The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston joins with our partners in welcoming the accountability that comes with the conviction of Derek Chauvin. No verdict will bring George Floyd back or make his family and friends whole for their loss. There is still much more work to do to confront systemic racism. JCRC will continue to work with our partners to advocate for systemic change including police reform, as well as advocate for changes to address disparities in health care, housing, education and employment—all must be addressed to achieve a just and fair society for all. 

We stand with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas and share its statement calling for systemic reform and solidarity. 

A Measure of Justice for George Floyd 

 The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC), Minneapolis Jewish Federation, and St. Paul Jewish Federation strongly support the conviction of George Floyd’s killer on all three counts, including murder in the second and third degree.

While no guilty verdict can bring George Floyd back or make his family and friends fully whole for their loss or unwind the trauma inflicted on the broader African American community, we hope that today’s decision brings some measure of justice, healing, and peace to his loved ones and for all Minnesotans.

We know that the problem is not just the murderous misconduct of a few police officers. Systemic failures in law enforcement, as they are in so many areas of society, are real and harm not just communities, but good officers who are committed to doing the job with integrity and fairness.

As such, systemic solutions which include not just police accountability, but also address disparities in housing, education, employment, healthcare, and income are needed now to ensure that Minnesota is a great place to live for all its residents.

We offer our solidarity to the broader African American community, including Black Jews and Jews of color. Additionally, we pledge to be part of the difficult, but necessary work of repairing the relationship between the police and those they are entrusted to protect and serve.

Finally, we thank the members of our Minnesota National Guard for their service in protecting local communities. We do so with full appreciation that the presence of the Guard on our streets is far from ideal and traumatic to many. We hope that our fellow Minnesotans will come to know the Guard as we know them, neighbors who share our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and service.  

Photo: The makeshift memorial and mural outside Cup Foods where George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on Sunday, May 31, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times/TNS)