Fabrangen is a community devoted to study and living Torah values, community service, and social justice activism. We warmly welcome and reach out to everyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, religious background or affiliation, disability, or age.
We acknowledge that we meet on the unceded lands of the Piscataway, Nacotchtank (Anacostan), and Manahoac peoples. A land acknowledgement recognizes the traditional stewards of a given geographic area, and pays respect to the Indigenous communities and their elders, both past and present. Currently we are actively learning about shared strands of perspectives of our Indigenous friends and our Jewish heritage.
We are consciously aiming to be effective allies for marginalized groups, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Current events have focused us on systemic racism and discrimination and how these issues demand ongoing learning, sharing, and joint action. We recognize that we must engage in the work of confronting racism to create a reality that honors the fact that Black Lives Matter. Thus, as part of our Shabbat and High Holiday practice, we challenge ourselves to actively re-examine our ignorance and prejudices, as well as our actions and inactions, and consider how we can mobilize and transform into a more actively anti-racist and inclusive community.
Traditionally, the High Holidays provide an essential spiritual practice of critical introspection and self-awareness; delineating a holy time where we thoughtfully re-examine our individual and communal actions and inactions–times when we have failed to follow our values. We are also aligned with many organizations that specifically support Jews of Color. For example, see the site of Be’chol Lashon (https://globaljews.org).
Black Lives Matter
Fabrangen continues to participate in the 16th Street Vigil Against Racism. Every week since June, 2020, Fabrangeners have joined other faith communities to stand and hold signs to remind ourselves and those driving by that discrimination/violence against any group is discrimination/violence against all of us. Join us in these weekly protests on Fridays at 5:00 PM at 16th Street NW and Kalmia.
Anti-Semitism
Fabrangeneners continue to fight against anti-semitism, both in the past, and in the present. Members have participated in many protests, including the ones below.
HIAS Vigil Commemorating the SS St. Louis
On June 6, 2017 Fabrangeners helped lead a candlelight vigil in front of the Capitol to commemorate the anniversary of June 6, 1939, when the MS St. Louis was denied entry into the US and sent back to Europe, with over 900 Jewish refugees on board. View the Script for Vigil commemorating the SS St. Louis – HIAS for the background info and the text of the vigil. And here is the Talk by Lydia Kleiner at HIAS rally. Lydia Kleiner was born in a displaced persons camp in Austria. She came (aged 4) with her family to the U.S. with the help of HIAS.
Photos © Lloyd Wolf
Stand Up To Anti-Semitism Vigil
Fabrangeners attended the Stand Up To Anti-semitism Vigil by Jewish community and allies Sunday, January 5, 2020 at the Takoma Urban Park gazebo. This vigil in solidarity with Jewish community members included clergy and local leaders: Rabbi Rachel Hersh, Mayor Kate Stewart, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Councilmember Will Jawando, Rev. Julia Jarvis and Rabbi Deborah Reichmann, and Rabbi Ethan Seidel.
For further information or conversation, please contact anti-racism@fabrangen.org.