via The Forward, An Al Chet for the #MeToo Era

The Al Chet is a confession of sins for which we all must take communal responsibility. Traditionally spoken during Yom Kippur, part of the High Holy days (which begins Sunday at sundown with Rosh Hashanah), it’s a powerful bit of coming-to-terms with your own shit, and the shit you have allowed to occur around you.

This is a new take, from an article by Abby Citrin,Â Danya Ruttenberg,Â Emily Becker,Â Guila Benchimol,Â Leah Greenblum,Â S. Bear BergmanÂ andÂ Shira Berkovits.

As with all such prayer, it’s most effective when recited out loud. Give it a try. It may resonate more than you expected it to.

For the sin we committed through inappropriate use of power.

For the sin we committed by inappropriate sexual advances.

For the sin we committed by putting people in power without oversight.

For the sin we committed by not taking seriously the complaints of a colleague.

For the sin we committed by not believing victims when they spoke up.

For the sin we committed by not being aware of our own power or privilege when making an advance.

For the sin we committed by pushing forward when we should have waited and listened.

For the sin we committed by believing that sexual victimization does not happen in the Jewish world.

For all of these sins, God, help us rectify the evil we have brought about, help us to restore justice through the hard work of repentance. Only then, God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

For the sin we committed in choosing to think a person who is appropriate with us is appropriate with everyone.

For the sin we committed by choosing my own comfort over the safety of others.

For the sin we committed by focusing on my intent rather than my impact.

For the sin we committed by prioritizing reputations and money over safety.

For the sin we committed by ignoring sexual victimization as a problem until #MeToo.

For the sin we committed by performative wokeness.

For the sin we committed by failing to acknowledge my ignorance about sexual victimization.

For the sin we committed by waiting to stand against a perpetrator until we saw others doing so.

For the sin we committed by making light of victimsâ€™ suffering.

For the sin we committed by contributing to rape culture.

For the sin we committed by causing survivors to doubt their truth.

For the sin we committed by misusing Jewish texts to promote silence.

For the sin we committed by not supporting survivors.

For the sin we committed by gaslighting victims and victim advocates.

For the sin we committed by cutting corners in best practice protocols.

For the sin we committed by talking more than listening.

For the sin we committed by prioritizing convenience over moral clarity.

For the sin we committed by urging those who have been victimized to forgive, especially before their perpetrator did the hard work of repentance.

For the sin we committed by prioritizing some victimsâ€™ voices over others.

For the sin we committed by requiring vulnerable people to depend on me, rather than investing in the development of healthy, decentralized systems that empower the entire community, and hold us accountable.

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Via The Forward.Â Read more