shearith Israel, Atlanta, GA
• Community Shul of Montecito and Santa Barbara
• Delray Orthodox Synagogue
• Esther Raab Holocaust Museum & Goodwin Education Center
• Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County
• Greater Atlanta Jewish Abilities Alliance
• Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services
• Hadassah Greater Atlanta
• Hillel at Florida International University
• Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach
• In the City Camps
• Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council
• Institute of Southern Jewish Life
• JCC of Dallas
• JCC-Federation of SLO
• JCRC of Portland
• JCRC of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
• JCRC/AJC – Detroit
• JELF – Jewish Educational Loan Fund
• Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
• Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania
• Jewish Community Board of Akron
• Jewish Community Center – Federation of San Luis Obispo
• Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
• Jewish Community Relations Bureau|AJC Kansas City
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Akron
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, FL
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County, FL
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Chicago
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Louisville
• Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa Counties
• Jewish Community Relations Council of South Palm Beach County
• Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern NJ
• Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
• Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
• Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester
• Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
• Jewish Community Relations Council of the Sacramento Region
• Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC – Detroit
• Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
• Jewish Council of North Central Florida
• Jewish Educational Alliance
• Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
• Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
• Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
• Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
• Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga
• Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton
• Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
• Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
• Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
• Jewish Federation of Greater Naples
• Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, JCRC and Anti-Semitism Task Force
• Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County, NY
• Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix
• Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
• Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
• Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area
• Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area
• Jewish Federation of San Antonio
• Jewish Federation of Springfield, IL and Jewish Community Relations Council
• Jewish Federation of the Berkshires
• Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys
• Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
• Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region
• Jewish Federation of Ventura County
• Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey
• Jewish History Museum (Tucson)
• Jewish Nevada
• Keys Jewish Community Center
• Limmud Atlanta & Southeast
• Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
• Memphis Jewish Federation
• Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation
• Mobile Area Jewish Federation
• MSU Hillel/Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan
• New Jersey Jewish Labor Committee
• Or Hamidbar, Palm Springs
• Orloff Department of Jewish Education and Engagement
• Philadelphia Jewish Labor Committee
• Ramah Darom
• Ramat Shalom Synagogue
• Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community
• Savannah Jewish Federation
• Shalom Austin
• Shalom South Florida Radio Show
• Shinshinim Atlanta
• Social Justice Committee of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center
• Temple Beth Am
• Temple Beth David
• Temple Beth El – Bloomfield Hills, MI
• Temple Beth-El, Alpena MI
• Temple Beth Emet Cooper City Fl
• Temple Beth Shalom of Boca Raton
• Temple Beth Tikvah, Roswell GA
• Temple Beth Torah of Wellington
• Temple Bnai Israel – Petoskey MI
• Temple Emanu-El of Greater Atlanta
• Temple Emanu-El of Greater Miami
• Temple Israel of Detroit
• Temple Jacob
• Temple Kol Ami
• Temple Sinai Atlanta
• Temple Solel, Hollywood, FL
• The Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks
• The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
• The Temple, Atlanta GA
• United Jewish Community of the VA Peninsula
• Youngstown Area Jewish Federation