Rabbi Abbi Sharofsky, director of Intergroup Relations/JCRC. Rabbi in Residence of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, will be a guest speaker on Tuesdays, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13 in two 45-minute sessions on this topic that most Jews find perennially perplexing. In the first session, the rabbi will use life examples (Jews' encounters), articles, books, the Torah to tackle the subject of religion, race, ethnicity and what the issue. In the second session, she will discuss what we do about the question with each of us finding our answer to the question in a world where we interact with different groups, each of them looks at us differently and treats us differently.

Session 1 – Why is it hard for Jews to talk about race?

This session will examine historical and current events that influence how many in the Jewish community feel about race. We will use Jewish texts and ethics to understand today’s anti-racism movements and philosophies. Bring your questions and concerns and we will work to answer them together.

Session 2 – Racism and Antisemitism: Why are they linked and what to do about it?

How can we stand up against racism when antisemitism looms large around us? Should we speak out against both hatreds? How is that possible? We will explore the connections between antisemitism and racism, why they are harmful to today’s movements for social justice, and how to address these issues as they happen.