Havdalah #1: Introduction, Rosh Hashanah, and Reading Banned Books
2 Tishrei, 5784 / September 16, 2023
L’shana tovah, my neighbors!
Welcome to 5784, and to our inaugural issue of Havdalah!
As you may have read in our previous announcement, the Rhode Island chapter of Never Again Action (NAA RI) has restructured. While we have shifted in focus and form, we are not abdicating our ethos or mission.
Going forward, NAA RI, under the sobriquet of White Rose RI, will publish this newsletter every two weeks, always at the close of Shabbat. Havdalah is dedicated to the fight against fascism in the Ocean State. This newsletter will share information with Rhode Islanders regarding legislation, actions, protests, events, education, mutual aid, and the machinations of the local far-right ecosystem. While our sensibility remains rooted in Judaism, we are an interfaith little posse and are thus open to anyone interested, including those without a faith!
In short, Havdalah is a local, Jewish, and anti-fascist publication.
So why “Havdalah”?
I’m verklempt that you asked!
Havdalah, which translates to “separation” or “distinction,” is a Jewish ritual that says a fond farewell to Shabbat while ushering in the coming week. Shabbat is commonly known as the Jewish Sabbath, which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. I think of Havdalah as a reprise of “L’cha Dodi”; just as we sing “L’cha Dodi” on Friday evening to welcome the “Shabbat Bride,” we do Havdalah to welcome the new week, challenges and all. The ritual involves the brief lighting of a large, braided candle, the smelling of spices, and the sipping of wine for Kiddush, alternating with the Havdalah blessings. For more information, check out this article about Havdalah from My Jewish Learning.
Havdalah is one of many methods of distinguishing the sacred rest of Shabbat from the mundane trials that compose the remainder of the week. It’s therefore appropriate that our newsletter, meant to prepare our readers for upcoming worldly affairs, and sent out after the conclusion of Shabbat, should be named after this ritual.
And what about “White Rose”? Where does that come from?
In 1942, the White Rose movement was secretly founded in Munich, Germany, by a group of five students and one professor: Hans and Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell, and Kurt Huber. From June 27th to their arrests on February 18th of the following year, the White Rose and its nearly 300 members undertook an anonymous, nonviolent campaign of leafleting and graffiti in opposition to the Nazi regime. Their efforts to spark mass resistance resulted in the executions of most of the membership. Overwhelmingly Gentile and German, most members were students in their early to mid-twenties who agitated in opposition to the already operating camps.
The White Rose only circulated six leaflets during the movement’s life, but they were blistering. My personal favorite of many audacious lines is: “We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!”
If this is the first you’re hearing of the White Rose, I highly encourage looking into them; here is the site I used as my main reference: White Rose Resistance to Hitler’s Regime.
Obviously we don’t have such lofty aspirations as martyrdom, and reality in 2020’s America is not the same reality of 1940’s Germany. But the White Rose is an exemplar in both method and temerity; in their conduct, there is both intellectual rigor and a staunch, unyielding rage. Both are necessary to fight fascism, whenever and wherever it rears its head. A commitment to anti-fascism is the ethical lodestar alluded to in the oft-used vow, “never again,” and it is this shared commitment that informs our efforts with our newsletter Havdalah.
So for the foreseeable future, we hope to join you at the conclusion of Shabbat, bringing you opportunities to join this fight in whatever capacity is available to you.
Happy New Year, neighbors.
James
(he / him)
1. We the Readers: A Live Banned Books Event
When: Tuesday, October 3, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Where: William Hall Library, 1825 Broad Street, Cranston, RI
Join the ACLU for a celebration of Freedom of Speech at their in-person event during Banned Books Week. They will host a panel of authors who read from books that have frequently been banned across the nation, followed by a Q&A. Link: We the Readers Event Information
Founded in 1959, the ACLU of Rhode Island is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to upholding and protecting the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Link: ACLU Website
2. DARE Member Meeting
When: Thursday, September 28, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Where: Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), 340 Lockwood Street, Providence, RI
Join DARE for a discussion of the fires in Hawai'i and how so-called "natural disasters" are often the outcome of capitalist and imperialist greed.
DARE’s mission is to organize low-income families living in communities of color for social, economic, and political justice. Link: DARE Website
3. The Womxn Project Grill and Chill Party
When: Saturday, September 30, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Where: Contact The Womxn Project for the address in Providence. Link: Contact The Womxn Project
Open to anyone who has wanted to volunteer, or who has been a volunteer. During this event, The Womxn Project will provide a sneak peek into their 2024 plan that includes partnering to help expand trans protections, extend voting rights, and continue their work to extend access and information about people's reproductive rights. Children are always welcome! Link: Grill and Chill Party Information
The Womxn Project is a statewide organization dedicated to building a strong movement that harnesses the power of art, activism and advocacy. They are committed to embodying the principles of reproductive justice, cultivating innovation and advancing real and lasting change. Link: The Womxn Project Website
We know that the way we combat fascism is together. That’s why we are sharing opportunities to support one another and local causes.
Help A, an Incarcerated Activist
A is a Providence-based activist who is currently incarcerated and expects to be granted parole in December. Before A was imprisoned, she participated in Never Again Action Rhode Island actions and is eager to re-engage upon release. A, who is a trans woman, is currently being held in a men's prison.
A was at the Wyatt Detention Center protests in Rhode Island, Facebooking live for Never Again. She has also protested for Climate Action Rhode Island and attended Black Lives Matter rallies protesting against systematic racism and police brutality. She has struggled through all this while suffering from childhood trauma, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and housing inequality coming from her being a trans Latina.
Funds raised will be used to help A with rent, clothes, technology, transportation, and an emotional support dog. A has experienced and resisted much systemic and interpersonal trauma, and these funds will help her build a more stable, peaceful life that she has never been afforded. Please contribute to A’s GoFundMe to help set her up for a smooth transition back into society and into her community to which she has dedicated so much care and love, and to show our thanks and to support her in her time of need.
Weekly Mutual Aid Distribution with the John Brown Gun Club
Every week, folks meet at Kennedy Plaza to distribute food, hygiene supplies, harm reduction supplies, and more, usually for about 45 minutes. JBGC has been doing these weekly distributions since 2018 and helps about 30 people each week.
To make a donation, visit their mobile-friendly website that has links for direct donations, Amazon wish list, and the Etsy store where 100% of the proceeds fund mutual aid distribution. Link: JBGC Mutual Aid Donations
If you have questions about the distribution or ways to donate, you can reach out to them on their Instagram (@jbmutualaid) or Twitter (@rijbgc).
If you’d like to help with distribution, the JBGC asks that you wear an N95 mask and be up to date on boosters and flu shots.
Native Statues
There’s currently an effort to get approval for a project to install statues of Narragansett and Pequot people throughout Rhode Island parks. This would be part of a larger effort to educate people on aspects of Rhode Island history that often get hidden or erased. Donations to support this project can be mailed to:
Rhode Island Indian Council Attn: Darrell Waldron, Native Historical Statues 807 Broad Street Providence, RI 02907
The Freedom to Read: Challenges to Intellectual Freedom Then and Now
When: Wednesday, October 4, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Where: James T. Giles Community Room, Central Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
Book challenges and threats to intellectual freedom are on the rise nationwide, and community support of public libraries is more important than ever. The Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center and the Cranston Public Library will present a panel discussion looking at the historical context of intellectual freedom and how we can respond and advocate for these institutions and freedoms in the present.
Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering.
The mission of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center is to teach the history of the Holocaust in order to promote human dignity, combat antisemitism and confront all forms of hate. Link: Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center Website
Guest Writer, Jackie Goldman (they / them)
Shana tova my friends,
Like with every year, Rosh Hashanah and the season of repentance and contemplation always sneak up on me. One moment, I’m thinking about the promise of a relaxing summer, and then I turn my head and the fall is upon us. For me, Rosh Hashanah has always felt like the transition in mentality from the carefree lightness of summer into a period of personal reflection. Who am I going to be in this new year? How have my actions harmed my community? What is it that I have to atone for? Taking stock like this has always felt like tremendous work for me, which is one of the many reasons why the collision of Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat deserves some thought.
There are many ways to think about the tonal and practical shifts in each holiday that occur when celebrated together, but I would like to focus on a few liturgical changes. The Rosh Hashanah service changes on Shabbat with both omissions and additions to reflect the double holiday. The blessings change for the candles and the wine, you do not blow the shofar, and you delay tashlich (the ritual casting of sins). There are also other significant liturgical changes. Kabbalat Shabbat (the joyful and song-filled introduction to Shabbat) is shortened and you omit the “iconic” Avinu Malkeinu prayer from the service.
In Avinu Malkeinu, we make many asks of “our Father, our King.” We ask God to bless us with a good year, to protect us from enemies, to rid us from oppression, to forgive us, to pardon us, and to remove sin from us. The repetition of this prayer throughout the Yamim Noraim has always felt like a through line, something that weaves its way through these spiritually intense days. Avinu Malkeinu has always felt grounding to me as it has brought on those feelings of awe. Skipping this prayer on Shabbat in order to give both God and us rest somehow makes the first day of Rosh Hashanah feel incomplete.
The act of prayer holds power, especially the recitation of words that reflect such deep need and yearning. The creation of sound and melody in community is the thing that brings me back to synagogue: the familiarity of the words, the power that has been bestowed on them through countless recitations across the world and through time, words that unify a people and connect us to the specific feelings, life cycles and phases of the year. Avinu Malkeinu, with its repetitive nature and its familiarity (in addition to the meaning of the words themselves) have optimized this for me.
In Judaism, there is a constant analysis of how to best follow the law, and the omission of Avinu Malkeinu makes complete and total halachic sense. That being said, I will feel its missingness on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. There is complexity to holding two things at the same time, and I look forward to seeing what new things surface for me this Rosh Hashanah-Shabbat. Wherever you find yourself this year (mentally, physically, spiritually), I hope you find that balance between rest and doing the mental “work” required of the High Holidays. May you have a good and sweet new year, may you be written and inscribed in the Book of Life.
Needle Drop #1: “Avinu Malkeinu”, Barbra Streisand
Your biweekly update on the local fascist and far-right ecosystem.
Patriot Front Hit With Lawsuit After Assault in Boston
On August 9th, 2023, the Associated Press, syndicated in The Providence Journal, reported that the white nationalist group Patriot Front (PF), along with its founder Thomas Rousseau and several John Does, faces a lawsuit as a result of an assault committed by PF members during a march in Boston last year. The details of the attack on Charles Murrell III, a Black teacher and musician, can be found in the article.
Interestingly, the attorneys for the plaintiff seem to be using the tactic employed by Roberta Kaplan, Michael Bloch, Karen Dunn, et al. in the Sines v. Kessler civil suit back in late 2021; the objective is to bankrupt Patriot Front and hopefully scatter its members to the winds. Fingers crossed that plaintiff’s counsel can at least terrorize the troglodytes if they can’t financially debilitate them.
For more info on Patriot Front, take a look at PF’s Southern Poverty Law Center profile.
If you have time and are a massive legal nerd like me, I also recommend truffle-pigging your way through Molly Conger’s live-tweet threads of the Sines v. Kessler trial. Unicorn Riot also did excellent coverage and compiled transcripts. Be warned; the suit pertains to the events of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in August 2017, and as such, is often exceptionally upsetting, even when Nazis aren’t actively trying to terrorize witnesses on the stand.
NSC-131 Leaflet and Sticker Bombing Again
The Nationalist Social Club-131 (NSC-131) continues to be a public nuisance by haphazardly littering leaflets everywhere in their efforts to menace neighborhoods and recruit disgruntled white men into their ethnonationalist no-girls-allowed tree house.
Propaganda material was discovered in Scituate the weekend of August 13th. There was also a recent blitz of flyers in Middletown and Olneyville, but NSC-131 has been all over; their stickers, along with those of Patriot Front, have additionally been sighted in Apponaug, East Providence, Warwick, and West Warwick. I’ve personally had to scratch NSC-131 stickers off the backs of seats on the bus 14 multiple times in the past. Often, these incidents are not reported outside of outlets like Uprise RI, so community organizers and anti-fascists usually rely on social media and their own networks to keep tabs on local activity.
If you come across graffiti or stickers for NSC-131, Patriot Front, or any other white supremacist group, we advise that covering them works better than attempting to remove them, and is generally safer; Nazis are known for hiding razors underneath stickers. A sharpie will work, but so will your own stickers; Municipal Adhesives has a selection I carry on me just in case, but Sanrio stickers or anything repping your favorite independent bookstore are also excellent options. If you encounter any flyers or leaflets, please collect them and destroy them thoroughly before disposing of them. Please do not post pictures on social media of any white supremacist propaganda. Nazis partially rely on the backlash generated by their materials to proliferate through the Internet; sharing images of their stickers and leaflets, even in outrage, is still participating in the dissemination of their content. However, we do encourage you to reach out to Steve Ahlquist, Uprise RI, and / or our tip line at badconsciencerhodeisland@gmail.com if you do find Nazi or fascist ephemera out and about. These are far more helpful ways to combat white supremacist harassment and recruitment.
PF and NSC are currently the most active hate groups in Rhode Island, with the latter recently having attempted to recruit at high schools. It behooves us to watch these losers very closely.
However, activity doesn’t mean omnipresence, as many leftists and community organizers can attest to. When an organization has lower numbers than can sustain their agenda, that organization’s efforts will typically turn towards expanding membership. There are more Nazis than there should be, but fewer of them than they’d have us believe. Forty to sixty members of a New England Neo-Nazi Telegraph channel does not a white ethnostate make.
NSC-131 warrants our vigilance, but not our fear, despite their dearest little wishes to be an intimidating, shadowy presence in Rhode Island.
For more info on them, check out NSC-131’s Southern Poverty Law Center profile.
If you have questions or tips, keep us in the loop: badconsciencerhodeisland@gmail.com
Welcome to the Bill Tracker section! Currently the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives are out of session, so no bills are in progress at the moment. While they are in session, this section will show bills that we have picked out as worth supporting or opposing.
The Rhode Island legislative branch is set up so that bills have to be reintroduced each session, so even if a bill was introduced (but not passed) the year before, it has to be reintroduced and debated all over again. The session runs roughly from early January to late summer, although the dates have not yet been fixed for 2024; we’ll make sure to update this section when we know!
Thank you so much for coming to our very first newsletter, and we hope you will stay for a long time to come!