JALSA in Shalom Magazine on Latino Jews Combating Antisemitism

Full article in Shalom Magazine at this link.

Latino Jews Leading the Way to Combat Antisemitism

For several years now, the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA) has been working with our members to build a unique space for Jews of Color, the Americas, and the Diaspora throughout the country to explore some really complicated public policy issues. Just imagine what it is like for someone who is Black and Jewish, or Latino and Jewish, or frankly anything other than a white Ashkenazi Jew, to navigate a situation where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are under attack. Or where people are being denied the freedom to vote, and the impact is being felt most acutely in communities of color.

As a result of this work, several of JALSA’s Latino Jewish members came to us a few months ago alarmed by a study that had just been released by the American Jewish Committee showing that there was a rise in antisemitism in the younger Latino community. The study showed that a majority of younger Latinos thought that Jewish people did not encounter significant levels of discrimination, despite a growing number of antisemitic incidents over the past several years. Additionally, more young Latinos responded that the Jewish community could fend for itself than responded that Jewish people could benefit from the support and collaboration of the Hispanic community. In that moment, they turned to JALSA and knew that we had to take action.

From JALSA’s experience, we know that, to change hearts and minds, it takes much more than a PowerPoint presentation. It takes getting to know people one-on-one, bringing them together, figuring out our shared values, and then going in to work with them side-by-side. That’s the way you develop true allyship, and the way you educate people.

So that’s exactly what we did. Over the course of the last few months, JALSA’s Latino members have reached out to the Greater Boston Latino community. We’ve held dinners to get to know one another, sharing similar stories about where people have grown up, family relationships, and how food was prepared in their houses. We’ve also shared concerns about public policy in our state, with many people commenting on the high cost of housing, the low wages in the childcare industry (60% of childcare workers are Latinas) and the lack of availability of child care, the need for more investment in small businesses, and voting rights.

Through these discussions, we are focusing on ways that JALSA and the greater Latino community can work together on joint areas of interest. Our JALSA agenda, deeply ingrained with our Jewish values, allows us to work on social, economic, environmental, and racial justice issues. The issues that have surfaced so far all involve a component of our agenda and are aimed at creating a world in which every individual is treated with dignity and respect.

Through this joint endeavor, our Latino Jewish members, people from the greater Latino community, and our general JALSA membership will more deeply get to know one another. And, based on these relationships, we will be able to dispel the underlying misinformation that has led to antisemitism rising in the Latino community. We hope to keep expanding this work so that we can reach greater numbers of people and have a real impact on moving hearts and minds throughout our state. And, if successful, this can be a national model for how to address antisemitism in any community.

More roundtables and opportunities for engagement are in the works. If you or someone you know may be interested in getting involved in this project to help build bridges between communities – particularly people who share both Latino and Jewish identities – in order to combat antisemitism, please contact JALSA’s Jews of Color, the Americas, and the Diaspora Coordinator Ellen VanDyke Bell at ellen@jalsa.org.