The term “Jew(s) of Color” is political and is used to build community and solidarity amongst non-white Jews. It encompasses a wide breadth of cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Some JOCs may be hyper-visible in white Jewish spaces, while other JOCs may have proximity to whiteness, though are JOCs because of their generational lineage or cultural background. We consider Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews who identify as non-white to be Jews of Color. And for many of our online programs, we welcome people of color who are deeply exploring Judaism and Jewish learning regardless of conversion status.

We know that might feel confusing — race is a social construct that at the same time concretely impacts lives. If you’re sitting in the messiness of trying to decide if you are a JOC (i.e. you object to the term, you are grappling with the concept of being “white-passing,” etc), we welcome you in this space in all that messiness as a JOC Member. If you identify as white, you’re welcome to join the community as part of the Ally Circle, which grants you access to select Ammud programs and resources but not our regular programming. If you have further questions or are struggling with whether or not this space is for you, in particular if you identify as Sephardi or Mizrahi but are not sure about the “race" part, feel free to reach out at team@ammud.org

We invite you to join as you explore your Jewish journey in depth, regardless of conversion status. We have many programs available to you. And we will have programs that are only for Jews of Color and we will be explicit and clear when we build these spaces.

Firstly, many people who identify actively as JOCs are also Ashkenazi. “Ashkenazi” should not be used as a placeholder for “white,” just as “Sephardi” should never be used as a placeholder for “non-white.” However, many Jews, including a large percentage of Ashkenazi Jews, benefit from conditional whiteness. It’s real that a person who is Ashkenazi and often viewed as white can have racialized experiences (i.e. being “outed” as Jewish based on curly hair). Race is not objective, it’s all contextual. The context Ammud operates in is that some members of the American Jewish community are consistently more accepted in Jewish spaces than others and some face challenges of racism every day.

Courses are only open to JOCs. Join the Ally Circle to be notified of future programming open to all members.

All programs at Ammud are donation based. We suggest donation amounts for most programs. Whether you are able to make a large donation, $18, or are not able to donate, we want to learn with you.

Yes! Course registration doubles as membership, meaning you get access to all of the membership perks.

Upon signing up for membership (or taking a program), your email will be added to our membership newsletter, which includes links to membership exclusive perks, such as Parasha Study, online programs, and in-person programs. These links are not shared on our website or social media. Upon signing up for membership as a JOC you will be reached out to a staff member to have a one on one and introduce you to Ammud.

If you are a member and not receiving our newsletter, please email us at team@ammud.org. Please also log into the membership portal to update your information as needed.

Once you become a member or register for a program, you may need to confirm your email subscription on the Member Portal in order to receive our email updates, which includes our newsletter and reminders for our weekly Parasha Study sessions. Please email team@ammud.org with any questions on receiving our newsletters.

We do not record programs in order to maintain a sense of security and privacy amongst the group that is present in hopes that it fosters a vulnerable space for folks to share deeply.

Ammud is a proudly intergenerational space where we provide adult-centered education. We have members spanning from young adults (18-24) to elders (60+). We do not offer children or teen programming at this time.