Racial Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (REDI) - Communities of Belonging

The Jewish community includes individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and the URJ strives to reflect that diversity across our congregations, camps, and communities.

What is Racial Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (REDI) - Communities of Belonging?

The URJ acknowledges that due to racism, ableism, trans/phobia, sizism, classism, and other forms of oppression, that our communities are not whole until everyone has the opportunity to experiences a sense of belonging within the Jewish community. As a movement, we stand for a Judaism that is inclusive and reflective of a wide range of identities and accept the responsibility of dismantling oppression both inside and outside of our communities.

The Reform Movement will be a stronger, more vibrant Jewish community when we fully incorporate the diversity that is the reality of modern Jewish life. We believe that there is more than one authentic way to be Jewish and acknowledge that our diversity is an essential component to making our communities whole.

We are continually updating our resources, strategies, and ways we hold ourselves accountable. In addition, we continue to create new innovative and strategic initiatives as we work to deepen our impact and expand our reach. Examples of our current work include:

  • Resources: Original publications provide comprehensive educational resources, including our Assessment, and a variety of one-page resources.
  • JewV’Nation Fellowship: This leadership development program serves visionary Jewish leaders across North America from a wide variety of backgrounds. All of our cohorts are rooted in principles related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
  • Disabilities Inclusion Learning Center: In partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation, the learning center offers resources to for Reform professionals to develop additional skills, strategies, and understanding to make possible the full participation of people with disabilities in congregational and communal life.
  • Introduction to Judaism and Taste of Judaism: Existing initiatives of the URJ offering formal introduction to Judaism classes. Submit your classes to promote to prospective students.
  • Belin Awards: The biannual Belin Awards honor congregations of all sizes that have developed innovative and effective REDI programs.


HOW IS REDI Communities of Belonging DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS URJ INITIATIVES?

When Rabbi Alexander Schindler created the "Reform Jewish Outreach" initiative in the 1970s, the then-Union of American Hebrew Congregations heeded his call and began to listen to the needs of those in our communities who were not being heard – individuals who were considering becoming Jewish, and couples who were in love and did not see conversion as an option, but who were considering raising Jewish families. We asked them to tell us about the barriers they experienced, to tell us what made them feel welcome and what made them feel distant, and what we could do to bring them closer.

Through this collaborative process we learned a great deal, much of which provides the foundation for the work we do today.

While the Reform Movement has historically and proudly stood for justice and continues to address various forms of oppression in the world at large, we also see the need and often overlooked imperative to address oppression within our communities. This includes decentralizing dominant white culture and reflecting a wider range of identities within our Jewish spaces. Only when we can recognize and reflect the actual diversity of our Movement will we succeed in engaging more groups of people who are often unrepresented and under-served in Jewish communal and institutional spaces, transforming our communities into spaces of belonging for all who wish to call them home.

Jewish populations such as Jews by choice and those exploring Judaism, Jews of Color, LGBTQ+ Jews, Jews who live with physical, mental, or intellectual disabilities, multiracial families, millennials, the aging Jewish population, Jews who are unaffiliated and uninspired by Jewish communal offerings, and the evolving needs of interfaith and intermarried couples and families, requires our focused attention.

With this history and our current REDI practices, we now have a fuller understanding of the need to transform our communities. It is our goal to build on our historical success and continue to strengthen the Reform movement and North American Jewry.

Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (REDI) Resources

The resources are provided in an effort to support congregational and Jewish communal leaders - clergy, staff, lay leaders, members of the congregation, and community members at-large throughout North America – in applying a Racial Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity (REDI) lens to all that we do, as we work to embrace the diversity that is the reality of modern Jewish life.

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audacious hospitality Resources

What's New

Interfaith Inclusion in Our Communities

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.
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counselor and URJ camper using crutches

Disability Inclusion

This is the place to access webinars, videos, and written resources from top professionals, interact with experts, and consult other congregations and Reform Movement staff members on involving people with disabilities and their families.

ReformJudaism.org

To fulfill the URJ's mission of building Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Communities of Belonging for those who seek to live a Jewish life, ReformJudaism.org was launched in 2013 to ensure that anyone can find Jewish content that is accessible and welcoming. Since then, millions visitors have come to this site to seek out information to bring Judaism into their lives.

A TASTE OF JUDAISM®

A Taste of Judaism® offers a low barrier entry point for those who are curious about Judaism and often leads to deeper Jewish learning and engagement.