Community Education & Resources

The Jews of Color Initiative is proud to spread our passion for racial justice and inclusion of Jews of Color to institutional leaders and stakeholders across the United States. The Initiative reflects on our most current research findings and advocates for more inclusive and equitable Jewish communities to support our collective thriving as a multiracial people. Explore our resources to expand your learning.

Top 5 Teachings from Beyond the Count

Built on data from 1,118 survey respondents and 61 interview participants, our study Beyond the Count is painting an unprecedented picture of Jews of Color. Here are the top five teachings we see emerging from this new study.

Essential Racial Justice Reading

How Tokenism Affects Jews of Color and 5 Ways Allies Can Interrupt It

As the white Jewish community confronts the reality that Jews of Color have long been excluded from communal and institutional Jewish settings, many community members and organizations are seeking to include Jews of Color. While inclusion efforts must be made to counteract the inequities that persist in our community, efforts that rely on tokenism will not heal our racial wounds.

Continuum on Becoming an Anti-racist, Multicultural Organization

Future vision of an institution and wider community that has overcome systemic racism and all other forms of oppression. • Institution's life reflects full participation and shared power with diverse racial, cultural and economic groups in determining its mission, structure, constituency, policies and practices • Members across all identity groups are full participants in decisions that shape the institution, and inclusion of diverse cultures, lifestyles, and interest

White Supremacy Culture

This is a list of characteristics of white supremacy culture which show up in our organizations. Culture is powerful precisely because it is so present and at the same time so very difficult to name or identify. The characteristics listed below are damaging because they are used as norms and standards without being pro-actively named or chosen by the group. They are damaging because they promote white supremacy thinking. They are damaging to both people of color and to white people. Organizations that are people of color led or a majority people of color can also demonstrate many damaging characteristics of white supremacy culture.

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Learning Materials on Racial Justice

6 Must-Read Articles by Asian Jews on Anti-Asian Racism and the Atlanta Shootings

Among the Asian Americans speaking up during this time, Asian American Jews are sharing their stories of anti-Asian racism so other Asian Jews can navigate this challenging time collectively and so the white Jewish community can become more educated on the ways in which anti-Asian bigotry continues to show up in the Jewish community and beyond. These 6 articles detail the lived experiences of Asian-Jewish identity, the need for solidarity, and a call for change—directly from the voices of fellow Jews.

Members of Whose Tribe?

Today, Americans tend to think of Jewish people as white folks, but it wasn’t always that way. On this episode of NPR’s Code Switch, we dig into the complex role Jewish identity has played in America’s racial story — especially now, when anti-Semitism is on the rise.

Not “Us Versus Them”: Black Jews, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and the Fight for Equity

Faced with the reckoning with racism across time and the call to action from the Black Lives Matter movement in our present moment, Kaufman tasked any white Jewish webinar attendants and viewers to ask themselves: “What am I willing to give up? What am I able to learn, and what am I willing to contribute to halt the perpetuation of racism and white supremacy in this country?”

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Partner Resources on Racial Justice

Queer Jews of Color Resource List

Keshet and the Jewish Multiracial Network have teamed up to create a comprehensive list of blogs, social media accounts, articles, and multimedia dedicated to sharing the ideas and experiences of QJoC.

Resources for Embracing Racial Diversity in Our Jewish Communities

The following organizations, articles, books and digital materials serve as resources for congregations and other institutions to continue the work of embracing diversity in our communities.

Racial Justice Guide

The Jewish community is stronger and more authentically rooted in justice when everyone has an equal seat at the table. This moment calls us to do the best, most authentic, and most effective work for justice that we can. We know that there are many kinds of injustice in our world, including racism, antisemitism, and white supremacy. This guide approaches our drive towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, primarily through a lens of race; it offers ways to understand, and work against, racism in our organizations. However, we also acknowledge the ways in which racism is intertwined with other forms of oppression, and in particular how antisemitism and racism are linked through white supremacy in the United States.

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Holidays

Essential Holiday Reading

Pésaj a Través de un Lente de Liberación Judío-Latino (en Espanol)

Cada año, alrededor del mundo, el pueblo judío se reúne en familia y en comunidad para recordar la historia de Pésaj. Durante este festival, se nos enseña a contar la historia de nuestros antepasados esclavizados e imaginar como si nosotros mismos estuviéramos siendo emancipados de la esclavitud.

What Juneteenth Means to My Black Jewish Family

This personal essay by Marcella White-Campbell shares connection to Juneteenth with her family, and how she weaves in its meaning with her children.

Kaddish for Black Lives

Kaddish is an an ancient Jewish prayer sequence regularly recited in the synagogue service, including thanksgiving and praise and concluding with a prayer for universal peace. It can often be recited for those who've passed. The Jewish Multiracial Network wrote this one for Black Lives.

Events

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Additional Holiday Resources

The Rosh Hashanah Seder: Latinx Edition | El Seder de Rosh Hashaná: Edición Latina

Commemorate the new year by hosting your very own Rosh Hashanah Seder. This guide, created by Jewtina y Co., is a perfect way to explore the traditions of Rosh Hashanah while also elevating Latino/x culture. Conmemora el año nuevo organizando tu propio Seder de Rosh Hashaná. Esta guía, creada por Jewtina y Co., es una manera perfecta de explorar las tradiciones de Rosh Hashaná y al mismo tiempo elevar la cultura Latina

What is Juneteenth to a Black Jew

Chris Harrison from Union for Reform Judaism shares his perspective on what Juneteenth means to a Black Jewish person

My High Holiday Prayer: Stop Exploiting Jews of Color

This was not the first time a white Jew has questioned the authenticity of my Judaism based on the color of my skin. It was, however, the first time a white Jew had done this to me in my own home.

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Research Resources

Beyond the Count 8-12-21 recording

View the recording of the entire August 12 launch of Beyond the Count, including panel discussion featuring Ilana Kaufman, Executive Director of the Jews of Color Initiative; Ginna Green, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Uprise; Analucia Lopezrevoredo, Founder and Executive Director of Jewtina y Co.; and Janu Mendel, Executive Director of Repair the World Miami.

Jewish Americans in 2020

See the finding's from Pew Research's 2020 study about Jewish Americans.

More Than Numbers: A Guide Toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Data Collection

Collecting data is about more than just numbers. Our surveys and evaluations can either unintentionally perpetuate bias and harmful stereotypes, or promote inclusion and equity. Rethinking data collection through a diversity, equity and inclusion lens is a critical undertaking for values-driven organizations, but few resources exist to guide this process. We are publishing ‘More Than Numbers’ as a first step toward filling this gap in the field.