This Jewish month of Elul, we caught up with two of our grantees for their work on tackling antisemitism as a part of dismantling broader systems of oppression. Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) recently released a piece of artwork titled, “Unraveling Antisemitism,” and we spoke with them about the significance of this piece for conversations in the Jewish community and more broadly. JLF’s questions below are in bold, and responses are in plain text.
What is the Unraveling Antisemitism poster?
Unraveling Antisemitism is a powerful work of art inspired by Jewish traditions; a visual representation of the way we twist ourselves into knots when we try to understand antisemitism, and; a tool to be used for continued discussion, organizing, and struggle. Inspired by JFREJ's ground-breaking 2017 paper, Understanding Antisemitism, the poster is also a large-scale cultural organizing project led by artists Rachel Schragis and Rebecca Katz, and involving over 70 JFREJ members.
Why was this the moment to bring this into reality? What conversations do you hope it will provoke?
The conversation about antisemitism is already happening, and we're proud of our ongoing contributions to that. JFREJ has been leading the progressive movement’s response to antisemitism for years now, by providing analysis, education, and guidance to our allies nationally, and organizing the fight against hate violence in New York. Our analysis has continued to develop since the publishing of the 2017 paper, and even since the finalizing and printing of this poster! Like the paper, it is another offering to our movement.
The vent diagrams really caught my attention, both on the JFREJ Instagram and on the website. Can you talk to me a bit more about what is a "vent" diagram, and why they're so prominently featured here?
The best way to learn about the Vent Diagrams is by going to ventdiagrams.com! It is a collaborative project created by the poster's lead artist, Rachel Schragis, and E.M./Elana Eisen-Markowitz — both, it's worth mentioning, are proud JFREJ members! They describe a vent diagram as a "diagram of the overlap of two statements that appear to be true and appear to be contradictory." Trying to understand antisemitism means confronting so many truths and contradictions all at once, making vents a useful and apt mechanism for holding that nuance.
How would you describe the intersection between the modern antiracism movement and the work JFREJ does to fight antisemitism?
JFREJ's vision of Jewish safety recognizes that our security is inextricably linked to the safety of all oppressed people, and that our shared joy and power is dependent on all of us working together to create a world free from antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of bigotry. We see our work fighting antisemitism as intertwined with our antiracism work, and we believe truly effective movements for both must include each other.
What broader actions do you hope this work inspires?
We hope to see people use and interact with the poster! Host workshops to unravel it and wrestle with the contradictions and assertions! Use it to learn more about antisemitism — because we can't fight what we don't understand. Use it to learn more about the history of Jewish resistance — because there are so many powerful legacies to be inspired by and carry on today.
Thank you so much for your amazing work, and for your time! To learn more about this piece and to order one for yourself, please check it out on their website!