Now Looney is in a position to do something about that, after being named to the new role of director of community, safety and belonging for the Jewish Equity Diversity and Inclusion team at the Jewish Federations of North America, or JFNA, in April. He believes he can channel his painful personal experiences into healing divisions and changing perceptions, and help make a trip to the synagogue a spiritual rather than a scarring encounter for Jews of color.
In a roundtable discussion about the state of the American Jewish community, talking about progress, the barriers that remain, and the problem with ‘inclusion’
Around the country, institutions host Shabbat and other programming aimed at educating about racism generally and also grappling with its existence in their own spaces
For many Jewish institutions, Juneteenth is not just an opportunity for solidarity with the Black community, but a moment to grapple with racism in their own spaces