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After a short break, we are delighted to welcome you back to our now quarterly Ta’amod newsletter! The Hebrew calendar is currently in the month of Tammuz and we at Ta’amod are taking a moment to ponder the concept of time. The month of Tammuz is known in Jewish tradition as the start of a time of mourning. It culminates in the commemoration of the destruction of the First and Second Temples in the month of Av. The loss of these pinnacle ancient holy sites marks profound communal mourning that has come to represent ideas of pain and brokenness throughout time and space.
We are also ending the month of June, which marks the halfway point of the secular calendar and the start of summer. During this temporal marker – which aligns with the end of the school calendar, the closing of Pride month, and, for some, the start of a new fiscal year – we are reminded of the importance of checking in with our progress as well as our goals for what's ahead. In the work of creating healthy organizations, sometimes the distance between our reality and our vision can feel disheartening. At the recent 2023 SRE Convening, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg shared an insightful D'var Torah about the Israelites' 40-year journey through the desert and how they, too, were often discouraged. The antidote to this exasperation and burnout, Rabbi Ruttenberg reminds, is community:
“We cannot do this alone…Even if it’s messy…we’re going to iterate and figure out how to navigate this entirely new environment, entirely new terrain– a vast expanse of professional, and perhaps personal terrors that we must cross in order to get to the Promised Land, where everyone in our community and our institutions is safe, everyone is whole, everyone can thrive in all of the ways.”
As we continue on this journey, it is important to celebrate the progress we have made so far, no matter how small, even as we tend to our grief from the past, present, and future. Every step we take, every conversation we have, and every action we make towards safe and equitable organizations rife with justice is significant. Let us use this month of Tammuz as a time to mourn the losses we have experienced, reflect on our progress, and to recommit ourselves to the work ahead.
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During our time away, the Ta’amod team has been busy! In 2023 alone, we have already had the honor to engage with 726 participants! It has been incredible to have the
opportunity to facilitate and
learn with everyone who's
joined us so far.
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Thank you to all of the organizations that worked with us so far this year! We strive to stay connected.
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We are also thrilled to introduce you to our three newest members: Kalkidan Gezahegn, Kiyomi Kowalski, and McKenzie Wren! | |
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Kalkidan Gezahegn is an educator, facilitator, and writer from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Kalkidan studied American Studies at Tufts University where they learned critical race pedagogy and facilitation. Kalkidan has provided operational support and management for several organizations and enjoys creating efficient, scalable systems wherever she is. When not at work, Kalkidan enjoys reading, hiking, creating art, and traveling to new destinations. Read the rest of their bio here.
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Kiyomi Kowalski is a Afro-Latin, queer, Jewish woman who works at the intersections of race and antisemitism. Kiyomi began her career in public service as an active duty United States Marine in 1997. She has a degree in political science and a Juris Doctorate with an emphasis in public service. Kiyomi’s social justice work is centered on creating more inclusive spaces for Jewish people of all backgrounds as well as eradicating racism and antisemitism. She lives with her partner and two kids in the suburbs of Los Angeles where she can be found watercolor painting, embroidering, and sewing pieces of flare to inspire a more just world. Read the rest of her bio here.
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McKenzie Wren is a facilitator and consultant who works in multiple arenas to support connection and growth. As Wren Consulting, she works with businesses and nonprofits to support inclusion and belonging. As Ma’ayan Spiritual Arts, she facilitates art, ritual and connection through Earth- based, embodied Jewish practices uplifting the Divine Feminine. She is also the part-time program manager for the Southern Jewish Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN) working to expand LGBTQ+ inclusion across the South. McKenzie is a lay leader at Congregation Bet Haverim in Atlanta where she lives with her partner and small menagerie. Read the rest of her bio here.
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June was an exceptionally busy month for the Ta’amod team. We kicked off the month with our first in-person team gathering. We connected over team-building activities, welcomed our two new trainers, and engaged in meaningful learning about the work we do each day.
We also got down to business to celebrate our organizational growth, discuss future goals, and highlight the vast wisdom in the room to collaboratively hone our craft. It was such a joy to share our collective passion for what we do. The gathering was a massive success, and we can't wait for the next one!
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The team then attended the 2023 SRE Network Convening. This year's convening, titled "Building our Future Together," marks the 5 year anniversary of the SRE Network! The event was attended by a diverse group of SRE Network members, grantees, practitioners, and funders and allowed individuals and organizations working towards social justice and equity the opportunity to connect. We are so proud to have had our very own Nicole Nevarez, Andrea Jacobs, and Kiyomi Kowalski leading discussions on intersectionality and creating institutional Britot or covenants. Yishar koach!!
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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT:
JCC TUCSON, AZ
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We are proud to showcase the efforts of organizations that share our vision and have made outstanding contributions to this mission. This month, we share some of the experiences and initiatives of the JCulture changemaker team from Tucson JCC, highlighting their successes and lessons learned along the way as they implement what they learned from the JCutlure fellowship to their community. We hope that by sharing their experiences, we can help foster a sense of collaboration and solidarity within our community, inspiring others to join us in creating positive change. Below is an excerpt from our interview with Tucson JCC.
How has Ta'amod learning and training influenced your org culture?
Our entire team now has a shared language and understanding around the behaviors that contribute to (and denigrate) the kind of work environment we strive for, but more than that, they are empowered to use this knowledge to shape concrete change. With the knowledge of how they can individually contribute to fostering a psychologically safe, equitable, accountable, and inclusive workplace for people of all identities, our staff are better able to approach continued learning and growing around our DEI initiatives. What we have learned from Ta’amod has provided necessary buy-in and framing for a variety of other concurrent projects and initiatives including our hiring of a full-time Inclusion Coordinator, work with Blue Dove and Gather Inc, participation from two of our employees in the Tzedek Social Justice fellowship, the creation of a JAmbassadors volunteer program which incorporates culture training, ongoing J-Ed professional development opportunities, and department-specific trainings that delve deeper into relevant DEI- and SRE-related topics. The impact of this work ripples out and continues.
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NEW WORKSHOP:
LAY LEADERS & BOARD MEMBERS
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We are thrilled to announce that Ta’amod is now providing training for lay leaders. Lay leaders play an absolutely critical role in co-creating and supporting their organizations to be healthy, accountable places of belonging for staff and laity alike. This is sacred work that needs the guidance of lay leaders to be successful and lasting.
Together, we will explore the foundations of organizational wellness and safety and focus on the critical role you play as a lay leader in this powerful and imperative work.
To inquire about Ta'amod's Lay Leader Training or any of our other services, click the inquiry form button below!
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We are thrilled to have partnered with the following national organization this year to date! | |
Ta'amod: Stand up! is fiscally sponsored by Mission Edge San Diego. | | | | |
