Repair 5781 Resources

On Ashkenormativity

Read up on Ashkenormativity and Diversity in Jewish communities, e.g:
• from My Jewish Learning — diversity
• from Hey Alma — ashkenormativity
• from Lilith — Mizrachi in Memphis
• and from the nerdy Judaism – StackExchange, just FYI:

The nusach used by Jews of Sephardic extraction (meaning either Jews who live in Spain and Portugal, or are descended from those who were expelled from those places in 1492) is called “Nusach Sepharadi”. This term has been (incorrectly) used to describe the nusach of those of the Edot Hamizrach (Jews from Iran, Syria, Egypt, Israel, and so on). It would be more correct to refer to the nusach of Spain/Portugal as “Nusach Sepharadi” and the nusach of other Sephardic communites as “Nusach Edot Hamizrach”, and truth be told this is how it is today in the world of siddurim.

However, Nusach Sefard is an Ashkenazi nusach, formed by the Chasidim in 19th Century Europe. It was developed to blend the traditional Nusach Ashkenaz with the writings of the Arizal. It is best described as a cross-breed between Nusach Ashkenaz and Edot Hamizrach.

FOOTNOTE to the nerdy note: “Edot HaMidwest” (see below) is a nod to “Edot Hamizrach”

Check out one/both of these videos plus related study guides, at “Speaking Torah to Power”

• “Breaking the Antisemitism Cycle Through Solidarity,” from Dove Kent (2018)
• “Resilience Through the Practice of Lament” from Dr. Koach Frazier (2019)

A Few Jews of Color

Pick one or more of these organizations and individuals, if you are not already familiar, to learn about and/or follow on social media:

• Organizations:
  • Edot HaMidwest: The Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity Collaborative —
  • Jews of Color Field Building Initiative
  • Dimensions Educational Consulting
  • Jewish Multiracial Network
  • Jews in ALL Hues
  • Bechol Lashon
  • Uri L’Tzedek
• Individuals:
  • Rebecca Pierce web and/or Twitter
  • Manishtana (Rabbi Shais Rishon) web and/or Twitter
  • Rabbi Sandra Lawson web and/or Twitter
  • Hazan Sabrina Sojourner web and/or Twitter
  • Michael Twitty web and/or Twitter and take a few minutes for this story

Add Ammud, Jewish education for Jews of Color by Jews of Color, to the Jewish organizations you follow.

At Ammud, JOCs (Jewish of Color) are defined as people who are considered non-white in the U.S. by nature of their generational lineage and identify as such (including Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews).

Anyone who does not identify as a Jew of Color and wants to support Ammud is invited to join as an ally.

Check out “The Torah of Jews of Color” at Judaism Unbound.