Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice
WHO ARE WE?
The Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice seeks to create dialogue, deepen understanding, and take action on issues related to race and racism in our community, on our campuses, and beyond. As a group of racially and culturally diverse Jewish leaders at Hillel and members of the Brown and RISD campus communities, we are committed to manifesting our anti-racist ideals, both in our Brown RISD Hillel community, and our other communities on campus and in Providence. Integral to that mission is a willingness to look inward and ask tough questions of ourselves, a challenge we eagerly accept. In order to and by accomplishing this, we hope to make Brown RISD Hillel a more accessible space for multiracial Jews and Jews of Color. By raising awareness, building sensitivity, and increasing education and reflection on these issues, we hope to increase our ability to be in solidarity and/or allyship with people of color throughout the Brown community and in this country. We are committed to working for racial equity and justice both in and beyond the space of Brown RISD Hillel. Contact Claire Miller and Jenna Israel for more information.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We are committed to working for racial equity and justice both in and beyond the space of Brown RISD Hillel. As such we promote the following plan of action, in 3 prongs:
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The Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice seeks to create dialogue, deepen understanding, and take action on issues related to race and racism in our community, on our campuses, and beyond. As a group of racially and culturally diverse Jewish leaders at Hillel and members of the Brown and RISD campus communities, we are committed to manifesting our anti-racist ideals, both in our Brown RISD Hillel community, and our other communities on campus and in Providence. Integral to that mission is a willingness to look inward and ask tough questions of ourselves, a challenge we eagerly accept. In order to and by accomplishing this, we hope to make Brown RISD Hillel a more accessible space for multiracial Jews and Jews of Color. By raising awareness, building sensitivity, and increasing education and reflection on these issues, we hope to increase our ability to be in solidarity and/or allyship with people of color throughout the Brown community and in this country. We are committed to working for racial equity and justice both in and beyond the space of Brown RISD Hillel. Contact Claire Miller and Jenna Israel for more information.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We are committed to working for racial equity and justice both in and beyond the space of Brown RISD Hillel. As such we promote the following plan of action, in 3 prongs:
- Making sure Jewish People of Color feel fully a part of our community and see Hillel as reflective of their Jewish identity and resonant with their Jewish needs and interests. This is done in part by educating and raising awareness within our community on issues related to race and racism.
- Creating Hillel programs, especially around holidays, with the goal of inspiring critical thought within the Brown RISD Hillel community. Our programming aims to hold our community accountable to the Jewish values of social justice and racial equity, and to weave social justice action into Jewish practice. We examine and repurpose traditional Jewish texts and practices to incorporate our commitment to anti-racism and inclusion into all aspects of Jewish life.
- Working in community with other justice-oriented, anti-racist groups on College Hill, in Providence, and, when appropriate, nationwide (HIRAJ supports #BlackLivesMatter) as a reflection of the historic racial diversity of the Jewish community and our historic commitment to preserving and creating intentionally justice-seeking, inclusive, anti-racist spaces.
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Recent Events
February 3 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT via ZOOM
Rabbi Sandra Lawson in Conversation with Natasha Nelson ‘16 and Sage Morgan-Hubbard ‘05
Please join us in celebrating Black History Month with this special LIVE Zoom event exploring racial justice from a Jewish perspective.
Rabbi Lawson, Campus Rabbi at Elon Hillel, will be shedding light on some of the challenges American Jews have faced around embracing diversity within their communities and in the larger movement for racial equality, as well as opportunities that exist for allyship and bridge building, on both individual and communal levels. She'll be joined by two fellow Jews of Color--Sage Morgan-Hubbard '05, Assistant Director at the Brown Center for Students of Color and Natasha Nelson '16, former Engagement Associate at Baruch Hillel in
New York City.
*This event was organized by the Brown RISD Hillel Alumni Events Committee in partnership with student groups Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice (HIRAJ) and Hillelin' with Melanin, Brown RISD Hillel's student group for Jews of Color.
Rabbi Sandra Lawson in Conversation with Natasha Nelson ‘16 and Sage Morgan-Hubbard ‘05
Please join us in celebrating Black History Month with this special LIVE Zoom event exploring racial justice from a Jewish perspective.
Rabbi Lawson, Campus Rabbi at Elon Hillel, will be shedding light on some of the challenges American Jews have faced around embracing diversity within their communities and in the larger movement for racial equality, as well as opportunities that exist for allyship and bridge building, on both individual and communal levels. She'll be joined by two fellow Jews of Color--Sage Morgan-Hubbard '05, Assistant Director at the Brown Center for Students of Color and Natasha Nelson '16, former Engagement Associate at Baruch Hillel in
New York City.
*This event was organized by the Brown RISD Hillel Alumni Events Committee in partnership with student groups Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice (HIRAJ) and Hillelin' with Melanin, Brown RISD Hillel's student group for Jews of Color.
Winter 2021
Virtual Student Trainings with Yevilah McCoy, CEO of Dimensions Educational Consulting
To register for these online trainings in engaging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in practice please contact Rabbi Dardashti by December 18th.
Virtual Student Trainings with Yevilah McCoy, CEO of Dimensions Educational Consulting
To register for these online trainings in engaging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in practice please contact Rabbi Dardashti by December 18th.
Fall 2020
Our Liberation is Bound Together:
Combatting Racism, Antisemitism & White Supremacy
Mondays, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
5 sessions, October 19 - November 16
(Online, via Zoom, registration required*)
This workshop is facilitated by Kavod, a community led by young Jews in Greater Boston, committed to each other and to building a liberated world for all people. *Through HIRAJ, cohort of Brown and RISD students are being invited to join a cohort from Temple Israel in Boston in this training. Please email Jenna or Claire to learn more and to register.
Our Liberation is Bound Together:
Combatting Racism, Antisemitism & White Supremacy
Mondays, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
5 sessions, October 19 - November 16
(Online, via Zoom, registration required*)
This workshop is facilitated by Kavod, a community led by young Jews in Greater Boston, committed to each other and to building a liberated world for all people. *Through HIRAJ, cohort of Brown and RISD students are being invited to join a cohort from Temple Israel in Boston in this training. Please email Jenna or Claire to learn more and to register.
Past Events
Related Resources
HIRAJ Blackness and Anti-Blackness Resources
"Checking our Privilege" d'var torah by Rabbi Michelle Dardashti on race, Judaism, justice, privilege and blessings.
Talking Race and Racism, from Ferguson to Campus: A Brown RISD Hillel Conversation
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
Resources for Talking About Race from the National Museum of African American History & Culture
By JOC or Otherwise Regarding Jews and Racial Justice
"Checking our Privilege" d'var torah by Rabbi Michelle Dardashti on race, Judaism, justice, privilege and blessings.
Talking Race and Racism, from Ferguson to Campus: A Brown RISD Hillel Conversation
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
Resources for Talking About Race from the National Museum of African American History & Culture
By JOC or Otherwise Regarding Jews and Racial Justice
Calendar
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