You’ve heard of the rabbi shortage, but have you heard of the untapped rabbinical talent pipeline? From my vantage point leading Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy, there are clear solutions in recruiting, cultivating and elevating untapped talent.
Thought Leadership
Building off of the Jews of Color Initiative’s landmark study “Beyond the Count” from 2021, “Threads of Identity” provides actionable steps for the Jewish community to take in order to create spaces where LGBTQ+ Jews of Color are not only acknowledged but fully embraced and supported.
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.
"What stories could be told in school and media that demonstrated the joys and complexities of being Jewish, especially for this second-generation American Jew? What about the intersectionality of being Black, Jewish, and queer? Where is my representation in the media and in books?"
In this post October 7th world we are all managing sets of -isms that are making us feel less safe moving through the world as openly Jewish people. As a result, a narrative has emerged over the past several months that has called for a separation from ‘communities of color’ who are perceived as not being in ideological lockstep with the ‘Jewish community.’ This perspective assumes both that each community is monolithic in their views and that full agreement is a condition to working towards our shared liberation project.
Over the past year, JoCI and our partners created meaningful opportunities for leadership and belonging for Jews of Color through dynamic fellowships and programs, forward-thinking dialogue and research, and grants for innovative projects. Take a look at the powerful impact we made together in 2023-2024.
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.
The Jews of Color Initiative continues to play an essential role in the Jewish community. The Jews of Color Initiative is actively restructuring the Jewish communal field to better serve, engage, and follow the leadership of Jews of Color (JoC). Click to read the 2023 Annual Report.