Anti-Racism

NSP is a multiracial Jewish community committed to dismantling racism and white supremacy. The Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG), a multi-racial team of NSP leaders and members, works to institutionalize this commitment in the operations of NSP and the life of our community. The ARWG’s responsibilities include:

  1. Define and achieve alignment – in partnership with NSP leadership – around a set of goals and priorities. 
  2. Make plans for how we’ll meet our goals, including who takes responsibility for each goal/project (which may or may not be a member of the working group), what resources they’ll need, and how best to sequence steps and stages of this work.
  3. Check in on progress – provide supportive accountability to those who are leading pieces of the work and our consultants, ensuring NSP is moving closer to the goals we’ve set to develop a thriving, not just a protective environment; evaluate/troubleshoot how it’s going; reflect on what we are learning; communicate regularly and transparently to leadership and the community.

If you’re interested in learning more, participating in a training or other anti-racism program, or contributing to this work in some way, please contact the ARWG at antiracism@newsynagogueproject.org.

Goals

In November 2021, the leadership of NSP adopted the following community goals proposed by the ARWG:

  1. Within the next 12-18 months, establish anti-racism practices (e.g. redress for harm, accountability/enforcement, transparency) among NSP community, especially staff, leaders, and volunteers. 
    • Develop practices and provide training for leadership and community to address and learn from harms and build accountability with an understanding that processes must be unique to the context and attuned to level of commitment for each person involved.
    • Equip anyone taking a leadership role at NSP to do so with an understanding of the multicultural and antiracist space we want to build
  2. Within the next 12-18 months, develop training and learning opportunities for members where at least 75% of the congregation is actively participating in or engaged in the work.
    • Develop content for member orientation to acculturate newcomers, including content oriented toward kids and parents.
    • Develop discussion groups and caucus spaces to build socialization of concepts and norms.
    • Establish practices to ensure all NSP content and programming, for both adults and kids, represents the diversity of the Jewish community and values the experiences and traditions of Jews of Color rather than centering whiteness as a default.
    • Develop structure around NSP messaging and content to such that everyone entering NSP spaces understands our vision for a multicultural community and is equipped to be an active participant in building it.
    • Ensure that all learning opportunities offered by NSP, including our kids education program, instill appreciation for the inherent multiracial identity of the Jewish community and include history of JOC communities around the world and historical figures who identified as Black and Jewish
  3. Build a multiracial community in which Jewish and other people of color feel like they belong in NSP spaces, a reality reflected both in membership and leadership.  
    • Within 2-5 years, the NSP community, leadership, and Kollel will at least reflect the racial makeup of the U.S. Jewish population (>15%).
    • Assure that NSP program participation and attendance, including in our kids education program, is racially diverse and balanced by creating experiences valuable to Jews of Color, particularly Black and Indigenous Jews.

Resources

Below are links to resources for learning more about how we can all play our part in creating a community of belonging for everyone who shows up at NSP. If you have ideas for additional resources that would be helpful to share with our community, please write to antiracism@newsynagogueproject.org.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dZid5Trb5Uhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N43fN8Rpm6Mhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNhG8aW6gbI

Accessibility

We are committed to making NSP as accessible and inclusive for all who wish to participate. This includes people who are disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, D/deaf, hard of hearing, blind or low vision, have scent-sensitivities, or who have any other kind of disability.

Continue reading “Accessibility”

NSP COVID Policy

At NSP, we work to ensure that all members of our community can participate meaningfully and safely in community spaces. Through a host of community health practices, we aim to both meet the different needs of our community. Participants at NSP events commit to respecting and trusting others in their assessments of their needs. Our COVID policy is one part of our accessibility and disability justice work, it is part of how we care for and about one another.

As of April 1, 2025, NSP practices these community health and participation protocols:

Stay home when you’re sick

One of our most powerful tools to keep one another healthy and safe is to stay home when we are sick or when we are experiencing symptoms that may mean we’ll pass on a contagious and potentially severe illness. Please stay home if you have COVID, the flu, RSV, norovirus, or another serious contagious illness or if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms. For more guidance on when to stay home, please click here.

Masks: Diversity of protocol to meet diverse needs

    • Shabbat services – NSP will hold one mask-required and one mask-optional Friday night service per month, and half of our monthly Shabbat morning services will be mask-required and half will be mask-optional. The masking plan for services will be clearly marked on the website, in our communication with registered attendees in advance, and in person when you arrive. Masks are always welcome and provided! Starting this summer, services will be streamed on Zoom to allow participation from wherever you are.
      • Note: If you have a health need that prevents masking, take care of yourself and refrain from masking!  We trust you to assess your needs. If you need to remain unmasked at an otherwise mask-required event, take a rapid COVID test before you come or upon your arrival. We have tests available at the greeter table.
    • Kids – Children below b-mitzvah age (7th grade and under) are not expected to wear masks.
    • Kollel (NSP’s children’s education program) – Beginning in fall 2025, Kollel will be mask-optional. HEPA filters will be placed in each classroom.
    • High Holidays – Masks will be required for everyone above b-mitzvah age, unless you have a health need that prevents masking as noted above. Everyone above b-mitzvah age will take rapid COVID tests before or upon arrival (provided by NSP). There will also be outdoor and indoor mask-optional spaces during services and at other times during holidays. High Holidays services will continue to be available by Zoom from wherever you are. Stay tuned for further details when High Holidays registration opens this summer.
    • Other events and programs – Masks are optional for events and programs other than the services noted above or when otherwise clearly marked.
      • Small groups with consistent membership will begin by polling the group for access needs and working together to find practices that work for everyone in the group – when there are conflicting needs in the group, this may mean agreeing to test, meet virtually, or meet outdoors.
      • One-off small events may have COVID-cautious protocols that will be communicated via registration forms.
      • For our largest community-wide events, NSP staff and volunteer event planners will do our best to meet the diverse needs of our community, e.g. providing indoor and outdoor space, mask-required and mask-optional space, where logistically feasible.

Fresh air

We love being outdoors for lots of reasons, and we gather outdoors when weather and venue allows. We also work to meet high standards of air circulation and filtration in the indoor spaces where we gather, using portable HEPA filters and consulting with our hosts about the air quality their HVAC systems can provide.

Get vaccinated

NSP requires up-to-date COVID vaccination to participate in all in-person events. We expect everyone who can to get all doctor-recommended vaccinations, including annual flu shots. Check vaccines.gov to find a pharmacy near you offering vaccines or talk to your doctor. If you have a health need that prevents vaccination, please contact Rabbi Yosef to request an exemption at rabbi@newsynagogueproject.org.

If there are major changes in public health (ie. G!d forbid a new pandemic) leadership will convene and reassess communal needs.  We’re grateful for everyone’s participation in this special community and for our commitment to care for one another.