Jews of Color Initiative

General Support

2020

$150,000

Despite the fact that people of color currently make up an estimated 12 to 15 percent of the American Jewish population (and growing), the organized Jewish community often acts and is viewed like it’s all white. This allows racism and insularity to fester. To make the culture of Jewish communal life more inclusive, a small group of funders launched the Jews of Color Initiative in 2016. Four years in, the initiative—which re-grants funds to support professional development for Jews of color and DEI trainings for Jewish institutions—has made significant progress in making Jews of color more visible and more valued. As the Jewish community grapples with the impacts of COVID-19, which disproportionately touches all people of color, this work has become even more critical. Funding from Righteous Persons Foundation will help the initiative raise awareness about the unique needs of Jews of color in this moment and provide additional resources to help the Jewish community respond equitably to the crisis.