We are commanded to “pursue justice, justice!” What are some ways we can obey this commandment and repair our world in the coming secular year?  Consider:

Racial Justice

• Get involved in the work of the Racial Justice Coalition, of which CJJ is a founding member. Here’s the website:  https://www.rjcavl.org.  Go to the “Get Involved” tab and look for “Calls to Action,” where you will find the most current opportunities for taking action, such as the call to “Authorize the Audit” in support of reparations.  Under the “About” tab you will see information on The Every Black Voice campaign, the Government Accountability Project, and more.
• For MLK Shabbat, on Friday, January 13 at 7:00 pm, Congregation Beth HaTephila will be honored to have Rob Thomas, Director of the Racial Justice Coalition as the speaker.
• The Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast is on January 14^th. The Peace March and Rally will commence at St. James AME Church at 11:30 a.m., on Monday, January 16. For more information go to: http://mlkasheville.org/
• CJJ is hosting Dr. Dwight Mullen, Professor Emeritus of UNCA and chairperson of the Reparations Commission, on Thursday, February 2, 2023, starting at 11:30 a.m. at Land of Sky UCC, 15 Overbrook Place in Asheville. His topic is "Envisioning Reparations." Details about lunch options are forthcoming. For registration information, contact Lisa Forehand [email protected] or check Carolina Jews For Justice’s calendar page at:  https://www.carolinajewsforjustice.org/calendar
• The YWCA is offering monthly virtual Racial Justice Workshops (these workshops were originally designed for YWCA staff but are being expanded to anyone looking to grow their understanding of racism and racial justice).  The workshops are on various weekdays for an hour and a half or two hours, depending on the day (some are mid-day, some in late afternoon/evening).   More information is here:  https://www.ywcaofasheville.org/what-we-do/eliminating-racism/racial-justice-workshop/

Economic Justice

• Support the work of our partner organization, Just Economics. Visit its website at https://www.justeconomicswnc.org and click on the “Get Involved” and then the “Take Action” tabs, where you will find how to support paid family leave, increased minimum wage, the PRO Act (strengthening unions), and more.  You can join with others to support affordable housing, a living wage, and improved public transit.
• Support our partner organization, Beloved Asheville. On their website, https://belovedasheville.com, you can learn how to support projects such as Beloved Village, Asheville in Black, Asheville en Español, Street Medics Outreach, and more. Be part of a group of CJJ members who regularly joins a hands-on work crew and assist at the building site at the Beloved Village at Overbrook Road behind Prestige Subaru.  Contact Lisa Forehand for more information at [email protected].

Become Educated

• If you do not already receive it, please sign up for the Becoming Anti-Racist Allies newsletter edited by Adrienne Hollifield by emailing [email protected] (CJJ is a part of this group).
• Clint Smith, staff writer at The Atlantic, poet, and author of How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America and other books, will be the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Smith will speak at UNCA on Wednesday January 18th at 7 PM in Lipinsky Auditorium.  Here is a link with more information:  https://www.unca.edu/events-and-news/event/martin-luther-king-jr-commemoration-keynote-address-from-clint-smith-our-history-reimagined/
• In honor of Black History Month, Ta-Nehisi Coates, award-winning author of Between the World and Me and many other books, articles, and other pieces, will speak at UNCA on Tuesday, February 28th at 7 PM in the Sherrill Center.  Tickets are required for this event, but currently are all distributed.

We want more Jewish community members to join our collective call for progress in this state. If you are interested, please contact our WNC staff organizer, Lisa Forehand, at [email protected].  Or for more information about CJJ and its work, contact Judy Leavitt at [email protected].