Justice We Shall Pursue: Building the Beloved Community

Justice We Shall Pursue: Building the Beloved Community

6pm PDT

American Jewish University stands opposed to all forms of racism and all bigotry. We affirm our support for all our students, staff, and community members who are pursuing justice at this moment.

Our work is driven by the Jewish values of justice (tzedek), equality under the law (mishpat) and acts of kindness (chesed). Our lifeblood as an educational institution is to increase access for all we serve to open inquiry, vigorous conversation, moral engagement, and disciplined learning.

In the coming weeks, we will use our power as a University to host conversations around structural racism and its pernicious impact on our society. Join us for our upcoming conversation: Justice We Shall Pursue: Building the Beloved Community.

With renewed focus on the promise of “equal justice for all” and the persistent ways we fall short, three thought leaders in their faith communities come together to explore how faith can contain our anger, sorrow, and urgency, while also pointing us in a direction of hope, resilience,  transformation, and action. Can faith ground us to have an honest conversation about race, a system of anti-Black racism, and a path forward to a better tomorrow? 

Reverend Mark Whitlock

Rev. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr. serves the community of Reid Temple A.M.E. Church (RTAME) in Maryland. Prior to his historic July 2019 appointment to RTAME, Rev. Whitlock served as pastor of Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church (COR Church) in Irvine, CA beginning in August 1998. Over the course of his ministerial and nonprofit career, Pastor Whitlock has raised more than $1.2 billion for the Kingdom of God through individual donors as well as corporate, federal and institutional grants.

Reverend Dr. Najuma Smith Pollard

Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard, Founding Pastor of Word of Encouragement Church and Program Director of the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement at USC. She is a frequent speaker and panelist for conferences related to Women’s Empowerment, Women In Ministry, Sexual Violence Awareness, Personal Development, The Black Church and Civic Engagement. In addition to her core work Rev Najuma is an Author, Radio Show Host, Business Owner and Professional Mentor. She is a lover of social media, music, dancing, movies, Fitness, traveling; and  her babies Dorian, Zuri, Daniel (her Angel Child) and grand babies Dylan and Naomi. 

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson (www.bradartson.com) holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. A member of the Philosophy Department, he is particularly interested in theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He is also dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe.