The first cohort of the Jews of Color Career Development Program (clockwise from top left): Tiziana Friedman, Sumner Lewis, Aaron Carpenter, Kayla Fleming, Anabelle Kaimach, Sharona Shnayder, Daniel Hershfield and Liyah Foye. (Photos/Courtesy of Jews of Color Initiative) News Bay Area Bay Area-based program for Jews of color aims to diversify Jewish organizations Facebook Twitter Email SMS WhatsApp Share By Josefin Dolsten, JTA | October 14, 2020 Two local Jewish organizations have launched a national career development program for Jews of color in an effort to diversify the Jewish organizational landscape. The Jews of Color Initiative, the San Francisco-based organization formerly known as the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative, and UpStart, the Oakland-based group that works with Jewish entrepreneurs and leaders, announced the launch of the program on Monday with an inaugural class of eight young Jews of color. As part of a six-week program, participants aged 18-25 are paired with Jewish organizations and will participate in leadership development programs. Daniel Hershfield Kayla Fleming Two of the participants have Bay Area ties: Kayla Fleming is a teacher from Oakland and Daniel Hershfield is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley. Fleming will be paired with Dimensions Educational Consulting and Hershfield will be paired with UpStart. “Leadership of Jewish community organizations today simply does not reflect the diversity of the Jewish community itself,” Angel Alvarez-Mapp, director of program and operations at the Jews of Color Initiative, said in a statement. “To change this, we need to support people and nurture their professional growth at the earliest stages of their careers. We are excited to work with UpStart to pursue this vision.” Studies suggest that 6-15 percent of the American Jewish community are people of color, though definitions of who is included under that term vary. Though Jewish organizations have begun paying attention to diversity in their ranks, particularly in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests this summer, Jews of color continue to be few and far between in Jewish organizations, especially in leadership roles. In June, three Jewish activists of color organized an open letter calling on Jewish organizations to endorse the Black Lives Matter movement and set specific benchmarks to increase diversity. “Our vision of Jewish communities as thriving hubs of innovation relies on bold leadership on a systemic level–and we see that leadership falling short of empowering the full diversity of our communities,” said Danielle Natelson, a design strategist at UpStart. Josefin Dolsten JTA Staff Writer JTA Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service. Also On J. Northern California Sacramento leaders denounce antisemitism after city council chaos Travel Israelis flock to tiny Peruvian town for vacation and psychedelics Local Voice Israeli protests should include Palestinian rights issues TV Will Midge Maisel's Jewish legacy be more than a punchline? Subscribe to our Newsletter Enter Email Sign Up