And Save the Date! More Events Coming Up:

WC Boston May Day 2011 March

About Social Justice at the Workmen’s Circle Center:

A core expression of our Jewish identity at the Boston Workmen’s Circle Center for Jewish Culture and Social Justice is the pursuit of a besere velt — a better world. We weave that commitment into every layer of the community, including our holiday rituals, arts and culture programming, and our children’s Sunday School.

Inspired by the 110-year history of the Workmen’s Circle, we are proud to stand up as a progressive American Jewish voice on social and economic justice issues as well as on Israel. And we are proud to be a community that makes room for the respectful airing of differing views on issues that can be controversial.

We provide progressive activists with a place to energize. We act together, mobilizing around social justice issues that speak to our identity as Jews and as activists.

Our social justice committees lead the way. New members are always welcome!

Wall of Celebrate People’s History posters, now including the one for NJA!

Creative collaborators Daniel Lang/Levitsky and Abigail Miller joined us from NYC, and thank you to the former members of NJA who added personal details and insights.  Wooden Shoe now carries the book and poster.

We’ve got a bunch more booktour events coming up in June and July – Check it out!

We’re laying out the book this week, and I estimate downloads available by end of March, books/posters shipped by mid-June (hopefully earlier) – we’re a little behind schedule but not too far off!

As promised, here’s a shout-out thank you to:

Aleksei Wagner, Aleza Summit, Alisha Williams, Alissa Wise, Aly Halpert, Amelia, Amy and David Mantell, Amy Brookman, Amy Laura Cahn, Amy Sadao, Annah Anti-Palindrome, Bench, Benjamin Haber, Benjy Ben-Baruch, Beth Pulcinella, Bob Gluck, Caitlin Barry, Caleb Hunt, Caryn Goldberg, Casey Chanton, Lee and Cerf Berkley, Charles Lenchner, Chris Bartlett, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, Cole Krawitz, Corina Dross, Craig Willse, Daniel Sieradski, Danielle Redden, David Poplar, Dean Spade, Deborah Meyer, Dennis Fischman, DrewChristopher Joy, Elaine Dutton, Elaine Reuben, Emily Abendroth, Emma, Fivel Rothberg, Gerald Serotta, Hannah Fischer, Irit Reinheimer, Irma Preikschat, Jacob Feinspan, Jade Walker, Jason Molony, Jennifer Kates, Jennine Miller, Jenny Berkley, Jenny Levison, Jesse Bacon, Jessie Spector, Jim Barton, Joanna Kent Katz, Jordy Silverstein, Judith Seid, Jules Skloot, Julia Berkley, Julie Davids, Karen Pittelman, Kate Sorensen, Kelly Johnson, Laura Mintz, Leah Girardo, Leora Abelson, Leslie Batz, LJ Roberts, Malcah Friedman, Martha Kransdorf, Max Kaiser, Max Stein, MaxZine Weinstein, Mcdonald Sullivan, Meredith Slopen, Mica Navarro Lopez, Michael Chameides, Miel Leslie, Mike Shushan, Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, Natasha Agee, Nava EtShalom, Nico Amador, Noel Petrie, Pooja, Quito Ziegler, Rachel Beck, Rayna Matthews, Rebecca Alvarez, Rebecca Ennen, Rebecca Jarosh, Reena Bernards, Reina Gossett, Rich Wexler, Richard Silverstein, Rita Lowenthal, Roz Timberg, Sam Bick, Sara Zia Ebrahimi, Sarah Bleviss, Sarah Stippich, Sheryl Nestel, Shoshana Bricklin, Stefanie Brendler, Steve Masters, Suzanne Lipkin, Tessa Lalonde, The Shalom Center, Thomasin, Tyrone Boucher, Virginia A. Spatz, Virginia McGuire, Wendy Elisheva Somerson, Wooden Shoe Books and a dozen folks who gave anonymously!

• Pursue: Action for Just World Blog, a project of American Jewish World Service and Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps
• West Philly Local
• Mondoweiss.net 

RADIO INTERVIEWS

• Radio Interview with Aaron Lakoff  of Station CKUT in Montreal and The Media Coop
• Interview with Avi and Malcah of Radio613 in Kingston, ON

and more coming soon…

We know about the Jewish anarchists, communists, and socialists of the early 20th century. We know, too, that Jews were disproportionately involved in the civil rights and New Left movements of the mid-20th century. What about all the Jewish rabble rousers in the late 20th century? Justice, Justice is a fascinating hidden history of Jewish activism in Reagan’s America. Ezra Berkley Nepon gives us the inside scoop of New Jewish Agenda, both a clearinghouse for Jewish involvement in a range of progressive causes of the 1980s and a bulwark against the din of conservative voices in Jewish communities. Nepon’s careful, critical work is a gift to those who pursue justice in the 21st century.

Hassan El-Menyawi, PhD candidate, Sociology, New York University and Middle Eastern human rights activist:

Passionately expressed and compellingly written, Nepon has written a crucial activist text on Jewish social movements in the United States. Ezra Nepon’s writing not only revives the urgency for social movements seeking justice and inclusiveness, but also creatively diagnoses problems toward an eye of opening possibilities for activism in the 21st century. Nepon contemplates the possibilities of expanding the New Jewish Agenda by synthesizing multiple, intersectional human rights struggles in its overall outlook. Inviting feminist process and values, fighting racism, homophobia, transphobia, Nepon universalizes the New Jewish Agenda in a time when struggles gain legitimacy and momentum through collaboration and mutual engagement. It is imperative reading for anyone who wants to understand the history and current state of Jewish activism in the United States in an increasingly globalized world.

Having witnessed and participated in the Arab Spring’s movement for democracy, I find Nepon’s ideas especially relevant in imagining possibilities to connect Jews and Arabs to mutually fight anti-semitism and Islamophobia while advancing an agenda for peace and prosperity in the Middle East. Challenging peoples of all backgrounds, Nepon’s writing echoes the commitment of Hillel the Elder, who asked, “if not now, then when?” Nepon definitively answers Hillel’s clarion call, and does it with vision and inspiration on every page.

Stephanie Roth, Board Member of Jewish Voice for Peace, fundraising consultant and author:

This compelling story of one progressive American Jewish organization from the 1980s has important lessons for anyone interested in understanding how social change happens.  Nepon documents the power of on-the-ground grassroots organizing to make social change, as well as the forces that led to the demise of an important social justice organization. Of particular interest to many activists today will be Nepon’s analysis of New Jewish Agenda’s commitment to address both domestic and Middle East peace and justice issues, in contrast to today’s reality of single-issue organizing, and more seriously, increased pressures by the mainstream Jewish community to silence any criticism of Israel.

Billy Wimsatt, author of Bomb the Suburbs and No More Prisons:

Ezra Nepon is a compelling, original writer who goes on a deeply personal detective quest to uncover the roots of modern progressive Jewish thought. Nepon is a radical historian in the tradition of Howard Zinn, and in Justice, Justice, Nepon opens the book on an important missing chapter in recent Jewish progressive history, with insightful reflections for change-makers of all backgrounds. A stirring, valuable book.

Simone Zelitch, author of Louisa, recipient of  the Goldberg Prize from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture:

What impresses me most about Ezra’s work is the determination to not only record, but to analyze this history, and to draw lessons that will be useful to activists today.

The book will soon be widely available for distribution by AK Press. Our Celebrate People’s History poster is now available, produced in collaboration with justseeds Artists’ Cooperative!

The main text of the book is slightly expanded from the history reported on this website, and it also includes an expanded section of my own analysis and two afterwords pieces: an essay by historian Rachel Mattson reflecting on why this history is so crucial, and an essay by JFREJ board member Daniel Lang/Levitsky reflecting on current Jewish activism in relation to NJA’s history. The book and poster feature original cover art by Abigail Miller.