A Note About the Murder of George Floyd

Pandemic aside, the last few days should have been filled with study, joy, and celebration. We are coming out of two days of the holiday Shavuot, followed by Shabbat. Instead, they have been devastating, filled—at least for me—with sadness, anger, and fear. When George Floyd was killed on May 25th, it rightly touched a nerve in most Americans. Even more so, I hope it touched a nerve in Jews.

As Jews, we ought to know the feeling of having a target on our back; it's been there for most of our existence. Being Jewish has been enough of a reason to be killed during large swaths of Jewish history, much like being black remains so for far too many people in 21st-century America.

A proper response to this reality is much less clear. The distinctions and priorities between protests and riots, between outpourings of rage at a broken, unjust system and an ideal of nonviolent demonstration are murky—so too has it been throughout Jewish history. We also have had to struggle against the evils of subjugation and the overwhelming sense of powerlessness.

At this time, however we each choose to personally react to the goings-on of the world, let us be sure that we are led by a sense of courageous, Jewish empathy. If we choose to demonstrate, let's opt to do so out of our obligation to identify with the oppressed; if we choose not to, let it be because we are seeking other ways to support those who are disempowered in our community, not out of apathy or indifference. At the end of the day, let's all be certain that we recall the incredible need in this world for more *anti*-racism, just as we likewise seek out more allies who are more than "personally not antisemitic," but who fight for our cause and are *anti*-antisemitic.

I know our people is strong. In these challenging days, let's let our zeal for justice show.