Jews of Color Space

Is this space for me? Should I come to these events?

This space is designed to center anyone who is directly impacted by racism, colonization, and/or Ashkenazi dominance* in Jewish spaces.

Can I bring someone?

Yes – family members and significant others who are supporting you are always welcome. We simply request that those guests respect the focus of the space.

I may not be “directly impacted,” but my child is - should we come?

Absolutely! We want to make sure that kids of color can be supported in our community, though the programming has so far centered on adult-oriented programming. We do request that white parents respect the focus of the space and remain open to growth and learning opportunities from the space.

If you are interested in getting involved to help think on more kid-centric planning, please contact Emma, sangam, and Monét of JoC Space Team (joc[at]newsynagogueproject.org as well as Kids Team (kidsteam[at]newsynagogueproject.org).

* What’s Ashkenazi dominance? Ashkenazi Jews are one of several distinctive major ethnic-geographic-intellectual lineages among world Jewry. Ashkenazi Jews typically trace their heritage to western and eastern Europe, Russia, and former Soviet Union countries, though many Jews who converted to Judaism are Ashkenazi by practice and culture rather than literal ancestry. They make up 75-90% of American Jews depending on who’s counting, and because of this numeric dominance, their practices and cultures of Judaism are often assumed to be the only or the “normal” way to be Jewish. These assumptions and the actual marginalization of Sephardi, Mizrahi, and other Jewish lineages and practices, are part of “Ashkenazi dominance.”