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(Photo credit: "The George Floyd mural outside Cup Foods" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Lorie Shaull)

 

Justice for George Floyd [UPDATED 4/21/21]

 

On Tuesday, April 20, 2021 — just eleven months after George Floyd's life was tragically taken on a Minneapolis street by former police officers — the officer charged in Mr. Floyd's death was found guilty on three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

 

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New Haven supports the Minnesota jury’s finding that  Derek Chauvin was guilty, on all counts, of the murder of George Floyd.

 

We stand with the Jewish community of Minnesota and the Dakotas in welcoming this verdict which we hope will promote healing and justice.

 

We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the African American community and express our support against systemic racism and for the rule of law to be applied equally and fairly to all people. We must continue to work to make this not just aspirational but a reality in our society.

 

May George Floyd’s memory be a blessing to every community in our country.

 

 

Steven Fleischman, President, Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven

Judy Alperin, CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven

 

Betty and Arthur Levy, JCRC Co-Chairs

 

 

 

A Statement from the Jewish Council on Public Affairs:

 

No verdict can bring George Floyd back or make his family and friends fully whole for their loss. And there is still much more work to be done.

 

New York, NY — The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) believes today’s verdict convicting Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd last year, on all three counts, including second- and third-degree murder, is an initial step toward accountability, justice, and healing.

 

We echo the sentiment expressed by JCPA’s member agency, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas: “While no guilty verdict can bring George Floyd back or make his family and friends fully whole for their loss or unwind the trauma inflicted on the broader African American community, we hope that today’s decision brings some measure of justice, healing, and peace to his loved ones and for all Minnesotans.” (Click here to read their statement.)

 

Police violence, lack of accountability, and systemic racism existed long before police killed George Floyd and continue to persist today. This trauma and violence will continue unless we reimagine public safety and follow through on real, structural change to our policing systems and our conception of public safety.

 

JCPA will continue to work with its partners across Black communities to transform law enforcement practices and structures and invest in community well-being. The Senate must join the House in passing, at the very least, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which sets minimum standards for law enforcement practices and policies regarding use of force, police accountability, racial profiling, militarization, data collection, qualified immunity, and training.

 

About JCPA:

Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is the national hub of the community relations network, representing 125 local Jewish community relations councils and 17 national Jewish agencies, including the four main denominations of American Judaism. We advocate for a just and pluralistic American society, Israel’s quest for peace and security, and human rights around the world.

Resources about Racism & Justice

Relevant News Items

 

 

 

 

Statements:

JCRC Open Letter

 

"Mr. Floyd didn't deserve to die. Jewish tradition teaches us that a loss of one person is a loss of an entire world. We mourn together for this horrible death. The struggle for justice and anti-discrimination should be a fight for all, it is a struggle over the foundational human commitments as citizens and as a society."

Jewish Federations of North America

 

"We pledge to our brothers and sisters in the black community – and all communities of color – to work together to reverse the systemic racism embedded within our country’s institutions and society in general. 'Our work won’t be easy,' revered civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis reminded us this week, 'nothing worth having ever is.'”

 

Congresswoman Rosa Delauro

 

"The murder of George Floyd was unspeakably tragic. The country has rightfully condemned the officer for kneeling on Mr. Floyd’s neck and back—actions that fly in the face of use of force training and practices police officers are taught. In the aftermath of this tragedy, people in Minneapolis and across the country are angry. We cannot allow trust between law enforcement and our communities to fray beyond repair."

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

 

"We, the undersigned, are outraged at the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.We stand in solidarity with the black community that have for far too long been targeted by police and have suffered unfair and uneven applications of the law."

ADL


“As an organization committed to fighting all forms of hate, we know that this brutal death follows an explosion of racist murders and hate crimes across the U.S. As an agency that has stood for justice and fair treatment to all since our founding in 1913, we know that this has occurred at a time when communities of color have been reeling from the disproportionate health impacts and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. In short, systemic injustice and inequality calls for systemic change.  Now."

Greater New Haven Board of Rabbis & Cantors

We reach out to individuals of all faiths to work with us in each of our communities to help repair this world by modeling divine attributes of mercy and compassion. As God is merciful, may we be merciful to all those we encounter. As God is gracious, let us offer grace and compassion to lift up both our neighbors and the stranger in our midst. As God is abundant in goodness and in truth, may we find the strength to do good and seek the truth in all our encounters each and every day.

Governor Lamont

 

"Yet again we're shocked by the video of a black man being killed, in this case George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. I was particularly shocked that nobody tried to stop it, that nobody yelled 'Stop! Enough!'"

  • READY TO TAKE ACTION?

    Contact Judy Alperin, CEO
    (203) 387-2424 x231 | jalperin@jewishnewhaven.org

    JCRC Co-Chairs: Betty & Arthur Levy