Here are a few things your congregation can do now to support Black and Brown people both within the Jewish community and beyond, both directly and on a systemic level.
Welcoming the stranger, or immigrant, is a core part of Jewish tradition, mentioned 36 times in the Torah. We affirm our commitment to create the same opportunities for today's immigrants that were so valuable to our own community not so many years ago.
We are so proud to launch the Union for Reform Judaism's (URJ) Equity Indicator; an exciting new tool that will help guide all of us in our efforts to create equitable Communities of Belonging. An equitable Jewish community is a space and place where all people have the opportunity to feel affirmed, safe, celebrated, and experience a sense of belonging.
While camp is an oasis away from everyday life, it still exists in a world that has much work to do around harm prevention, particularly for Campers of Color, gender-diverse campers, campers with a variety of body sizes, and campers with disabilities.
"What if people protest the program and disrupt Shabbat?" I admit, I heard a loud voice in my head repeating this question as our Pride Shabbat festivities approached last June.
Reform Judaism stands for a Judaism that is inclusive and encourages the participation of all members of interfaith families in our communities. Here are some steps we can take as community leaders to affirm members of interfaith families, ensure they know they are valued and understood as critical members of our Reform communities, and do our best to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience a sense of belonging.
We sat down with Rabbi Jonah Pesner to discuss his work in the Reform Movement, as a SCoRE member, and his experience as the first Jewish person appointed to SCoRE.
In 2021, many of the URJ's 15 camps engaged in the creation of a URJ-structured Racial Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (REDI) Working Group & Camp Assessment process. One of those camps was Camp George in Ontario, Canada.
Along with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the Jewish Grandparents Network (JGN) and Keshet share a commitment to an inclusive Jewish community that reflects and affirms marginalized identities. We realized we could have the greatest impact towards a more inclusive community if we worked together.