Big Tent Judaism

Exploring the Cultural and Ethnic Diversity of the Jewish Community

As the Jewish community continues to grow in diversity, many of the voices that represent the emerging face of Judaism – children of intermarriage, Jews-by-Choice, multiracial Jews – are not being heard. But a new show on The Jewish Channel hopes to reverse that trend and give these folks a place to talk about their identity and their views on the Jewish community. Called “Jews of Color,” this roundtable discussion “explores the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Jewish community, sharing the unique perspectives of Jews from African-American, Asian, Hispanic and other ‘non-white’ backgrounds.”

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Creating a Unified Jewish Community in Italy

Encouraging the large number of unaffiliated Jews in our community to participate in Jewish life is one of the greatest challenges here in North America. Through our programs such as Passover in the Matzah Aisle and Eight Days of Oil (Hanukkah olive oil tasting), we have successfully brought Judaism to the public square, helping innumerable people take that first step towards a path of Jewish engagement. According to an article in the JTA, it seems the Jewish community in Italy could benefit from taking a page out of our playbook.

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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.”

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Bar/Bat Mitavahs and Interfaith Families

Planning a bar or bat mitzvah is one of the most time-consuming and rewarding tasks for families in the Jewish community. Often it takes years of training and preparation by both parents and children – driving to and from lessons, learning to read Torah, writing speeches – to reach this terrific milestone in the life of a young Jew. Today, many intermarried families and children of intermarriage undergo the same rigorous preparations, yet long-held traditions create barriers when it comes to the participation of the non-Jewish parent and his or her side of the family.

Writing in the Cleveland Jewish News, JOI identified five areas where synagogues and communities can include intermarried families in bar and bat mitzvah rituals while still respecting both tradition and Jewish law. Life-cycle events like these are not just a celebration of a single person or family, but a celebration of the entire community. Finding ways to engage intermarried families – and people of all backgrounds – will show that everyone is welcome to stand under our Big Tent.

Building a Stronger and More Unified Jewish Community

From June 27-29, nearly 100 leaders of LGBT synagogues, national and local LGBT Jewish organizations, as well as individuals, foundations, and organizations will come together in Berkley, Calif. for an historic meeting to discuss how the Jewish community can work together to build a stronger and more unified movement for LGBT inclusion and equality in Jewish life. This first-ever LGBT Jewish Movement Building retreat is being organized by Jewish Mosaic, Keshet, and Nehirim.

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Bold Statements on the Future of the Jewish Community

Edgar Bronfman, Sr., president of the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, is a person you can always count on to speak his mind, particularly on the subject of intermarriage and the Jewish community. As a community leader and as a major philanthropist, he is able to say and do things that others may not be willing – or able – to do. It’s a refreshing approach, and one that was on full display during a recent speech at McGill University in Montreal. Intermarriage, he said, is not necessarily a “bad thing,” but it is a reality of today’s Jewish community. “Let’s make it work for us, rather than against us.”

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Public Space Judaism in Boulder

For 16 years, the Jewish community of Boulder, Colo. has come together to hold the annual Boulder Jewish Festival. It’s free and open to the public, so it represents a great opportunity for what we call “Public Space Judaism,” in which we bring Judaism to where people are rather than waiting for them to come to us. This year, the festival’s organizers took full advantage of that model, even creating an inclusive and welcoming tag line for the event: “Come in, our tent is open!”

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New Interactive Online Resource for Inclusion

The Big Tent Judaism Coalition, a project of JOI, is a movement of Jewish communal institutions which strives to engage, support and advocate for all those seeking a welcoming and inclusive Jewish community. Nearly 350 organizations have joined since our launch a few years ago, and we continue to grow. But not just organizational growth – we are excited to announce the launch of a new online resource that will help unite coalition members and create a more robust and interactive approach to Big Tent Judaism.

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The Mistake of Passing Judgment on Someone’s Jewish Identity

In America, people on trial are innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof is on the prosecutor, who has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This system was designed to protect the rights of individuals, to protect their privacy and livelihood. This is apparently not the way the Chief Rabbinate in Israel believes we should treat Jews-by-Choice – or any Diaspora Jew who has moved to Israel, or an Israeli child of Jewish parents who were married abroad. According to new regulations, the burden of proof is on the individual to prove their Jewishness – guilty of not being Jewish until proven otherwise.

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