Jewish Museums Response to 2020 Protests
The Important Jewish Museums in the US had published statements in response to the protests against institutional racism. We bring some of the original texts here.
Featured
The Important Jewish Museums in the US had published statements in response to the protests against institutional racism. We bring some of the original texts here.
The Contemporary Jewish Museum stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter:
The Contemporary Jewish Museum (The CJM) stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. The past weeks have once again exposed the systemic racism and violence that pervades our country. We've taken this time to mourn the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and so many others who have lost their lives at the hands of police brutality and racial injustice, including those whose names we do not know. We are listening to the outcry from the community, and we are taking a long, hard look internally at our institution.
We recognize that The CJM has not been an actively anti-racist institution, but we are committed to doing the work necessary to become one. The CJM acknowledges the colonial origins and the inherent legacy of white supremacy embedded in all museums, even those created to surface stories and artwork from oppressed communities. We are not exempt from this history and we know that we have work to do.
We are meeting with and hearing from all levels of our staff, Board of Trustees, and community members to collectively develop a plan of action as we commit to this lifelong work. We understand that a statement of solidarity is not enough. We know that our actions will speak louder than our words.
As we move forward together in the spirit of the Jewish tenet of "tikkun olam" (Hebrew for "repairing the world"), we will transparently communicate and engage with you in the hope that you, our community, will continue to hold us accountable.
The Jewish Museum stands with the Black community and denounces the longstanding systemic racial injustice that continues to persecute people of color across our country. The senseless killings of George Floyd and so many others are a stark reminder of the continued pervasiveness of racism in America. We join the many voices that are demanding social change.
The Jewish Museum strives to uphold shared human values and to foster cultural understanding. Individually and institutionally, we will speak out against social inequity and stand against all forms of racism, bigotry, and xenophobia. We will listen to and amplify voices that are discounted, ignored, or not heard loudly enough.
The Jewish Museum believes that we must all engage in the Jewish concept of “tikkun olam,” or “repairing the world,” and do so in the pursuit of social justice.
Message from Spertus Institute President Dr. Dean P. Bell At Spertus Institute, we are guided by values such as openness to all and a welcoming environment. We are also directed by the value of community responsibility. Underpinning these values is a commitment to justice and fairness, to the inherent worth and value of all people, the necessity of tolerance, and peaceful and respectful engagement across difference.
These ideas are beautifully captured in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), which reports that “Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to say: on three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said: ‘execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.’” (1:18) This statement was in turn based on a passage in Zechariah (8:16), which commends everyone to “speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates.”
It is in that spirit that Spertus supports justice, morality, and peace at this most challenging and tension-filled time of US history.
In Solidarity: Pursuit of a Just Society For All The Museum of Tolerance (MOT) stands in support and solidarity with our Black colleagues, partners and the entire Black community. We are reeling in outrage against the senseless murder of George Floyd and against the racial violence that has claimed so many other Black lives. We feel the angst and urgency of those who are marching in the streets as an expression of pain and need. We are with you.
As James Baldwin said: “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed that is not faced.” It is our greatest hope that this is the moment when we, as a nation, will face ourselves and grapple collectively with the systemic racism and racial violence that are deeply embedded in our history, and must be confronted in order to be overcome.
More than hoping, the Museum of Tolerance, anchored in the legacy of the Holocaust, was established to challenge us to learn the lessons of history and apply them to promote human dignity and rights for all. Our mission at its core is to be a catalyst for positive social change, a bridge for understanding and empathy, and a solutions-oriented space where dialogue leads to action. Right now, we are focused on finding the right way forward, investing care and deep thought in how we can listen, learn and best address the needs of the communities we serve. Even while the doors of the MOT are closed because of COVID-19, we are providing a platform for the voices of the people in the struggle, supporting the professionals on the front lines - including workshops and resources for educators, and training for law enforcement on building community trust- and engaging youth and the public in ways that help them find perspective, insight and inspiration in these turbulent times.
Lonnie Bunch III, 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institutes reminds us that museums are better suited than most to define reality and give hope. That is the MOT’s commitment. The time is now.