Reimagining Criminal Justice, Policing, and Security in Jewish Communities

As we spend this shemita (Sabbatical) year imagining new possibilities for our society’s entrenched challenges, we are exploring such questions as: What does a truly safe, and truly just, society look like? What courageous conversations are needed to untangle and re-envision the interrelated topics of criminal justice reform, policing, and security?

The third event in the series will explore these issues and their impact in Jewish communities. How can synagogues and other Jewish institutions best protect their members from possible antisemitic attacks, and create an environment where everyone feels safe and secure? Join Lindsey Newman (B’chol Lashon, and Not Free to Desist), Rabbi Susan Talve, and Deborah Lauter for a timely conversation moderated by Rabbi Jill Jacobs.

Deborah Lauter is the Executive Director of the NYC Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. She brings three decades of experience working against hate acts and bigotry. Formerly a senior vice-president for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Deborah’s past work helped build training and education programs to provide schools, law enforcement officials, and communities with the resources to target the roots of hatred. During her tenure as ADL’s National Civil Rights Director, the organization led the national coalition that secured passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Federal Hate Crimes Act. Deborah is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and received her J.D. from Cardozo School of Law.

Lindsey Newman is the Director of Community Engagement at Be’chol Lashon, an organization that advocates for the racial, ethnic and cultural diversity of the Jewish community. She has over a decade of experience working to advance racial justice in the Jewish community and in the fields of women’s rights advocacy and early childhood education. She participated in the 2016 Selah Leadership Cohort, was a 2018 Fellow of the Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership and received her B.S. degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. Lindsey is a board member of NCJW San Francisco and a co-author of Not Free to Desist, an open letter challenging the Jewish community to re-imagine its commitment to racial justice.

Rabbi Susan Talve is the founding rabbi of Central Reform Congregation, the only Jewish Congregation located within the city limits of St. Louis. Rabbi Susan has led her congregation in promoting radical inclusivity by developing ongoing relationships with African-American and Muslim congregations, and by fostering civil liberties for the LGBTQ community. Rabbi Susan was ordained by Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 1981, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Hebrew Letters and a Doctor of Divinity. She was awarded honorary degrees from Washington University, St Lawrence University and has received many awards for her efforts on behalf of the Jewish and non-Jewish community.

This lecture is part of a series. You can find more information about the first session and the second session on our website.