Over the past 16 months, I have traveled throughout the country in my role leading the Jews of Color Initiative. I’ve visited rural communities in Nevada, Upstate New York, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, as well as metro regions like Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC and New York City. In hundreds and hundreds of deeply human interactions in transit, in hotels, in front of diverse audiences across dozens of regions and thousands of miles, I’ve listened to stories of being misunderstood and marginalized–because of who we are, and so often who we are perceived to be. I’ve also been moved by the antidotal power of what happens when identity, community, spiritual connection, and wholeness are actively cultivated–especially in young people.
JoCI Thought Leadership
While as leaders we have raised our collective consciousness about diversity, and by extension can comfortably point to the few people of color added to our boards and public facing roles of institutional influence, we have inadequately committed to multi-year initiatives focusing on the personal, organizational and systemic rigors of Inclusion — those spaces where natural conflicts of values, beliefs, cultures and ways of being, emerge and must be navigated.
In her latest op-ed, JoCI’s CEO Ilana Kaufman delves into the profound influence of research in advancing our understanding of the intersectional identities of Jews of Color in the United States. Ilana explores how research enhances our comprehension of the multifaceted identities within the Jews of Color community. This op-ed sheds light on the work of our 2023 research grantees and the compelling issues--and timeless questions-- they invite us to consider.
What does it mean to be a Jewish person of color in America today? We are honored to be featured in this new episode by Stance Podcast, where the dialogue unfolds with many powerful voices, including our CEO, Ilana Kaufman, and current and past staff of the Jews of Color Initiative.
Ilana Kaufman's latest op-ed examines how Netflix's ‘You People’ presents American Jews as a white monolith, ignoring our diverse, multiracial reality.
Philanthropy can serve as a catalyst to inspire people and organizations to take specific actions. It is simultaneously a tool of support, of partnerships, of empowerment, and even of accountability. When implemented with intentionality—such as by building in racial equity and justice goals, objectives, and consequences when we fall short—philanthropy can energize an ecosystem and an entire community.
Racial Equity-Informed Philanthropy features dynamic chapters authored by multiracial leaders in the Jews of Color community. Collectively, the authors hold expertise in the areas of race, philanthropy, and Jewish wisdom.
Jewish culture is deeply rooted in traditional core values, structures and norms often held by our American Jewish organizations. At the same time, today’s American Jewish community is more diverse and represents more backgrounds than ever.
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.
Pointing to the many times in Bamidbar that Jews are counted, Ilana Kaufman explores the question: Who is counted? Being counted matters because to be counted is an affirmation of belonging; being counted provides context and identity. Using National census and Jewish studies data, Kaufman shows that Jews of Color are already a substantial percentage of the Jewish population.