As community leaders and organizations work diligently to create innovative programs, foster leadership development, and expand our knowledge base, we are thrilled to share that we have recently awarded four new grants in response to our recent Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at supporting Jews of Color in small towns and emerging local communities. These grants mark an important expansion of our efforts, reaching beyond the more typical Jewish communal hubs like New York City or the Bay Area. Read below to learn about these four projects and how they will create positive change in the lives of Jews of Color in corners of the country we have not previously reached.
TischPDX: Pacific Northwest JoC Survey
TischPDX bolsters the leadership of young and marginalized Jews in Portland, Oregon. This year, TischPDX will create and distribute a comprehensive survey to gain valuable insights into the demographics and interests of Jews of Color in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region. The data collected from this survey will provide a much-needed, evidence-based understanding of JoC in the PNW, including affiliations, interests, and engagement in Jewish communal life. After analyzing the survey responses, TischPDX will publish the data in a report and host an in-person session discussing the findings and key trends to inform JoC-centered programming. This research is being stewarded, conducted, and analyzed by Jews of Color through a partnership between TischPDX and Tiyuv, which does JOC-led and oriented research and evaluation.
Uri L’Tzedek: Enriching JoC Communities in the Greater Phoenix Valley
Uri L’tzedek, an Orthodox social justice organization, is hosting a program led by JoC leaders to engage and connect with Jews of Color across the Greater Phoenix Valley, which includes smaller cities like Glendale, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Tempe, Chandler, and Mesa. Uri L’Tzedek will collect data on the JoC population in these areas to understand what the JoC community needs as well as to increase regional participation in JoC-centered and led community programming.
Jews of Color: Cleveland
Jews of Color: Cleveland is a project by the Mitsui Collective that is focused on building a thriving network for JoC in Cleveland through supporting two community organizers that will engage and grow the network of JoC in the region. Additionally, these organizers will conduct outreach, collect data, and organize six programs for Jews of Color over the course of a year.
New Synagogue Project: Assessing the Needs of JoC in the DMV (Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia)
The New Synagogue Project (NSP) is rebooting the synagogue model for today’s—and tomorrow’s—Jews to create belonging and bring Jewish values to life. In order to create a safe space for all JoC, NSP established anti-racism and inclusion goals that include hiring a JoC Coordinator to invest in community building and leadership among JoC. This grant supports the JoC Coordinator in conducting a needs assessment as a first phase of the work.