An Update from the Sudbury DEI Commission
Dear Members of the Sudbury Jewish Community,
The Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission is committed to fostering a community where every resident feels welcomed, respected, valued, and has a true sense of belonging. That commitment extends to every member of our community, including our Jewish neighbors.
We want to share an update regarding the Commission’s August meeting and the conversations that have led us down a different path.
Originally, we were exploring a conversation on understanding the nuances of the definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism as this was requested by several people informally from the Sudbury area.
Recognizing that the Commission lacked the knowledge and lived experience to thoughtfully engage with these questions ourselves, we believed our responsibility was first to listen and learn before drawing any conclusions or making any recommendations.
As part of that learning process, we reached out to Rabbi Breindel and Rabbi Freeman. Through several thoughtful conversations, they helped us better understand the history and context of what has been happening within the local Jewish community, as well as the broader circumstances contributing to the pain, frustration, and exhaustion many Jewish people are experiencing. They also helped us understand how a public discussion focused on the IHRA definition, even if intended as an opportunity for learning, could cause hurt and pain, especially at a time of dramatically increased antisemitism.
That is clearly not what the Commission wants to do. We want members of the Jewish community (and every historically marginalized community in Sudbury) to experience the Commission as an ally and an advocate for inclusion, belonging, and support. We recognize that our desire to learn must never come at the expense of causing further harm to the communities we are committed to serving. Our goal is to ensure that our efforts to learn and understand are experienced as supportive, not harmful.
With that understanding, we have decided that our August 13 meeting will not include a discussion of the IHRA definition. Instead, Rabbi Breindel and Rabbi Freeman have graciously agreed to help us better understand what members of the Jewish community are experiencing today, how rising antisemitism is affecting Jewish residents both locally and beyond, and, most importantly, how the Commission can be a stronger ally, advocate, and partner to our Jewish community.
We are deeply grateful to Rabbi Breindel and Rabbi Freeman for their generosity, candor, and guidance. We also thank the members of the Jewish community who have shared their perspectives with us. Those conversations have strengthened our understanding and helped us choose a path centered on compassion, listening, learning, and partnership.
We look forward to continuing this work together and to building a relationship grounded in trust, openness, and partnership. We want the Jewish community to know that the DEI Commission is here to listen, to learn, to stand alongside you, and to work with you to strengthen inclusion and belonging in Sudbury. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue learning together and hope that our ongoing work will reflect our shared commitment to a community where every person feels seen, respected, supported, and truly belongs.
Sincerely,
Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission