Personal Conversations: Jewish Women of Color, On a Journey Towards Inclusion (Are we there yet?)

Thursday, May 19, 2022

7:30 pm EDT - 8:45 pm EDT

Personal Conversations

A Women’s League education program that dives into current issues that affect Jewish women:

Jews of Color have a growing presence and influence in synagogues, sisterhoods and communities. In keeping with the Women’s League and its affiliated partners’ new initiative to realize full inclusion for all people in our Movement, we want to hear from Jewish women-of-color directly about their firsthand experiences.

Please join us as a panel of women-of-color who are Jews by birth or by conversion describe their personal journeys: What and who has welcomed and inspired them? What are their hopes? What do they believe that synagogues, sisterhood affiliates and individuals in their interactions with women-of-color should do differently? How shall we realize our vision for a fully inclusive Jewish landscape?

Rabbi Mira Rivera serves as Associate Rabbi and Board Certified Chaplain at Kehillat Romemu in New York City and Rabbinic Mentor at Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy. She is a JTS alumnus.

Cantor Annelise Ocanto-Romo serves as the hazzan of Ohev Shalom of Bucks County, outside Philadelphia, and is an H.L. Miller Cantorial School (JTS) graduate.

Edith Magruder, an active member of the Sisterhood of Congregation Kol Shalom in Annapolis, MD, also serves as financial secretary for Women’s League’s Seaboard Region.

Jerilynn Payne attends and studies at Beth Shalom Congregation of Columbia, MD, and next month she expects to attain her goal of becoming a Jew-by-choice. She currently serves with the Joint WLCJ / Men’s Club Inclusion Initiative.

To be better informed during our program, please read the following:

Study Link: https://jewsofcolorinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BEYONDTHECOUNT.FINAL_.8.12.21.pdf

A survey and study undertaken by The Jews of Color Initiative (jewsofcolorinitiative.org)

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Photos from the program:

Recording of the program: https://youtu.be/Akkv9fUX1CY