The Jews of Color Initiative is proud to announce cohort 2 of our New York Incubator!
The Incubator is a program of the JoCI’s New York Hub, supported by UJA-Federation of NY. Combining a cohort-model with individualized support, the Incubator helps leaders develop and scale their JoC-centered projects to the next level. The Incubator includes a series of learning sessions to support project advancement as the cohort co-creates a brave and cross-pollinated community of JoC colleagues.
Cohort 2 of the Incubator is comprised of six Jewish leaders of Color, representing four innovative projects that will grow the field for Jews of Color. Read below to learn more.
Achim Sheli
Project leaders: Tonia Purnell-Respes (she/her) and Tameika Minor (she/her)
Achim Sheli: My Brothers and Sisters was founded, at Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, NJ, and is led by Jews of Color who are committed to engaging, supporting and encouraging ethnic and cultural diversity in the Jewish community. Achim Sheli strives to support, connect, and empower through education, service, and programming. They have a strong focus on family-friendly offerings.
Camp Kulanu @ Hannah Senesh Community Day School
Project leader: Jamie Maxner (she/her)
Collaborating with partner organizations serving the JoC community, Hannah Senesh Community Day School will hold a week-long multicultural Jewish camp that centers Jews of Color for children currently in Kindergarten through 2nd grade during the February 2023 school break. Camp will provide ethnically and racially diverse Jews with an opportunity to see themselves as an integral part of the Jewish people and experience a Jewish program in which diverse voices, stories, and experiences are celebrated. Senesh imagines expanding this work to year round family programming and to include more grades each year.
Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network
Project leaders: Ruben Shiminov (he/him) and Kadijah Spence (they/them)
Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network is home to queer Jews of Color who are reclaiming Jewish cultures and histories, particularly around Shabbat traditions. Originally, it was founded for queer Jews from Western Asia, North Africa, Portugal and Spain and expanded to a haven for all queer Jews of Color. Over the past five years, SMQN has coordinated hundreds of gatherings for queer Jews of Color.
Moorish Jewish Confluences
Project leader: Chama Mechtaly (she/her)
Moorish Jewish Confluences is an emerging project that seeks to use education and events to engage with and advocate for Jews of Color communities. Additionally, Moorish Jewish Confluences hopes to uplift and shine light on the ways that Jews of Color have historically and presently contributed to wider Jewish and non-Jewish communities.