Temple Beth Tikvah

When Jews are shot, stabbed, beaten, and assaulted, unprovoked, in their houses of worship, on the street or in their homes: Please don’t call it racial tensio...n. Please don’t give context. Please don’t say, this is sad, but... We need to call it for what it is. This is a pattern of antisemitic terrorism. It is violence directed at people exclusively because of their Jewish identity. It must be condemned by all. Without qualification, without but, and without reinforcing the antisemitism that is fueling this violence! Wake up!

If religion it is to be worth holding on to, it should be the place where the marginalized feel the most visible, where the hurting receive the most tender care, where the outsiders find the safest refuge. It should be the place where diversity is fiercely pursued and equality loudly championed; where all of humanity finds a permanent home and where justice runs the show. John Pavlovitz, Blogger - stuff that needs to be said

For Yom HaShoah

Expanding language, is one of many ways we affirm the legitimacy of people in sacred spaces. https://medium.com//a-list-of-yiddish-transgender-nonbinar

On the last day of Passover, a time where Jews everywhere are celebrating freedom, a man, dressed in tactical gear, carrying an AR weapon, walked into a California synagogue and reminded us we are not yet truly free. This wasn't random. It was calculated. Exactly 6 months to the day, after the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh. This man wanted to make a statement. That we as Jews, are not safe anywhere. Not in our homes, not in public, not even in our own houses of ...worship. How do we combat that kind of hatred? I'm not sure there is one way to do it. There is nothing I'd like more than to be able to assure my congregants, my family, and Jews everywhere that we will be safe from harm. But I'd be lying. What I do know, is this, we won't be stymied by hatred. We will keep showing up. We will keep practicing our faith. We will keep going. As my grandmother used to say to me, "We will outlive them" Baruch Dayan HaEmet for Lori Gilbert-Kaye May her memory be a blessing.

This is abhorrent. More than thoughts and prayers are needed here. Actions speak louder than words. Stop harming places of faith and those who reside in that faith

It's critical that we expand our language to reflect the needs of Non Binary and Genderfluid Jews. This project is working hard to do just that. https://www.nonbinaryhebrew.com/