Organizers of the March for Racial Justice scheduled to take place in DC later this month, to protest American racism and discrimination, have come under fire after it emerged that the event was scheduled for September 30 - Yom Kippur. The organizers of the march lamented the unfortunate choice of date, but said that they were moving forward as scheduled and were looking for ways of accommodating the Jewish community.
"The organizers of the March for Racial Justice did not realize that September 30 was Yom Kippur when we were factoring in these and other considerations and applying for permits," the organizers said in a statement. "Choosing this date, we now know, was a grave and hurtful oversight on our part. It was unintentional and we are sorry for this pain as well as for the time it has taken for us to respond. Our mistake highlights the need for our communities to form stronger relationships."
“After the horrifying events of the past weekend in Charlottesville, and the remarks by the President suggesting that “both sides” are to blame, we understand more than ever the need for unity against those who hate us in our many identities. We have learned from our Jewish friends that Yom Kippur is a day of making amends and of asking and receiving forgiveness. We hope that our sincere apology will be received with compassion, and that we will build a stronger relationship among all our communities as a result,” they said.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the March for Racial Justice will protest what its participants believe are “US laws, policies and practices remain steeped in racism and white supremacy.”
Dozens of Jews protested the decision on Facebook, stating that they felt left out and marginalized.
"In Charlottesville, Nazis were screaming out against Jews. To not even acknowledge this date is disgusting. They are alienating us,” one commenter was quoted as saying by the Post.
Writing on Facebook, actress Mayim Bialik, who is an Orthodox Jew, intimated that the choice of date was likely deliberate.
Such a decision "automatically excludes a distinct portion of people who historically have stood up for racial equality in enormous ways,” she wrote. "And trust me: it's on every calendar they checked before setting the date.”
The organizers of the march subsequently expressed “regret” but declined to change the date, noting that it was chosen to coincide with the 98th anniversary of a race riot that killed more than one hundred African-Americans.
A civilian and two police officers were killed and dozens injured during riots that broke out during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday.
