During June, which marks both Pride Month and Juneteenth, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia reaffirms its commitment to creating Jewish spaces that are diverse, equitable and inclusive, while honoring the wide array of intersectional identities in our communities.
During June, which marks both Pride Month and Juneteenth, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia reaffirms its commitment to creating Jewish spaces that are diverse, equitable and inclusive, while honoring the wide array of intersectional identities in our communities.
Everyday Inclusion
"By taking the time to recognize the individuality of our staff and community partners, we have been able to foster a culture of inclusion. Our mission is stronger because of the unique backgrounds and talents of those we work with."
- Jewish Federation Chief Human Resources Officer Melissa Gabillon
The Jewish Federation’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, composed of seven employees representing different departments, works collaboratively to provide a variety of educational opportunities and events with the purpose of engaging staff in meaningful conversations and celebrating differences.
The committee’s mission is to facilitate and foster an environment that is welcoming, professional, productive, and safe for all, and that will help to maintain a workplace which is free from bias, prejudice and harassment. The Jewish Federation deeply values the diversity of insight, perspective and experience brought by people from backgrounds typically underrepresented in Jewish institutions.
"We are deeply appreciative to the Jewish Federation for the principled support they offer in helping to create meaningful interactions within LGBTQ+ Jewish life." - Tribe 12 Executive Director Megan GoldMarche
The Jewish Federation is a proud member of the J.Proud Consortium, a partnership of local Jewish organizations that hosts events throughout June to focus on acceptance, inclusion and community. This June, we partnered on over 15 events with this consortium, including marches, festivals, Shabbat dinners and learning sessions.
“When the Jewish community comes together to celebrate Pride Month, it allows queer Jews to connect closely with the community, something that is so necessary in an unsafe world,” said Program Manager Galia Godel of Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia (JFCS) that heads the J.Proud Consortium. “In a world that’s become increasingly dangerous to both of these identities, it’s so important for leaders and organizations to show their unequivocal support for the gorgeous diversity of their community.”
“The funding from the Jewish Federation dedicated specifically to reach underserved populations has been vital. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to grow our community so significantly and offer as many programming opportunities.” - jkidpride Director Robin Matthews
Our support of those from marginalized groups is not limited only to June. Throughout the year, we offer funding to a number of inclusion-focused organizations both in the Greater Philadelphia area and in Israel.
The Jewish Federation supports jkidpride, an initiative of the Jewish Learning Venture (JLV) that creates safe spaces for Jewish children and their parents to interact with queer culture and express their identities without fear of being persecuted. Funding from the Jewish Federation supported jkidpride’s ability to hire a program director and its mission to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ children to grow and learn confidently. Learn more about our support of jkidpride.
Translating to “Be Free Israel,” Israel Hofsheet, a grantee of the Jewish Federation, is the largest grassroots movement in Israel in the field of religious freedom and pluralism, working to secure marriage equality for all couples and governmental recognition of marriages performed outside of the Rabbinate. These efforts ensure that all living in Israel are able to practice their Judaism as they wish. Hear a message from Israel Hofsheet’s Executive Director Uri Keider thanking the Jewish Federation for its support.
Advocating for All
“We are continuing to build beautiful relationships, continuing to advocate for change in each of our respective communities. We’re just going to keep building the momentum and doing everything we have to do to become allies, friends, and brothers and sisters to each other.”
- Culture Changing Christians Founder and President Pastor Carl Day
On May 21-23, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) joined Culture Changing Christians (CCC) for a mission to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the shared interests of their respective communities, meet with members of Congress, explore Black and Jewish history, and make their voices heard. This trip was part of the New Golden Age partnership, an initiative from JCRC and CCC, to bring together Black and Jewish communities in Philadelphia to combat hate and strengthen the local community’s social safety net. Learn more about this advocacy trip.
To honor Juneteenth, the New Golden Age released a joint statement from Pastor Carl Day and Rabbi David Levin, serving as a reminder that the work towards realizing true freedom is not yet complete, but that together, the New Golden Age strives to fulfill that dream.
“We know that Jewish and Arab citizens have lived together in Israel before this crisis, during this crisis, and will continue to live together after this crisis. At this moment, it’s critically important to find the way that we will live together moving forward.”
- International Development Director of the Abraham Initiatives Jimmy Taber
Through strategic grantmaking, the Jewish Federation promotes a culture of diversity, uplifting lesser-heard voices and providing opportunities that even the playing field for underserved communities.
Promoting shared society initiatives and peaceful coexistence in the Jewish homeland has always been a mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Since Oct. 7, this priority has only increased. Through funding from its Annual Campaign, emergency fund and other funding sources, the Jewish Federation works to increase equity and tolerance between these groups by supporting organizations like the Abraham Initiatives, which created and distributed a video in Arabic for the Bedouin community to prepare and protect Arab citizens during this ongoing war. Read more about our shared society initiatives.
Our Women of Vision (WOV) group recently celebrated 30 years of empowerment and transformation of self-identifying women and girls during its annual Spring Event. This past year, the group’s theme of “Understanding Equity” guided WOV’s funding of various advocacy and educational programs that lead to systemic change and social justice.
