Lab/Shul Family and Friends,
Just a few days ago we gathered online for 24 consecutive hours to explore what is being revealed about our now and next – scroll further for more Reveal-A-Thon recap. Today we continue reflecting, together, as our nation and city rise up for justice.
This #BlackoutTuesday is an opportunity to amplify the voices of our black and brown siblings who have been denied a place, space, and platform for centuries. Below, you will find a curated list of resources, guides, reading lists, and accounts that we are learning from, with humility and appreciation.
To our partners, friends, and family of color: We are with you. We recognize your pain. The entire Lab/Shul team, board, and community are standing with you in solidarity, rising for justice, protesting loudly, denouncing police brutality, dismantling systemic racism, and demanding justice and equality. We are in awe of your courage. We hope our soul offerings can provide a space for everyone to restore and heal as we do this work together. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me and our team for counseling and support.
Many in our community have turned to us asking what they can do and how they can help. You can start today by reaching out to your reps, as we were inspired to do by our partners and leaders from NYJA who presented during our Reveal-A-Thon, to repeal 50-a and pass A2513-O’Donnell/S3695-Bailey. 50-a is a NYS statute that carves out unnecessary & harmful secrecy for police, fire, and corrections. 50-a is routinely used to shield police misconduct and failed police disciplinary processes from public view. A repeal of 50-a would provide much needed transparency on police misconduct and discipline in NYS and help address the systemic abuse of power. Info here.
We are deeply grateful to so many of you who joined us for our Reveal-A-Thon. We were on for 24 hours LIVE with thousands watching, 150+ presenters, activists and artists who invited us into crucial conversations, raised important questions, and offered revelations. This mosaic of voices reveals how strong, diverse, and committed our community already is, and the immense power when we gather together – even online.
What did you learn? Was anything revealed? We’d love 5 mins of your feedback.
Thank you especially to everyone who generously donated to support Lab/Shul’s #ThrivingArtistsFund and raise funds for 1st Responders Children’s Fund and National Day Laborer Organizing Network’s Immigrant Worker Safety Net Fund, two crucial COVID response organizations working for the benefit of immigrants, children and families in need. Together we raised $53,527. Wow. Thank you on behalf of so many.
Everyone who donated will receive full access to watch the recordings of all 24 hours of sessions in the coming week. In the meantime you can watch this beautiful Reveal-A-Thon highlight video created by our dear friend and Lab/Shul Partner Sandi Dubowki and his team. You can click here to donate for access to all the sessions.
Thank you for the trust and for the vote of confidence. We will continue to lean into this complicated time of pandemic, political unrest, and social change, by providing brave space for the sacred core and connection that animates our lives, fuels our souls, and validates our values. Now more than ever, and next.
The only game is the long game.
The real work is what’s here and now.
And it’s on us.
More soon. Open to your ideas. With love, always.
– Rabbi Amichai & The Lab/Shul Team
What is Helping?
Make a Call for #Budget Justice & Police Accountability
Our partners at JFREJ put together a comprehensive guide on two action you can take to protest Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s proposed city budget and demand the Repeal of 50A, which has shielded the NYPD from accountability.
Read Up: Resources & Tools Regarding Racism & Anti-Blackness
An extensive list of articles, books, movies on racism and anti-blackness to become a more informed ally, compiled by Tatum Dorrell, Matt Herndon, and Jourdan Dorrell.
Donate to Bail Funds and Legal Help
A crowdsourced list of bail funds and legal help by city, updated nightly.
Listen to the Voices of Jews of Color
A list of actionable items from our partners at Alma on what non-black Jews can do to combat racism.
