Anti-Racist Resources
About These Resources
JLV’s commitment to racial equity is evidenced in a number of ways: our Diversity Statement, developed by our staff; ongoing professional development for our staff; through multiple workshops facilitated for our Board and Trustees; and through jkid4all, an initiative of jkidphilly.
jkid4all brings together families who identify as Jewish Families of Color and/or culturally and ethnically diverse Jews through social gatherings and Jewish educational programming. These gatherings offer families the opportunity to build relationships with others who similarly identify, enabling people of all ages to see themselves in others while in Jewish spaces.
At least 12-15% of Jews in the United States identify as Jews of Color of African, Latinx, Asian or mixed-race descent (Source: Counting Inconsistencies) and ~10% of US Jews are of Mizrahi or Sephardic heritage. (Source: Be’chol Lashon referencing Beyond the Count study by JOCi)
We are offering you a plethora of anti-bias, anti-racist resources to support your learning to support your family.
Do you have an article or link to add to our growing list of JOC resources?
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Stories about the JOC Experience
- Check out this growing list of articles by JOC about being JOC.
- Research from the Mitsui Institute, Unraveling the impacts of racism and antisemitism as dual vectors of trauma for Jews of Color at the intersection of the body: Interwoven Oppressions
- Beyond the Count: Perspectives and Lived Experiences of Jews of Color
- Be’chol Lashon’s website has many resources on holidays, first-person accounts, possible speakers, and discussion guides.
- Jackie Jonas shares how to love your whole Black child.
- Sarah Kolker describes her experiences being a JOC in 2022.
- David A. Love offers how we can use history to better understand ourselves and each other.
- This growing list of articles focuses on transracial adoption.
- Shades of Belonging, to uplift experiences of Jewish adoptees of Color
- From the sound of the shofar at Sinai, a people was created out of a mixed multitude. We pray for the “ingathering of peoples,” but what does Jewish diversity really entail? Stacey Flint explains.
Anti-Bias Articles
- We highly recommend watching all of the videos in this PBS series on implicit bias.
- This article is helpful in deciding if you want to respond to a microaggression as well as a useful 4-D framework for responses.
- “How They See Us” is a podcast about stereotyping and its impact.
- This article defines microaggressions and microaffirmations, and how to welcome at the “micro” level.
- Check out this list of 10 ways to create a welcoming culture in your congregation.
- How to create a place of belonging in your synagogue: tips for greeters.
- Here are some tools for interrupting microaggressions.
- How Tokenism Affects Jews of Color and 5 Ways Allies Can Interrupt It, and other anti bias tools
Books
Here are growing lists of JOC-authored books:
And here is a growing list of books focusing on anti-bias education.
Go Deeper
- Why do people convert to Judaism? Led by Meorah Ha-Meir, five individuals share heartfelt stories of their journeys to Judaism. What NOT To Say To a Jewish Convert.
- Quick Read: Five Things to Not Ask a Jew Of Color From a Jew who Has Heard it All
- Browse this growing list of suggested podcasts.
- Isaac Etter’s docuseries offers his own perspective on transracial adoption.
- Check out this list of JOC Communal Organizations, as well as this list of even more organizations from around the world.
- Cook your way through this list of recipes from around the Jewish world, or check out some of these cookbooks!
- Find more ways to celebrate with this Diverse Holiday Resource List