Jews of Color Initiative

NY Pro Net, April 24th - Facing the World as it Is, Facing the World as We Are
2025-04-24 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for our upcoming NYC Pro Network event on April 24th to explore resilience through Jewish tradition. Facilitated by Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife, we’ll reflect on how these teachings apply to our lives, discuss strategies for bouncing back, and sharpen our judgment on when to engage and when to let go—a crucial skill for our well-being and leadership in these times.

Pre-Service Community Oneg at Adas Israel
2025-04-11 17:30 - 18:25 (America/New_York)
Join JoCI and the Adas Israel community for a cozy gathering before Shabbat services at Adas Israel in Washington DC. You are invited to stay for services from 6:30-8:00pm where Ilana Kaufman, Founder and CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, will also be speaking. All are welcome! Register at bit.ly/JoCI-at-Adas for the Oneg, and stay for services!

BIPOC Jews Networking Event + Book Talk at Third Space
2025-04-09 17:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Connect with BIPOC Jews and families at Third Space in Baltimore on April 9th for dinner, networking, and community dialogue with Ilana Kaufman, CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, and Arya Marvazy, Senior Director of Programs. You’ll hear about JoCI’s current work and the importance of building multiracial Jewish community. This gathering is followed immediately by a book talk with Ilana Kaufman and Marc Dollinger, author of Black Power, Jewish Politics: Reinventing the Alliance of the 1960s.
Registration for the dinner will automatically include entrance to the book talk.
Registration is free, with a suggested donation of $18.

NY Pro Net, March 19 - "Not So Minor Feelings" with Rabbi Becky Jaye
2025-03-19 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
What role can anger play in becoming an effective leader? How can processing our own feelings of anger shape our growth as community builders and leaders? Join the NY JoC Pro Network on March 19th as we explore examples of anger in the Tanakh alongside passages of Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning. In this session, led by Rabbi Becky Jaye, we will explore the potential of our anger to become holy and core to our missions to lead responsibly.
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience — whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!

SAVE THE DATE: LA Pro Network - March 26
2025-02-27 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Save the date for the next Jews of Color Initiative’s Los Angeles JoC Professional Network, taking place on March 26, 2025. More info coming soon!

LA Pro Network, Jan 22nd - JoC Pro Net 2.0: Values & Visions
2025-01-22 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
We invite you to our next LA session: “JoC Pro Network 2.0: Values & Visions” on Wednesday, January 22nd, from 6-8:30 PM PT in West Hollywood.
Reflect on the past year, share your insights, and help envision the future of our growing LA JoC Professional Network. Connect with fellow JoC professionals, enjoy a delicious shared meal, and contribute to shaping the next chapter for our vibrant community.

NYC Pro Network, Jan 22nd - What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Leadership in This Time
2025-01-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for the next NYC JoC Pro Network event, What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Leadership in This Time with Rachel Faulkner on January 22nd, 6-8pm ET.
As we navigate an uncertain era, Rachel Faulkner, Senior Director of National Campaigns and Partnerships at the National Council of Jewish Women, will guide us in exploring the wisdom of past movements. Together, we’ll learn how our ancestors led with strength, built networks, created rituals, and embraced rest to inspire leadership in our time.
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience. Exact location shared upon registration.

Navigating Gender Equity and Women's Rights in this Post-Election Landscape, with Sheila Katz and Ilana Kaufman
2024-12-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Join JFN’s Gender Lens Philanthropy Peer Network and SRE Network for a unique opportunity to learn from two visionary leaders who are shaping the future of gender equity and social justice work. Sheila Katz, CEO of NCJW, and Ilana Kaufman, CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, will discuss the threats and opportunities facing our shared values–specifically around reproductive justice, women’s rights, and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

This program is open to JFN and SRE Network members and will be recorded.

Jews of Color: A Lesson in Inclusion - Temple Sinai, Sarasota
2024-12-14 - 2024-12-15
Join Ilana Kaufman on December 14 and 15 for an energizing talk about Jewish diversity and belonging at Temple Sinai in Sarasota, FL. Ilana will discuss the work of JoCI, the historical presence of diverse Jews, and key findings from our groundbreaking research. Learn how these insights can inform inclusive programming and community-building. Scan the QR code on the flyer to register!

NYC Pro Network, December 5th - Under the Umbrella
2024-12-05 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Dive into the rich spectrum of Jewish identities, reflecting on how cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity shape our understanding of Jewish peoplehood with JoCI’s NY Pro Network! Join us for an evening of exploration and connection with Dr. Analucía Lopezrevoredo on December 5th for a chance to examine your own identity and engage in meaningful discussions with JoC community.

Community, Connection & Celebration - an evening with the Los Angeles JoC Pro Network
2024-11-20 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Los Angeles JoC Pro Network on November 20th, 6-8:30pm for Community, Connection, & Celebration, a gathering to honor a year of building a vibrant JoC community in LA! Connect with fellow Jews of Color and invited allies who support multiracial Jewish life, enjoy food and drinks, and hear about the incredible work we’ve done and what’s next for our community.
Limited RSVPs available until November 13th.

NYC Pro Network, November 12th - Connecting to and Clarifying Our Vision of a Just World
2024-11-12 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us on Tuesday, November 12th, from 6-8pm for the NYC JoC Pro Network session, Connecting to and Clarifying Our Vision of a Just World, facilitated by spiritual activist Yehudah Webster. Dive into an interactive workshop rooted in Mussar, where Jewish spiritual wisdom meets the pursuit of justice within ourselves and our communities. Yehudah will guide us in using spiritual tools to connect deeply with our motivations to build a more just world.
21+. No requirements for your past or current professional experience.

NYC Pro Network Sukkot Gathering - October 22, 2024
2024-10-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Jews of Color Initiative for our next NYC Pro Network session, “A Sukkot Gathering of JoC Connection and Learning” with Rabbi Mira Rivera. Rabbi Mira will lead us in an inspiring evening of community connection, meaningful conversation, and powerful learning in the beautiful setting of a Sukkah.
This free event is open to all 21+ Jews of Color in the New York City area looking for an evening of community, education, networking, and fun! There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience — whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!
Event location will be shared with confirmed registrants.
Click the button below to register now!

Bay Area Pro Network - September 26, 2024
2024-09-26 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Bay Area Pro Network on Thursday, September 26th from 6-8pm PT! Based on community interest, this session will take place in San Francisco in the Embarcadero area.

Grantmaking Webinar, 2024
2024-09-25 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
We invite you to join us on September 25th for an informational webinar to launch our 2024-2025 grantmaking cycle. In this webinar, Program Officers Sarah Starks and Jordan Daniels will discuss this year’s funding opportunities, our grantmaking strategy, and how to apply for grants with our new Salesforce application.

NYC Pro Network - September 19, 2024
2024-09-19 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This NYC Professional Network event will feature a session on “JoC Organizer Wisdom: Holding Space & Building Bridges Through Difference” facilitated by Leo Ferguson. Engage in a workshop on how to have productive conversations with people who hold different world views than you, and learn how to serve as leaders in challenging conversations with grace and humility, holding space for productive disagreement and mutual growth.
This free event is open to all 21+ Jews of Color in the New York City area looking for an evening of community, education, networking, and fun! There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience — whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!
Event location will be shared with confirmed registrants.
Click the button below to register now!

Shades of Belonging Research Presentation: Delving into the Experiences of Jewish Adoptees of Color
2024-09-12 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This virtual event will provide an opportunity to examine and discuss findings from the Shades of Belonging study of Jewish adoptees of Color. Led by Dr. David McCarty-Caplan, a Latino-adopted Jew and the researcher behind the study, this conversation intends to increase understanding of the intersections of adoption and religion, as well as provide a community-building opportunity for those whose lives have been touched by adoption. Through centering the experiences of Jewish adoptees of color it is hoped this event will help improve the capacity of Jewish/religious communities to foster a sense of belonging for multicultural community members with complex histories and identities.
Location: Virtual; Link to Zoom room will be provided to registered guests 1 day before event

Every registered guest will receive a link to the recorded session!

Los Angeles Pro Network - September 11, 2024
2024-09-11 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
This session of the Los Angeles Professional Network will feature an interactive workshop, “Vision to Reality: An Authentic Relating Flywheel” with community leader Sophia Morgan. Begin with a delicious kosher or kosher-style dinner followed by an experiential Authentic Relating presentation and workshop where you’ll strengthen your sense of authenticity and gain foundational relational skills that can be translated into networking, leadership, and turning your vision into reality. Sophia will also share her journey launching Correlate, securing fiscal sponsorship, and relational lessons learned along the way.
This event is open to all Los Angeles area 21+ Jews of Color looking for an evening of community, education, networking, and fun!
This free event will take place in the Silverlake neighborhood (exact location will be shared with confirmed registrants).
Click the button below to register now!

NY Professional Network - Authenticity, Change and Belonging: Navigating the Self While Leading Others
2024-07-18 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
The NY Pro Network invites you to gather with other NYC JoC adults for community building and a session with Rabbi Kendell Pinkney on “Authenticity, Change and Belonging: Navigating the Self While Leading Others.” Join us July 18th, 6-8pm ET. Visit bit.ly/NYProNet-July or click the button at the bottom of this page to register now!
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience—whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!
Learn more.

Los Angeles Pro Network - Connecting to and Clarifying Our Vision of a Just World
2024-07-17 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Los Angeles Pro Network invites you to gather with JoC adults in LA for community building and connection on July 17th! This gathering will include a session led by Yehudah Webster on “Connecting to and Clarifying Our Vision of a Just World,” where we will explore and practice the tools of Jewish spiritual wisdom to connect with your deepest motivations and cultivate them as desires of the soul.
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience—whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!

Click the button below to register now!

NY Professional Network - Strengthening Community Through Radical Self-Acceptance
2024-06-27 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
The NY Pro Network invites you to gather with other NYC JoC adults for community building and a session with Sage Cassell-Rosenberg (Keshet) on “Strengthening Community Through Radical Self-Acceptance.” Join us June 27th, 6-8pm ET. Visit bit.ly/NYProNet-June or click the button at the bottom of this page to register now!
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience—whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!
Learn more.

Bay Area JoC Gathering - June 5th
2024-06-05 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Jews of Color Initiative’s Bay Area Pro Network on Wednesday, June 5th, 6-8pm PT for a casual evening together. One drink and appetizers will be provided by JoCI. This event is for JoC who are 21+.

Click the button below or visit bit.ly/BayAreaJoC-June to register now.

NY Professional Network - Forward Motion: Building Our Best Year Yet
2024-05-30 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
The first NY Pro Net gathering of the season, “Forward Motion: Building Our Best Year Yet,” takes place on Thursday, May 30th, 6-8pm ET. Visit bit.ly/NYProNet-May or click the button at the bottom of this page to register now!
There are no requirements for your past or current professional experience—whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to have you!
Learn more.

LA Professional Network - Eclipsing Expectations: Lessons from Two Gen Z Exec. Directors
2024-05-29 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
“Eclipsing Expectations: Lessons from Two Gen Z Executive Directors on Finding Your JOC Leadership Voice”
The LA Pro Network invites you to join LUNAR Collective Co-Founders and Executive Directors Jenni Rudolph and Maryam Chishti on Wednesday, May 29th, 6-8:30pm PT, as they delve into their leadership journey over the past three years. As two Gen Z Asian American Jewish women spearheading the first national organization serving Asian American Jews, Jenni and Maryam’s story is anything but traditional. Hear their reflections on combating impostor syndrome and burnout, navigating sexism, racial inequity, and age bias in the Jewish professional sphere, and leading this one-of-a-kind Asian Jewish community with joy, humor, and authenticity.
Learn more.
Click the button below or visit bit.ly/LAProNet-May to register now!

Black Power, Jewish Politics: A Book Release & Communal Dialogue in Partnership with the Skirball Cultural Center
2024-04-17 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Skirball and the Jews of Color Initiative for the premier launch of the revised edition of Black Power, Jewish Politics: Reinventing the Alliance in the 1960s. This event will include a presentation and moderated discussion followed by a Q&A with author Marc Dollinger, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility at San Francisco State University, and Ilana Kaufman, author of the book’s afterword and CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative. Learn more.

Rewriting the JoC Leadership Narrative: a Los Angeles JoC Pro Network event w/ Rachel Sumekh
2024-03-13 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us for an interactive workshop on leveraging asset-based framing for JoC leadership on Wednesday, March 13th. Operating in predominantly white institutions and spaces with majority white leadership means JoC narratives are often written by someone else. This workshop will support attendees not only with mapping their individual JoC stories, but also towards a collective rewriting of our many JoC narratives at this moment in time.
This event has limited capacity, so make sure you register ASAP.
Click the button below to register.

WEBINAR - RFP: Supporting New & Emerging Initiatives for Jews of Color in Los Angeles
2024-01-24 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us on Wednesday, January 24, 2023 for an informational webinar about our latest Request for Proposals (RFP). Established in partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, grants of up to $15,000 will be made to organizations and emerging leaders to support innovative programs, projects, and opportunities that focus on cultivating space and leadership for Jews of Color in the Greater Los Angeles area. Read the full RFP at bit.ly/LA-JoC-RFP.
Date: January 24, 2024
Time: 12pm PT / 3pm ET

ILUMINA: A JoC Hanukkah Gathering
2023-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Jewtina y Co. on Wednesday, December 13th for ILUMINA: A JoC Hanukkah Gathering. As part of the NuRoots’ Infinite Lights Festival, you can expect an evening sprinkled with scrumptious Hanukkah treats, a dash of local culture, and great company. Come for the festivities, stay for the fun, and make this Hanukkah one to remember!
This event is brought to you by:
NuRoots, Jewtina y Co., JFNA JEDI, the Jews of Color Initiative, and the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable. Please note that photography will take place at this event.

JoC Professionals Network - Financial Literacy with Mendel Davis
2023-11-16 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
We will dive into financial literacy Mendel Davis, who will share best tricks and tips for managing five key areas central to financial wisdom and health: credit cards, investing, budgeting, retirement, and Roth IRA. There will be time for discussion and Q&A, so please come ready for a fruitful workshop with a financial expert.

When: Thursday, November 16th from 11am-12:30pm ET
Where: Zoom

WEBINAR - RFP: Intergenerational Relationships for Cultural Preservation
2023-11-08 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, for an informational webinar about our latest Request for Proposals (RFP). We are seeking projects that enhance Jewish identity, culture, and traditions within the intergenerational JoC community. Grants of up to $15,000 will be made to organizations and projects that focus on celebrating, deepening, and preserving intergenerational JoC relationships, knowledge, and cultural traditions by and for JoC.
