Dear Friends and Family of Brown RISD Hillel,

We write to you at the end of a week filled with heartbreak and outrage. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, their deaths remind us, yet again, of the unjustifiable history of violence and injustice faced by black and brown people in our nation. The fractures are deep, and the anguish felt by many in our society – particularly the Black community – is real.

Brown RISD Hillel is proud of Jewish students of color on College Hill who have spoken out in recent days, reminding us that, “It is every person’s duty to play their part in dismantling injustice.” With great clarity and strength, they called upon “our fellow Jews to remember that silence is not acceptable.” We are grateful for their leadership and humbled by their courage.

Guided by the sacred principle, “You shall not remain indifferent” (Devarim 22:3), Brown RISD Hillel will make the coming seasons a time of sustained action. We support our Hillelin’ with Melanin student community and commit to amplifying the voices of Jewish students of color on College Hill.

As part of this moment of action, students from Brown and RISD are invited to join leaders from Brown RISD Hillel’s Initiative for Racial Awareness and Justice (HIRAJ), next Wednesday, June 10th, at 8pm, for a town hall gathering over Zoom to process the events of the past weeks and chart HIRAJ’s course for the coming months.

Many of us have been overwhelmed by the news cycle and the uncertainty of what any of our individual roles should be in this moment. If you would like to talk through any of these matters or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to any one of Brown RISD Hillel’s professionals. We are here for you.

Brown RISD Hillel is a home for courageous students of many diverse backgrounds. Students who are passionately engaged with their Jewish inheritance and deeply committed to laboring on behalf of our yet-redeemed world. We lift up their voices and join them in the pursuit of equity and justice.

With wishes for a Shabbat of rest and renewed resilience,

Rabbi Joshua Bolton
Executive Director

Abby Doft
President, Brown RISD Hillel Board of Trustees

Rabbi Michelle Dardashti
Rabbi, Associate University Chaplain for the Jewish Community at Brown University
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Marlon Sherman, Student President
Tali Bers, VP for Community Groups
Dorian Arber Kornowski, VP for Religious and Spiritual Life
Rachel Sklar, VP for Social Engagement
Ione Heigham, VP for Social Justice and the Arts