As rabbis and cantors of the Greater New Haven Jewish community, we cannot be silent at a time of communal crisis. We add our voices to those avowing the principles of our democracy and mourning the senseless murder of George Floyd. We stand in solidarity with our Black neighbors, including Jews of Color, knowing many live each day with the incessant reminder that racism is still a virulent disease in our society. As we sadly add Mr. Floyd’s name to the ever-growing list of senselessly lost black lives which now includes Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many other people of color, we pledge to work together to find ways to bring an end to this calamity by safeguarding the rights of all and, through education, removing the stains of bigotry and hatred.
We condemn those employing ugly rhetoric to marginalize and further divide our nation. We link our arms with those who peacefully demonstrate, voicing a message of hope through the democratic principles of free speech, communal gathering, and the spirit of open dialogue.
We strongly stand in opposition to those who have used this time of mourning and loss to sow chaos through looting, violence, and destruction of property.
We reach out to individuals of all faiths to work with us in each of our communities to help repair this world by modeling divine attributes of mercy and compassion. As God is merciful, may we be merciful to all those we encounter. As God is gracious, let us offer grace and compassion to lift up both our neighbors and the stranger in our midst. As God is abundant in goodness and in truth, may we find the strength to do good and seek the truth in all our encounters each and every day.
New Haven Board of Rabbis & Cantors