IKAR

After Terror in Texas - Building the Beloved Community

An excerpt of our letter, read more here.

We hold profound awareness that this act of violence targeting our Jewish community touches our deepest vulnerability as Jews. There is a long history of Jews being attacked in and around our sacred spaces. No person should have to fear for their lives while gathering in worship, and we thank our many multifaith partners who have stood with us to affirm this truth.

We now know that Rabbi Cytron-Walker invited the gunman into the shul, thinking that he needed shelter, and served him hot tea. This hearkens back to the shooting at Mother Emanuel in Charleston, South Carolina, where nine Black worshipers were gunned down by a man hoping to start a race war, after he was invited to join a Bible study.

Let us be very clear: the wrong response to these acts of terror would be to shut our doors, and our hearts. Even as we continue to work to ensure the safety and security of our community, we will not abandon our commitment to a radically welcoming, inclusive community.

We also know that this antisemitic attack has already fueled predictably reactive anti-Muslim guilt by association in the Jewish community. We will not stand for this.

Read / Watch / Listen / Act

An excerpt of our letter, read more here.

We hold profound awareness that this act of violence targeting our Jewish community touches our deepest vulnerability as Jews. There is a long history of Jews being attacked in and around our sacred spaces. No person should have to fear for their lives while gathering in worship, and we thank our many multifaith partners who have stood with us to affirm this truth.

We now know that Rabbi Cytron-Walker invited the gunman into the shul, thinking that he needed shelter, and served him hot tea. This hearkens back to the shooting at Mother Emanuel in Charleston, South Carolina, where nine Black worshipers were gunned down by a man hoping to start a race war, after he was invited to join a Bible study.

Let us be very clear: the wrong response to these acts of terror would be to shut our doors, and our hearts. Even as we continue to work to ensure the safety and security of our community, we will not abandon our commitment to a radically welcoming, inclusive community.

We also know that this antisemitic attack has already fueled predictably reactive anti-Muslim guilt by association in the Jewish community. We will not stand for this.

No Victory Until All Have Crossed the Sea - R' Sharon Brous

January 15, 2022 – B’shallah 5782

Watch / Listen / Read

On the Shabbat of my son’s bar mitzvah, I refuse to flatten our Torah or defang our heroes, robbing their words of their firepower precisely when we need them most. Dr. King was a radical, just as the story of our liberation from enslavement in Egypt is radical. For this fraught time, a radical read of the moment: exploitation and oppression, suppression and subversion thrive today only because enough of those who have reached the shore of freedom are prepared to turn our backs on those still scrambling to escape harm’s way. – R’ Sharon Brous

Upcoming Events:

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1/20, 8am PST, Virtual Morning Minyan

1/20, 12pm PST, Parsha Study with the Parsha Nut, Rabbi David Kasher

1/20, 7pm PST, Sababa Mixer

1/21, 6pm PST, Virtual-Only Kabbalat Shabbat Services

1/22, 9:30am PST, Shabbat Morning Services & Sam Krieger’s Bar Mizvah

1/23, 9:30am PST, Teens and Allies LGBTQ+ LA Adventure Day

1/23, 10:30am PST, Mediating the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

January 6th, One Year Later

Rep. Adam Schiff & Rabbi Sharon Brous Discuss the Democracy Crisis

Watch / Apple Podcast / Spotify / Read

The attack on Congress last Jan.6 by supporters of the former president was part of a coordinated effort to overthrow the results of the election and to re-assert the authority of white supremacy to rule in the United States. I had the opportunity to talk with Congressman Adam Schiff about what this moment means and what we can do to preserve and transform our government into one that is more firmly rooted in equality and democracy. I ask you to listen to this conversation, share it with friends and family who may not yet feel the urgency of this time, and then take action in every way that you can to help ensure that our country does not slip into authoritarianism. My conversation with Rep. Schiff leaves me wondering, are we alarmed enough? – Rabbi Sharon Brous

Watch / Apple Podcast / Spotify / Read

The attack on Congress last Jan.6 by supporters of the former president was part of a coordinated effort to overthrow the results of the election and to re-assert the authority of white supremacy to rule in the United States. I had the opportunity to talk with Congressman Adam Schiff about what this moment means and what we can do to preserve and transform our government into one that is more firmly rooted in equality and democracy. I ask you to listen to this conversation, share it with friends and family who may not yet feel the urgency of this time, and then take action in every way that you can to help ensure that our country does not slip into authoritarianism. My conversation with Rep. Schiff leaves me wondering, are we alarmed enough? – Rabbi Sharon Brous

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It’s Time To Reclaim Religion, Rabbi Sharon Brous, TED Talk.

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Creating a Just Community

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

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We addressed important topics including LGBTQ+ inclusion, Disability inclusion, Racial equity, and more. Watch recordings of exciting series with some incredible speakers. We’re grateful to the Lisa & Maury Friedman Foundation for sponsoring this series.

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