The Jews of Color Initiative is thrilled to announce a new set of grants dedicated to fostering empowered, connected communities, and advancing learning and leadership opportunities for Jews of Color. These grants support a diverse array of projects in the Jewish community across the arts, spiritual leadership, and Jewish life and history that will enrich and celebrate the experiences of Jews of Color. We invite you to explore these exciting new projects:
Jewish Film Institute: “Peripheral Visions: An Evening Celebrating Jews of Color in Film”
Jewish Film Institute’s “Peripheral Visions: An Evening Celebrating Jews of Color in Film” is a dedicated and intentional space created by and for JOC filmmakers and film lovers at the 44th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (July 18 – August 4, 2024). Through a series of short films and a guided community discussion with the filmmakers, this program will explore the diverse experiences of Jews of Color related to themes of race, belonging, migration, diaspora, and the transmission of shared culture across barriers of identity. Selected films will examine the experience of Jews of Color through a cinematic exploration of the unique cultural contributions of JOC identities in expanding collective understandings of what it means to be Jewish.
Jewish Women’s Archive
The Jewish Women’s Archive documents Jewish women’s and gender-expansive people’s stories, elevates their voices, and inspires them to be agents of change. Jewish women of color have expressed frustration that their voices are too often included in conversation only in a tokenized way, and not on their own terms. JWA is launching a writing fellowship for Jewish Women of Color (JWOC) to support and amplify their voices as thought leaders. The Fellowship will give participants time to focus on their ideas and craft, engage with a peer cohort and professional mentors, and develop their voices and influence.
JOIN for Justice – JoC Clergy
JOIN for Justice, a leader in Jewish organizing training to help leaders be effective changemakers in creating a more just world, seeks to establish a strategic intervention to train and support the religious leadership of Jews of Color, establish a supportive community, and help establish and expand the field of Jews of Color who are rabbis, cantors, and maharats. Through feedback, interviews, and the wisdom of JOIN’s Advisory Committee, JOIN’s intervention will use an original curriculum for Jews of Color in seminary to amplify success in their spiritual leadership journey.
Keshet – LGBTQ+ JoC Shabbaton
The Keshet Neshamot/Rainbow Souls Shabbaton: A Retreat of Radiant Belonging — co-led by the JOC Mishpacha Project and Keshet — is a Shabbat weekend retreat for 18+ LGBTQ+ Jews of Color. The goal of this event is to create a Shabbat experience for participants that celebrates and fosters feelings of Jewish joy, authenticity, and community. Focused on joy, healing, and the diverse tapestry of QJOC experiences, the Keshet Neshamot/Rainbow Souls Shabbaton offered transformative workshops, discussions, and shared narratives.
SVARA- Summer at SVARA, JoC Scholars in Residence
SVARA is supporting in-person learning this summer through five day camps–immersive yeshiva-style programs that celebrate queer culture and the radical roots of Jewish traditions. Taking place in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia throughout the month of August, SVARA’s day camps aim to amplify and center JoC voices through the leadership of JoC faculty and fairies (teaching assistants). Through the development and facilitation of Talmud study and exciting interactive workshops, learning created and led by JoC teachers will help center and celebrate queer JoC perspectives and expand JoC leadership within SVARA’s day camps.
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History will initiate a proactive collecting effort that directly invites individuals who are Jews of Color and organizations that represent Jews of Color to offer objects, documents, art, photographs, and associated stories for donation to the Museum’s collection. This is an effort to ensure that JoC experiences are meaningfully represented in the Museum, which shares vibrant, varied, and true stories of American Jewish life throughout the nation’s history. To guide this effort and help select which items to bring into the Museum’s collection, The Weitzman will convene an advisory board of Jews of Color to support their efforts as well as have a JoC on the leadership team responsible for reaching out and connecting JoC communities nationally.
Don’t miss any opportunities or updates! We invite you to explore our grantees’ websites and follow them on social media.