By Dr. Gloria Becker, Director, Learning Initiatives in Jewish Education
J.Proud, a consortium of agencies serving the Jewish LGBTQ community, is committed to creating, nurturing, and supporting a comprehensive network of LGBTQ-inclusive spaces, programs, and resources in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Jewish Learning Venture is pleased to be one of the J.Proud founders and consortium members, working to ensure our workplace and programming are LGBTQ-inclusive.
A team of our staff members recently completed an Institutional Self-Assessment Tool for LGBTQ-Inclusion. The process was very informative, led to some interesting and important conversation and will impact the ways we meet the needs of the entire Jewish community. Among the outcomes of our assessment:
- Our jkidphilly programs are designed for “families just like yours.” We select venues for our programming with an eye to ensuring that they are safe and inclusive spaces welcoming of all families. We will also try to broaden the reach of our publicity to make sure that all families raising Jewish children know about and have the opportunity to participate in jkidphilly programs if they choose to do so.
- We will continue to provide professional development to school faculties and lay leaders concerning LGBTQ family issues and anti-bullying education.
- Our staff will participate in LGBTQ-sensitivity training in the fall.
- Jewish Learning Venture already has policies in place concerning non-discrimination in hiring and will be considering the non-discrimination policies of the agencies and vendors we work with in our selection processes. Our forms (for internal and for public use) have been reviewed to ensure that inclusive language is used.
Member agencies, congregations, and institutions of J.Proud: Jewish Philly LGBTQ Consortium, a program of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, include:
Synagogues / Chavurot
Beth Am Israel
Beth El Vorhees
Beth Zion – Beth Israel
Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir
Heymish
Keneseth Israel
Kol Ami
Kol Tzedek
Mishkan Shalom
Mekor HaBracha/Center City Synagogue
Or Hadash
Or Zarua
Rodeph Shalom
Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El
Schools / Education
Gratz College
Greater Philly Hillel Network
Hillel at Temple University
Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy
The Jewish Graduate Student Network
Makom Community
National Museum of American Jewish History
Penn Hillel
Reconstructing Judaism
Agencies / Organizations
Abramson Senior Care
ESHEL
Gershman Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival
JEVS Human Services
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Jewish Learning Venture
Repair the World
Tribe 12
For information about the work of the J.Proud consortium or to inquire about membership, please contact Galia Godel at ggodel@jfcsphilly.org.