Movement for Black Lives

Hundreds of Jews take part in a protest in support of Black Lives Matter, New York City, August 11, 2016. (Gili Getz)

U.S. Jews are standing up for Black lives. Why aren’t we doing so for Palestinians?

By failing to speak out over the killings of Palestinians like Iyad al-Hallaq, U.S. Jewish groups are devaluing our stance against state violence at home.

By Oren Kroll-Zeldin June 4, 2020

U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. (Leopaltik1242/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Movement for Black Lives backs leaders hit with anti-Semitism smears

The Movement for Black Lives comes out in support of Black progressive leaders such as Ilhan Omar, Angela Davis, and Marc Lamont Hill, who have been targeted for speaking out in favor of Palestinian rights. The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), a coalition of more than 50 organizations representing black Americans, this week came out strongly in support…

By Edo Konrad February 25, 2019

Activists march in Boston, Mass. on October 25, 2014, calling for an end to police racial profiling and violence. The protest came in the wake of events in Ferguson, Mo., following the fatal shooting by police of an unarmed black man. (Activestills.org)

A masterclass in Palestine solidarity

By using his platform to elevate marginalized Palestinian views onto the global stage, Marc Lamont Hill’s UN speech challenged the unequal parameters of permissible thought on the conflict. Watching Marc Lamont Hill’s speech at the United Nations on Wednesday was like a breath of fresh air. Unlike the mundane and repetitive remarks made by aging…

By Amjad Iraqi November 30, 2018

Latest

Jewish activists take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Brookline, MA, December 16, 2014. (Tess Scheflan/Activestills.org)

An important lesson on privilege, courtesy of Peter Beinart

In a recent article comparing Jewish anti-occupation activists IfNotNow with Black Lives Matter, the prominent Jewish American columnist creates divisions precisely where alliances are needed. By Tom Pessah The word privilege gets thrown around a lot in activist circles. People tend to interpret its use as an accusation, which it sometimes is. But reflection about…

By +972 Magazine April 7, 2017

President Barack Obama meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office, November 10, 2016. (Official White House Photo: Pete Souza)

The end of American exceptionalism

Trump has shown that the U.S.’s democracy is just as flawed and illusory as the many countries that it has preached to for decades. And that’s a good thing to admit. In a Daily Show segment covering the U.S. presidential race last year, Trevor Noah told his audience that, “as an African, there’s just something familiar about Trump.” Noah…

By Amjad Iraqi November 12, 2016

American Jews from IfNotNow march at an anti-occupation protest, San Francisco, October 9, 2016.)

Occupation denial is pushing me out of my Jewish community

I can no longer remain silent as many in the Jewish establishment continue to support the occupation, publicly reject the Movement for Black Lives, and remain silent on Trump. By Jenn Pollan Four years ago on a 100 degree day, I sat on the porch of a home in Bethlehem while a Palestinian man named…

By +972 Magazine October 10, 2016

Activists march in Boston, Mass. on October 25, 2014, calling for an end to police racial profiling and violence. The protest came in the wake of events in Ferguson, Mo., following the fatal shooting by police of an unarmed black man. (Activestills.org)

Black Lives platform is a victory for transnational struggles

Black American activists have delivered a powerful message to Palestinians and other oppressed communities around the world: you are not alone in your causes. Of all the discussions I ever had about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, undoubtedly the most engaging ones were with delegations of black Americans who visited the region to learn firsthand about Palestinians…

By Amjad Iraqi August 7, 2016

Black Lives Matter activists organize a die-in action outside Memorial Church in Harvard University on December 7, 2014 in Cambridge, Mass. (Tess Scheflan/Activestills.org)

Black Lives Matter should change ‘genocide’ language — proudly

The movement can set a precedent by displaying commitment to self-criticism, accuracy, and partnership — values sorely needed in America right now. The policy platform released by the Movement for Black Lives represents an exciting milestone for a grassroots social movement. But like all first drafts, it gets some things wrong. If the movement is committed to…

By Dahlia Scheindlin August 6, 2016

Activists take part in a Black Lives Matter march, Boston, January 19, 2015. (Tess Scheflan/Activestills.org)

The Black Lives Matter platform: How the Jewish community got distracted by one word

While numerous major Jewish organizations and leaders have remained silent, many in the U.S. Jewish community have been thrown for a loop by black American solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, and the terminology that sometimes includes. The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 50 organizations representing black Americans, published a comprehensive platform this week that addresses the systemic…

By Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man August 5, 2016