Building Allyship to Combat Antisemitism

What is the connection between antisemitism and other systems of oppression? And how might we work with other communities to fight all forms of hate? Join Rachel Fish, Ph.D., co-founder of Boundless, for a conversation with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; Leo Ferguson, director of strategic projects at Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, and Brandy Shufutinsky, director of education, outreach, and engagement for the Jewish Institute of Liberal Values. The session is being offered as part of the JCC’s Antisemitism in America: Charting a Path Forward series and will include opportunities for small-group discussions.

Leo Ferguson is the Director of Strategic Projects at Jews For Racial & Economic Justice. He is the founder of JFREJ’s Jews of Color caucus, lead organizer for the Jews of Color National Convening, and a lead author of Understanding Antisemitism. He is a graduate of the Grace Paley Organizing Fellowship, The Bend The Arc Selah Fellowship, the JOIN Don’t Kvetch, Organize Masterclass, and the BOLD Black Organizing for Leadership & Dignity Directors and Leads training. He is proudly Black & Jewish, a lifelong New Yorker, and a musician.

Rachel Fish, Ph.D., is an academic with 20 years of experience in the fields of Israeli history, Zionist thought, and Middle Eastern studies. Most recently, Dr. Fish was the founding executive director of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, which was established to catalyze dynamic new solutions to stop the age-old hatred advanced by those who seek the elimination of Judaism and the Jewish people. Dr. Fish was previously senior advisor and resident scholar of Jewish/Israel philanthropy at the Paul E. Singer Foundation in New York City and served as executive director for the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University, where she trained the next generation of scholars and Jewish communal professionals in Israel Studies.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs (she/her) is the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, an organization that trains and mobilizes more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors and their communities to bring a moral voice to protecting and advancing human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories. She is the author of Where Justice Dwells: A Hands-On Guide to Doing Social Justice in Your Jewish Community and There Shall Be No Needy: Pursuing Social Justice through Jewish Law and Tradition, both published by Jewish Lights.

Brandy Shufutinsky is a social worker, writer, researcher, and advocate. She holds a doctorate from the University of San Francisco in international and multicultural education and a MSW from the University of Southern California. Brandy is the director of education and community engagement at the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values. She was a 2021 scholar-in-residence at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy Oxford Summer Institute, where she worked to develop curriculum in critical antisemitism studies. Currently she is working towards developing intercultural and academic opportunities to enhance liberal democratic ideals.