In honor of National Authors' Day on November 1, Robin Schatz, director of government affairs of the Jewish Federation's Jewish Community Relations Council, put together a list of some critical social justice-themed titles to read.

"JCRC recently hosted a Civil Rights Mission to the American South to better understand the movements that paved our way for efforts to build a just and equitable world," explained Schatz. "That journey included learning painful truths and realizing that although there is an intersection between the Jewish experience and the Black experience, this is not our story."

In addition to visiting historic sites and engaging in meaningful dialogue, Schatz believes that one way to start understanding the complex stories of the Black American experience is by reading them. 

"These books reflect those realities and delve into how our understanding - or lack thereof - of systemic racism impacts society," Schatz continued. "These are not easy reads, but they are important."

Next time you are searching for a book to widen your perspective, check out one of these titles below.

1. "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson (2015)

Lawyer Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those in need. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to death for a notorious murder that he insisted he did not commit. While investigating the case, Stevenson discovered political conspiracies and legal schemes. This novel tells the story of how his understanding of mercy and justice was forever changed.

2. "Me and White Supremacy" by Layla Saad (2020)

This book shows readers how to dismantle both conscious and unconscious privilege within themselves so that they can stop inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people stop, too.

3. "The Antiracism Handbook" by Thema Bryant & Edith Arrington (2022)

This novel from two psychologists and experts in race, identity, equity, and inclusion, empowers its readers to be active members of an antiracist society. It offers strategies of how to resist racial stereotypes and communicate with loved ones about race and racism, as well as skills to navigate race in professional workspaces.

4. "Understanding Social Justice" by Eric Nilsen (2022)

This book offers an extensive look at the roots of social justice, the relevant social justice issues right now, and their lasting impacts on society. It covers laws that seek to protect people from these abuses, explains how equity and equality are not the same, and reviews how countries around the world handle social justice issues and which ones are worth emulating.

5. "Confronting Hate" by Deborah Hart Strober & Gerald Strober (2019)

This novel tells the story of Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee. Rabbi Tanenbaum was instrumental in improving Catholic-Jewish relations, and was one of the few Jewish leaders who worked closely with Reverend Billy Graham and other evangelicals. He worked tirelessly as a civil rights activist and was active in the cause of Soviet Jewry. "Confronting Hate" details his esteemed career and his interactions with the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. and several U.S. presidents.

6. "Black Power, Jewish Politics" by Marc Dollinger (2018)

This book charts the transformation of American Jewish political culture from the Cold War to modern day. It reveals how, in a period best known for the rise of Black antisemitism and the breakdown of the Black-Jewish alliance, Black nationalists enabled Jewish activists to create a new political agenda centered around Jewish causes, like the effort to save Soviet Jewry and the foundation of Jewish day schools.

7. "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson (2021)

This book explores the unseen hierarchical phenomenon in America as Wilkerson weaves together stories about real people, revealing how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, with different groups of people holding different rankings.

8. "Black Anti-Semitism and Jewish Racism" by James Baldwin (1970)

This collection of essays illustrates the intricate, and often negative, historical relationship between the Black and Jewish communities.

Special Mention: Book Club

Interested in discussing social justice literature with others? Join Rodeph Shalom’s ReadRS Reading Group on Wednesday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m. to review “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates and deepen your understanding about truth and reconciliation from the perspective of Jewish values. This event is co-sponsored by the Community Civil Rights Mission, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, and Jewish Community Relations Council. RSVP to Noah Levine at NLevine@rodephshalom.org if interested.

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