Newsletter

When JoCI opened a Request for Proposals for projects supporting new and emerging initiatives for Jews of Color in Los Angeles, Rabbi Yonosan Perry and longtime collaborator Chava Shervington saw an opportunity to provide new support for youth in the community. Their idea: a bar and bat mitzvah preparatory program designed specifically for older children in Torah-observant Black Jewish families.

The Jews of Color Initiative continues to deepen its engagement in the South, supporting leaders and organizations who are shaping vibrant Jewish life—often in places where Jewish identity is powerfully thriving. One such leader is Dr. Buffie Longmire-Avital, whose story offers insight into both the challenges, and the transformative potential, of building Jewish community in the South.