There are ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These days are often referred to as Days of Awe or Days of Repentance.
They are a gift of time - given to us to use wisely. To see opportunities for change. To make choices. Make promises to ourselves on what we want to do better and do differently in the year to come.
Congregation B’nai Amoona is committed to being a place that is Anti-Bias and Anti-Racist. This commitment calls for Action. This commitment calls for us to DO MORE and to ACT MORE.
During these next ten days we will be sharing with you voices from the B’nai Amoona Community and the greater Community. Sharing how we can and we will commit to working towards Tikkun Olam; Repairing our World through Anti-Bias and Anti-Racists Acts. Where we can say Mah Nora HaMakom Hazeh! How Awesome is this Place!
Today's Reflections Come From Liessa Alperin
When I was in 4th Grade, I had the lead in the school play... Kind of... I was the dog. The play was called, The Missing Parts of Speech! and it was all about a missing “verb” that everyone in town was looking to find. Hector, the trusty bloodhound, was the hero of the story and “sniffed” it out. Not my finest hour, however, the play actually taught me about language. The important of words and their power.
The importance of EACH. PART. OF. SPEECH.
Verbs: Verbs are Action Words. They propel you. Move You. Make you do something.
I recently saw a Facebook Ad for a shirt. I don’t tend to buy items off of Facebook ads, but this one, I most certainly bought.
The shirt said,Anti-Racism is a Verb
Anti-Racism It is not something we are. It is something we DO!
We Act. We Speak. We Work. We Create. We Empower. We Do the Hard Stuff. We Ask Questions. We Fight Ignorance. We Teach. We Create. We Write. We Engage. We Fight. We Cry. We Hurt. We Sympathize. We Empathize.
I have said before that I do not make New Year’s Resolutions. I make promises and I make commitments. This year, more than ever before, I COMMIT to the WORK described in the VERB Anti-Racism.
This year, I will DO what needs to be done to help create a more “just” world.
Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof! Justice Justice shall you pursue!
May each of us embody the power of language. The strength of a VERB. Let us DO the work of Anti-racism, Anti-Bias every day…until the world is a much more JUST place for all!
-Liessa
Now it's your turn! Register for the
Jewish Coalition for Racial Equity Virtual Conference
B'nai Amoona is proud to join other congregations and organizations as a sponsor of this important event. Click HERE to register.
