Havurah Shalom

Scholars-in-Residence: Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out
Yehudah Webster and Rabbi David Jaffe
Saturday evening Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20

We are delighted to welcome Yehuda Webster (in person) and Rabbi David Jaffe (on line) from the Inside Out Wisdom and Action Project (IOWA) for a weekend of learning and practice together. For years IOWA has supported social change makers “integrate deep spiritual wisdom into their justice work in order to lead from a place that is more visionary, creative, sustainable, and grounded.” Most recently, Rabbi David and Yehudah have developed a curriculum specifically focused on anti-racism: “Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out (DRIO) is a course and community of practice that equips participants with daily concrete Jewish spiritual tools of Mussar [applied Jewish ethical practice] to confront, subvert, and heal implicit and internalized racism within ourselves and others, supporting the collective organizing, advocacy and service-work efforts to dismantle racism systemically.” You can learn more about the project and curriculum here, and about Rabbi David and Yehudah here.

Schedule:
All sessions will take place in-person at Havurah as well in Zoom Room Alef (Zoom will be off during lunch). 

6-8 pm, Saturday, Nov. 19

• Engaging with Our Ratzon — 6-8 pm — Through sharing and engaging with real-life stories, Yehudah and Rabbi David will lead us in an evening of engaging with our Ratzon — the deep desire to dismantle racism.

Sunday, Nov. 20

• Introduction to DRIO Anti-racism Framework — 9:30-12:30 pm — An introduction to and engagement with the DRIO anti-racism framework of balance of care
• Lunch — 12:30-1:30 — Lunch served at Havurah
• Mussar, IOWA and the DRIO Anti-Racism Framework — 1:30-4:30 pm — An introduction to Mussar practice through the IOWA lens, and a final hour of integrating Mussar and the DRIO anti-racism framework of balance of care

Childcare is available.

Please RSVP below if you plan to attend.

Launching a DRIO cohort at Havurah.
Our plan at Havurah is to launch a DRIO va’ad (cohort) of learning and practice beginning in January. It will be facilitated by Maria Lisa Johnson and Rabbi Benjamin, who have both been training with Rabbi David and Yehudah. If you are interested in participating in that cohort, we ask that you make every effort to participate in Sunday’s session. Contact Rabbi Benjamin with questions about the practice or the va’ad.