Non-Jews in Jewish Communal Workplaces
by Deirdre Munley
Writing for eJewish Philanthropy, Deirdre Munley (then Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, and later VP, Program Planning and Leadership at Leading Edge) discusses non-Jews’ sense of belonging in Jewish communal workplaces, and how organizations can support these staff.
Leading Edge’s 2021 Employee Engagement survey report...found that nearly half of all respondents self-identified on the survey as something other than Jewish for religion (including atheist, agnostic and those who preferred not to answer). This number has risen consistently in every year of the survey, from 27% in 2016 to 49% in the 2021 report… And while some of those who preferred not to answer regarding religion may indeed be Jewish, undoubtedly there is rich religious diversity within the workforce that powers Jewish communal organizations.
Deirdre draws from her own experience and from discussions with non-Jewish colleagues to offer some practices she believes can contribute to experiences of belonging and enhance religious diversity and inclusivity in Jewish organizations.
- Let people self-identify if, when, and how they choose.
- Avoid assumptions about who is or isn’t Jewish.
- Be inclusive in language choices and mindful of assumed knowledge.
- Be transparent about whether job opportunities are open to people of all religious backgrounds and identities.
- Ensure that appropriate career growth and development opportunities are available to everyone.
- Consider whether religious diversity could help strengthen your leadership team.
For more details and explanations, read the full article here.
About the Author
Deirdre Munley is a Former Vice President, Program at Leading Edge.
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