Mentorship and community have always been at the heart of Evan Traylor’s journey as a Jewish leader. Growing up in a close-knit Reform Jewish community in Oklahoma City, Traylor was often one of the only Jewish students in school—and one of even fewer Jews of Color. Now, he is concluding his rabbinical studies at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City and, this Spring, will join the growing ranks of JoC rabbis.
As Traylor approaches the end of his time in rabbinical school, he reflects on the journey that led him here. “I remember being in religious school in elementary school and kind of noticing like, okay, there’s not a whole lot of people that look like me and my family here,” he recalled. Traylor’s path through school years and beyond was supported by meaningful mentor-mentee relationships, and he found himself proudly stepping into opportunities to educate his non-Jewish peers about Judaism. “I got the message pretty early on that being Jewish is about showing up and being in community,” he said. “I had a lot of people on my team, supporting me along the way.”
In high school, Traylor sought out larger Jewish spaces through national organizations like NFTY, the Reform Jewish youth movement. These experiences ignited his passion for leadership, eventually becoming NFTY’s North American President during his senior year of high school. When he returned home to Oklahoma City, a crowd of community members gathered at the airport to celebrate with him. Among them were his staple of community leaders and support system—many of them women—who had mentored him from an early age and helped him envision a future in Jewish leadership beyond his hometown. “These were the people who showed me that this could be more than something fun, that I could build a life out of this work,” he said. “I’m thinking about my mom, I’m thinking about my NFTY advisors at the local, regional, and North American level all guiding me along the way.
After earning degrees in political science, Jewish studies, and leadership studies at the University of Kansas, Traylor began working at Union for Reform Judaism to develop college initiatives for young Jewish adults. Here, he met April Baskin, who was Vice President at the time and became a significant mentor for Traylor. As his leadership evolved, he began engaging with larger, more diverse Jewish communities, and deepened his awareness of the profound impact that comes from connecting with other JoC leaders. “Not being the only Jew of Color in a community gave me more solid footing to try new things and pursue bigger opportunities,” he said. This sense of belonging led him to the work of the Jews of Color Initiative, where he eventually connected with Ilana Kaufman.
“JoCI is setting the tone for the field and serving the entire JoC ecosystem. As more and more JoCs take on leadership, start new organizations, and infuse our current institutions with new ideas and energy, JoCI is vital to ensuring that JoCs are not only present, but setting the agenda for our larger Jewish community. Getting involved with the Board has been very exciting.”
For Traylor, the work of JoCI represents the kind of long-term vision necessary to foster a thriving and expansive future for JoC leadership. “The long-term mapping JoCI is able to do, as well as the ability to meet more immediate needs, really connects with how my brain works,” he said. Traylor also noted that his position as a soon-to-be-ordained rabbi brings a unique perspective to JoCI’s Board, which represents a wide array of expertise, including education, mixed-methods research, DEI, community impact, civil rights law, and more.
At the core of Traylor’s leadership is the idea that all humans are created b’tzelem Elohim—“in the image of God”—a concept found in the very beginning of Torah. “If each and every person, not only Jews, but every person in the world, is created in the image of God,” Traylor said, “that calls us to not only be nice to them, but to love them and to fight to ensure they have live a life filled with goodness.” For Traylor, building strong, compassionate communities that fight for justice and peace for all people is at the core of his Judaism.
As he looks ahead, his approach remains grounded in the core values that have shaped him since childhood. “We need to focus on what makes us feel alive and excited as Jewish people and double down on that,” he said. “Feeling grounded with my people around me is the most important thing.”