Dear Aaron Family JCC Community,

On June 19, we join communities across the nation in observing Juneteenth, commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

As Texans, Americans, and Jews, this day carries deep meaning. Juneteenth reminds us that freedom delayed is freedom denied, and that building a just society demands vigilance, courage, and shared responsibility.

For the Jewish people, these themes resonate at our core as liberation is at the foundation of story. Each Passover, we retell the Exodus and affirm that every generation must see itself as though it personally emerged from bondage. The Torah calls us to remember oppression and pursue justice:

"Justice, justice, shall you pursue" (Deuteronomy).

Throughout American history, Jewish and Black communities have often stood together in that pursuit. Perhaps no figure embodied this more powerfully than Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched arm in arm with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

Reflecting on race and justice in America, Heschel wrote:

"Some are guilty, but all are responsible." His words remind us that solidarity is not optional, it is a moral obligation. We are united by the belief that every person is created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God, and deserves dignity, opportunity, and freedom.

At the J, our values of Herut (Freedom), Tzedek (Justice), and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) call us to honor Juneteenth as a moment for reflection, education, and community.

Our facilities will remain open, and benefit-eligible staff who work that day will receive a paid Birthday Comp Day in recognition of both the holiday's significance and their commitment to our community.

May this Juneteenth inspire us to listen more deeply, learn more fully, and recommit to a community, and society, where everyone belongs.