To support this campaign, please sign the letter as an individual, and spread the word to other Jewish institutions: WWW.NOSILENCEONRACE.CA
We, the members of the Jewish community, have lived the horror of discrimination and bigotry - so when we find those same prejudices within our own ranks we feel a keen responsibility to address the root causes proactively and decisively. Discrimination exists within our community and systemic barriers exist within our institutions. We are all responsible to ensure that this discrimination is eliminated and that barriers are dismantled that have prevented full membership, participation and leadership by Jews who are Black, Indigenous, or who otherwise face racism. When we do not take action, we passively support this discrimination both within and outside of our Jewish communities. Mazon Canada is committing to the 9 pillars designed by Sara Yacobi-Harris, Akilah Allen-Silverstein and Daisy Moriyama in their open letter to the Jewish community, ‘No Silence on Race’. This will begin immediately with our staff and board committing to an anti-racist action plan. We will be consulting with experts to build reconciliation and anti-racism into our anti-hunger work and our workspaces, and formalizing equitability in our hiring policies.
As a Jewish organization, we are committed to the belief that we are all “b’tzelem Elohim” - made in the image of G-d - and that this belief is anathema to prejudice and bigotry. Because of this belief and our commitment to justice, we are proud to stand in solidarity against anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and all other racism, inside and outside the Jewish community. We are committed to ensuring that our policies respect that our work is conducted on treatied and unceded Indigenous land. “It is not upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” - Pirkei Avot 2:21 We are proud to be joining Shoresh, CJPAC, Hillel Ontario and more in this commitment. We entreat you to join us. To learn more about No Silence On Race and to get involved visit: www.nosilenceonrace.ca