Ep.64: Music w/Enji; US Jews of Color: Celebrating Sukkot, Journalist Robin Washington, Writer Hanah Bloom, Jews of Color Initiative CEO Ilana Kaufman & Philosopher Lewis R. Gordon

On Stance, we explore the question: what does it mean to be a Jewish person of color in America today?

We chat with a range of voices from this growing demographic, in the worlds of philosophy, pop culture, community organizing, and journalism. 

Plus, we cover music with Jazz Musician Enji to learn more about her mesmerizing new record, Ulan.

At a Sukkot celebration, a few members of the Jews of Color Initiative team, Jade Groobman, Sarah Starks and Riki Robinson, discuss their hopes, dreams and their work building more community in Jewish spaces.

CEO of Jews of Color Initiative, Ilana Kaufman takes us through their mission to build a professional, organizational and communal space for Jews of Color. She discusses the importance of accurately capturing data about Jews of Color, and of empowering them into leadership roles.

Writer, Hanah Bloom, tackles the model minority myth twice over in her essay about being a Japanese American Jew, published in Hey Alma, a contemporary online community. She reads her essay and chats about some of the responses that followed.

Professor of Philosophy and Global Affairs, Lewis R. Gordon offers us another glimpse into the diverse history of Jewish peoples, as he shares his experience navigating between the Jewish community in Jamaica and the Jewish community in the US.

We end this topic with Robin Washington, a journalist and Editor-At-Large for The Forward, a US Jewish news and culture publication founded in 1897. He reflects on what it means to be a Black Jew after the horrors of October 7.

We chat with vocalist and composer Enji about her musical journey and the inspiration behind her third solo album, Ulaan. Enji’s unique and expansive sound combines jazz, contemporary folk, and the ancient Mongolian musical tradition of Long Song. She talks with us about how combining the creative freedom of jazz with her Mongolian heritage enables her to express more of her authentic self.

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