Statements

On June 19th, we commemorate Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas finally found out about their freedom––more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had formally mandated it. While it is a day to celebrate, Juneteenth reminds us that formal protections written into law are not enough, because laws are not …

Zioness Statement on Republican and Democratic Primary Results Rejecting Bigotry: On Tuesday, amidst this national moment of great pain and introspection, we saw glimmers of hope that Americans will no longer tolerate bigots in positions of higher office. Steve King, a Republican, and Valerie Plame, a Democrat, lost their primary races for the United States …

#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd: Taking Action and Shabbat Reflections: Zioness is outraged and devastated by the senseless and brutal murder of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis Police Officer. As we’ve watched across the Twin Cities, it is clear that the entire city is experiencing unfathomable pain and trauma. Our hearts break …

Zioness Statement on Donald Trump’s Praise of Notorious Antisemite Henry Ford’s “good bloodlines” In May 1920, Henry Ford’s newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, began publishing one of the most widely read antisemitic texts in American history, “The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem.” This appalling 80-part series cobbled together myriad antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, drawing …

Shabbat reflections on Ahmaud Arbery (if you’re not on our mailing list, sign up at staging.zioness.flywheelsites.com) Dear Zionesses, It’s been an exceedingly difficult week. Tens of thousands more Americans have died from COVID19, with 25,696 new cases diagnosed yesterday alone; millions of Americans are out of work and struggling immensely, while some states are opening up …

Mayor Bill de Blasio‘s tweet is a perfect example of what *not* to do as a leader: stereotype, generalize, and target. These are the classic signs of bigotry, and his tweet checked all the boxes. There is no question that certain members of all ultra-religious communities have disregarded critical rules intended to protect us all, …