“Justice, justice shall you pursue.” This statement from Deuteronomy 16:20 animates us as Jews, as rabbis, and as community leaders. Therefore, the Toronto Board of Rabbis takes seriously the call to action from No Silence on Race.

We acknowledge both historic and ongoing racism against Black people, Indigenous people, and other People of Colour — in the wider society, in the Greater Toronto Area, and in our own Jewish community. Realizing our positions of influence, we rededicate ourselves to building an inclusive and diverse Jewish community. We pledge to continue our learning and to advance a clear atmosphere of inclusion and nonjudgmental welcoming of Jews of all backgrounds and identities, as well as those exploring Judaism, in all our congregations and organizations. We will practice deep listening and active participation with Jews of Colour, and we will learn from and work with No Silence on Race, and others involved in this endeavour.

We commit to educate ourselves and our communities on internal and external racism in an effort to identify it, name it, and eradicate it. Thereby we will help move the Jewish community as a whole to manifest the highest values of Jewish tradition. As our Sages taught, “The Holy Blessed One created all human beings in the image of God… and yet not any one of them is the same as any other.” (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 38a)