The Limits of Analogy: Keffiyehs and KKK Hoods Are Not the Same
February 1, 2026
It displays an ignorance of the causes of Black terror.
Rabbi Sandra Lawson is the executive director of Carolina Jews for Justice. She is a nationally recognized leader, visionary strategist and community builder working at the intersection of Judaism, justice and community transformation. In her role at Carolina Jews for Justice (CJJ), she brings a deep commitment to equity, grassroots organizing and visionary leadership to Jewish communities across North Carolina.
A U.S. Army veteran, sociologist and rabbi, Lawson has spent her career lifting up marginalized voices, building bridges across difference and helping communities live out their deepest values. She previously served as the inaugural director of Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism and was named one of the “Forward 50,” “Out100” and “22 Faith Leaders to Watch” by the Center for American Progress.
Under her leadership, CJJ is expanding its reach and deepening its impact across North Carolina.
Lawson holds a graduate degree in sociology from Clark Atlanta University; a Master of Hebrew Letters (MAHL) and rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School, with a focus on strategies for organizational success.
It displays an ignorance of the causes of Black terror.
We must create spaces for Jews of color to share their experiences without judgment and implement policies that actively dismantle racial and cultural biases.
Narratives can be shaped and reshaped, often omitting crucial truths, particularly regarding racial issues in America.
Transgender people, in expressing their true gender identity, do so to be more authentic to themselves and, in many ways, to be closer to the image of the Creator in which they were made.
Rabbi Sandra Lawson explains the significance of Juneteenth and why it is important for Jewish individuals and communities to join in its celebration.
By focusing on racial justice, we can make Jewish communities more inviting, and ultimately, more vital. At the same time, we’ll be taking on white supremacy, the primary American source of antisemitism.
Co-written by Rabbis Sandra Lawson and Donna Cephas, this essay examines the assumption that all Jews are white, while touching on a myriad of interrelated issues: conversion, interracial families, adoption, Ashkenazi privilege and political correctness.
Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement
Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis
Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues
Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives
