Jewish Families of Color Affinity Group

We created a Jewish Families of Color Affinity Group for any Jewish family that identities as of color, including any combination of non-white-identifying children, parents or guardians. Below are some FAQs.

To express interest in participating in the Jewish Families of Color Affinity Group, please fill out THIS form. All are welcome; families do not need to be registered at Fig Tree to participate.

What is an affinity group?
Broadly speaking, an affinity group is “a group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose.” Affinity groups are formed by people who share a common experience - in our case, this is existing as a Jewish family with one or more family members who identify as non-white.

Why do we need a Jewish Families of Color affinity group?
Jews of Color make up an estimated 20% of the American Jewish community, yet are significantly underrepresented in mainstream Jewish organizations, synagogues and communities. Lack of representation can feel isolating- both for us as parents, and/ or for our children. Gathering as a group is one way to combat that isolation. Our hope is that this group will be a resource for families who need it, and will help foster diversity and inclusion within Fig Tree and beyond.

What does this group do?
The Jewish Families of Color Affinity Group functions as a safe space for families to share ideas and address questions/ concerns that are particularly relevant to Jewish families of color. Depending on interest, we may gather for Shabbat, holidays, service work, and we plan to host relevant seminars and workshops for participating families.

Can allies join the affinity group?
An ally is someone who is not a member of an underrepresented group but who takes action to support that group. We ask that those who do not identify as families of color not join the affinity group. It is our genuine belief that the vast majority of the families in our thoughtful, generous community would be considered allies. In addition, the Torah’s deep values of equity, social justice, and loving kindness are the backbone of the Fig Tree curriculum. We have many other opportunities (outside of this smaller, more targeted group) for all Fig Tree families to gather consciously, and with social-justice-minded intention.