Let Justice Well Up

Let Justice Well Up

Mayyim Hayyim is thrilled to announce year two of “Let Justice Well Up,” an initiative by and for Jewish women of color, to provide a sense of welcome, empowerment, and connection as well as healing and support within the Jewish community.

One of our core values is Petichut – openness and inclusivity. Mayyim Hayyim strives to be inclusive of all who wish to learn and/or immerse. Another is Ahavat Yisrael – love of the Jewish people. We honor and cherish the differences among the Jewish people. We know, however, that we are not reaching the Black community, Sephardi/Mizrahi Jews, indigineous Jews, and other
women of color to the extent that they are represented in the community.

Let Justice Well Up has two components. Learn more and find out how to participate below.

6-Part Educational Series by and for Jewish Women of Color

Mayyim Hayyim will offer a space for Jewish women of color, led by erica riddick, and at a highly subsidized rate for participants, to build relationships with one another and delve into our sacred texts without feeling the need to check part of themselves at the door.

  • You do not need to participate in all 6 sessions
  • Series is offered at a sliding scale of $0-$54

Registration is now open for the 2024 Torah Study Series, beginning February 14. Click here to learn more and register today.

Let Justice Well Up is one part of Mayyim Hayyim’s commitment to DEI and anti-racism work. As a part of this work, Mayyim Hayyim is dedicated to creating space for Jews of color to engage with mikveh with other Jews of color. This program is open to those who specifically identify as Jewish women of color, Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Indigenous Jewish women. If you have questions about this, or if you do not identify as a Jewish woman of color but are interested in a similar program open to all Jewish women, please reach out to our Director of Programs and Partnerships.

Storytelling and Ritual Creation

The goal of storytelling is threefold: to share space and build community among Jewish women of color, to elevate their voices and inspire others to discover the wholeness, meaning, and connection that comes from using ritual to mark transition in their lives, and to flip the narrative that the Jewish community is all White. We plan to share stories of ritual innovation and reclaiming the mikveh for healing and wholeness in many ways, including with immersion ceremony development to distribute to partner organizations to have on hand for sharing with Jewish women of color looking for solidarity and ritual.

Led by Sara Greenhalgh in the initiative’s first year, Mayyim Hayyim has collected stories of Jewish women who are BIPOC or JOCISM*.

Click here to share your own story of mikveh, Mayyim Hayyim, or your experience with water, and to see the stories we have collected so far.

*Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) or Jews of Color, Indigenous, Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews (JOCISM)

erica riddick (she/they) is a passionate educator / ritualist, founding director of Jews of Color Sanctuary, and creator of the Bilhah Zilpah Project. erica is the Jewish Women’s Archive 2022-2024 Twersky Education Fellow. erica is a facilitator of the Jewish Studio Process, Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out, and co-facilitator of Changemakers through Realize Change. These projects balance the work of Design Theanthropic, a residential design and renovation initiative, and community action researcher on projects within the Jewish community.

Aki Yonekawa (she/her) is a Jewish educator and lover of adventures, Jewish camp, nature, and French fries. She has worked in a variety of educational settings including schools (early childhood through high school,) camps, museums, and synagogues. Currently, she is a freelance educator, managing special programs, tutoring bmitzvah students, and working with young adults in leadership programs. She spends her summers as a faculty member at Brandeis Camp Institute, an immersive summer program for Jews in their 20s in Southern California. She lives in an attic in Cambridge, a long way from Los Angeles where she grew up. 

Sara Greenhalgh (she/they/theirs) was born in Wonju, South Korea and raised in Minneapolis, MN. They are currently a social worker in Minneapolis and a Program Manager for Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Racial Justice Collaborative. They are a Board member for Jewish Community Action and involved in activism and racial justice work around Minneapolis. 

Let Justice Well Up is generously funded by The Miriam Fund.

Let Justice Well Up main page Torah Study Series with erica riddick Share Your Story

 

Search