WHAT BWC MEMBERSHIP MEANS TO JEREMY MENCHIK
I joined Boston Workers Circle in September 2023 hoping to connect my kids to their Jewish roots and especially to Jewish values like community, generosity, respect, and justice. BWC membership has changed their lives, surrounding them with love and knowledge of our tradition.
What I didn’t expect was how BWC would transform me.
After decades of feeling like I had to choose between my identity and my politics, I’ve found in BWC a place where I can be fully Jewish and fully internationalist.
Here, my belief in the equality and dignity of all people is not in conflict with my Judaism; it is an expression of it. BWC has shown me that fighting for justice and standing in global solidarity with others is a deeply Jewish act.
I’ve learned to sing in Ladino, Yiddish, and Hebrew, languages that connect me to the vast, vibrant tapestry of global Jewry. I’ve baked Alfajores for the Daled class at Shule and laughed with other parents while baking matzah with five-year-olds. I’ve taught my kids about our ancestor’s immigration to the U.S. and the importance of advocating for all immigrants, now. I’ve noshed and schmoozed at Kumsitz, a parenting group that I now help organize, and built friendships rooted in shared values. BWC is not just educational. It’s joyful.
More than that, BWC has changed how I engage with the world. It has stiffened my spine. It’s given me the courage to speak out against antisemitism and the weaponization of antisemitism by those in power. It’s taught me to be a better ally to trans, non-binary, and queer youth. It’s helped me become more informed, more grounded, and more ready to act. The Kumsitz group has been a powerful space to learn about issues like prison reform and to grow in solidarity with others.
I’ll be honest: there are a lot of bullies in the American Jewish community, especially when it comes to nationalism. But not at BWC. Here, there is love. There is deep respect. There is an invitation to ask hard questions and to grow through hard conversations.
BWC is a liberatory space where pluralism is protected, where no one is asked to leave part of themselves at the door.
For my family, BWC is more than a community. It’s a home. It connects us to our roots and strengthens us to build the world we want to exist: one grounded in justice, love, and care for all people.
