Matt Nosanchuk ('91), Co-founder of the New York Jewish Agenda, co-authored a piece for Forward charging us to connect our values to the moment, to take on racial injustices as our own, and to act immediately to change public policy ("Every Jew Must Decide Which Side They're On," June 1). "We must show our black and brown siblings that we see the racism and violence coursing through our society, and we must be prepared to take responsibility not only for our transgressions, but also for our silence. … We must see their pain and commit to disrupting the forces that cause it. And while we show empathy and resolve, … we all must ask ourselves in the weeks ahead which side are we on and what will we do about it."

In a piece for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Matt and Rabbi Rachel Timoner examined the guidance of faith in reifying equal justice under the law ("Opinions & Observations: The Torah Tells Us What to Do in the Wake of George Floyd's Death," June 2). "Our values as Jews demand our Brooklyn Jewish community show up, speak out, and advocate for change. … Our Torah is clear. It teaches that every human being, created in the Divine image, has infinite worth and is fundamentally equal to every other (Genesis 1:26, Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5). It teaches that indeed we are our brothers' keepers (Genesis 4:9). It teaches that God hears the cry of the oppressed (Exodus 22:22). And it commands us, 'Do not stand by while your neighbor's blood is shed' (Leviticus 19:16)."