Big Tent Judaism

Advocating for the Inclusion of All Minority Populations in the Jewish Community

In anticipation of the upcoming LGBT Jewish Movement Building retreat being held in Berkley, CA, from June 27-29, Lynn Schusterman, chair of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, wrote an impassioned op-ed for the JTA advocating for the total embrace of LGBT Jews. And in a bold move that demonstrates without question her commitment to LGBT equality and inclusiveness in the Jewish community, she states that in the future, her foundation “will only consider funding organizations that have non-discrimination policies covering both sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.”

Lynn understands that while non-discrimination policies are “an effective way” of signaling welcoming and acceptance, they aren’t the only way. She goes on to outline additional steps that are necessary in order to “change this paradigm” of LGBT inclusion. She believes we need to build knowledge about LGBT needs, become an ally, implement additional policies and practices to “ensure that they reflect a culture of inclusiveness,” and train lay and professional leaders to better welcome LGBT Jews into our community.

All of the steps Lynn suggests are both doable and essential to the survival of the Jewish community. But this shouldn’t be limited to LGBT Jews. The steps outlined could and should be applied to every underserved population in our community, including intermarried families, children of intermarriage, and multiracial Jews. Lynn acknowledges as much when she writes that by neglecting or denying the needs of people who “represent a tapestry of interwoven identities” in our community, “we not only weaken the strands of this tapestry, we also drop the mantle of leadership we have assumed when it comes to protecting and advocating for the civil rights of minority populations.”

JOI’s associate executive director Paul Golin will be attending the retreat to share ideas on how we can work together to expand our Big Tent and continue to transform the Jewish community into a welcoming and inclusive space for all. We are excited to be a part of this first-ever conference and help “forge a culture in which inclusivity, diversity, and equality are paramount.” These are the principles that have given Judaism the strength to survive for so long, and it’s what will propel us into a vibrant Jewish future.

Comments

No comments yet.

Leave a comment