In January 2023 the Reconstructionist Movement passed a resolution on reparation, committing ourselves to reckoning with the foundational harms our societies are built upon.
What do we mean by reparations? Come and learn with us.
Reparations can mean many things. It is policy, theology, a moral obligation, history, and a demand for truth and reconciliation. The The National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) defines reparations as, “a process of repairing, healing and restoring a people injured because of their group identity and in violation of their fundamental human rights.” Ta-Nehisi Coates understands reparations as an ethical orientation — “the full acceptance of our collective biography and its consequences.” There is no Hebrew term that fully encompasses the range of meanings that are associated with the English word reparations. Is it both teshuvah — the Jewish process of public accountability, apology, mending, and returning to right relationship, and tzedek — the ethical demands of material and legal justice.
We are offering two parallel pathways for your community to take an initial dive into this sea of reparations Torah:
1. Reparations through a Reconstructionist Lens
An asynchronous adaptation of the recorded sessions from our movement-wide Day of Learning on Reparations, developed by RRC Racial Justice Rabbinic Intern, Alana Krivo-Kaufman. This innovative approach uses ritual, discussion, text study, and personal reflection to guide a group of students in deeply engaging with the amazing Torah shared during our day of learning.
Session 2: Sitting at the Welcome Table: A Conversation on Reparations with Lazora Jordan, LMSW & Co-Teacher
What would it mean for government institutions in the United States to give out reparations? Where does the call for reparations to African Americans come from? How can a Jewish theology of collective accountability guide us in our exploration? This session explores these questions and more. Lazora Jordan is the Vice-Chair of Reconstructing Judaism’s Jews of Color and Allies Advisory Group, serves on the Tikkun Olam Commission, and is a licensed social worker and anti-racist educator.
Sitting at the Welcome Table: A Conversation on Reparations from Reconstructing Judaism on Vimeo.
Session 3: Teshuvah on Stolen Land with Eric Greene, Sarah Waisvisz, and Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg
Session 4: The Torah’s Case for Reparations with Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein
Written and compiled by the reparations committee of the racial justice initiative of the Jewish Community of Amherst, Massachusetts, we are delighted to share this excellent five-part study series that curates stimulating articles and videos by contemporary thinkers and guides discussion about moral values and racism within various historical contexts.
Commissioned Artwork
Reconstructing Judaism commissioned two black Jewish artists from within the Reconstructionist Movement, Ayeola Omomara Kaplan (Congregation Bet Haverim, Atlanta, GA), and Marjorie Salvodon (Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Newton, MA), to respond to our Movement Wide Day of Learning on Reparations in August 2021 through a piece of visual art.
