Related Blog Posts on Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, and Introduction to Judaism

Interfaith Inclusion in Our Communities

Rabbi Julie Zupan
Crystal Hill
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.

Organizational Partners in Action: How the Jewish Grandparents Network, URJ, and Keshet Partnered to Support Grandparents of Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender-expansive Youth

Stephanie Fink, MAJCS, RJE
Terry Kaye
Tracey Labgold
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.

URJ Helps Rabbis and Students Navigate Jewish Journeys Online

Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser
The URJ's Introduction to Judaism is an online course for adults interested in exploring Jewish life through a Reform lens. We make every effort to connect students to their local congregations, but if their local congregations do not offer an Intro to Judaism course, these students can sign up for online classes.

Two Out of Two

Yolanda Savage-Narva
As a graduate of both Tougaloo College and Jackson State University, the bomb threats to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are personal to me. Since January 2022, over a dozen HBCUs have received bomb threats; several of those threats were received on the first day of Black history month. The continuous attacks on institutions of higher learning; places of worship and individual attacks are a direct threat to our everyday existence.

Rosa Parks's Legacy Endures Today

Israel Harris
Shayna Han
Many Americans remember Rosa Parks as the tired seamstress who refused to move to the back of a bus, but Rosa Parks is much more than that story. Though she did not identify as Jewish, her life reflected a commitment to we might identify as tikkun olam – repairing what is broken in our world. Here are three key insights from Rosa Parks’s life we can bear in mind as Black History Month begins.

Introduction to Judaism: Five Best Practices to Try

Rabbi Emily Langowitz
Supporting newcomers to Judaism and helping them find belonging is one of Rabbi Marina Yergin's greatest joys in her work at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Texas where she has served since 2015. Known affectionately to her students as the "Resource Queen," Rabbi Yergin designed a dynamic Introduction to Judaism program where each spring, students learned "Stepping Stones to Basic Jewish Knowledge" followed in the fall by "Choosing Judaism," a discussion-based class geared specifically for those working to become Jewish.