Certificate Program in JEDI + JSSJ

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
+
Jewish Studies and Social Justice

Flexible. Virtual and in-person. At your own pace. As little as 12 months.

This certificate is the country’s only graduate-level program focused on Jewish studies and social justice (JSSJ) systemically infused with JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) values, developed to train professionals to work within, between, and beyond Jewish-identified communities.

JEDI + JSSJ lives at the intersection of activism and empathy through a Jewish lens. It’s an educational movement that centers on anti-oppression, social justice, and human rights, focused on defining a path to a more just and inclusive world.

Areas of Focus

Race
Comparative Conflict Analysis
Disability
Environment
Gender
Genocide Studies
Human Rights
Indigeneity
Queer and Trans Studies
& more

Details

Applications are currently being accepted on a rolling basis.
Begin at any time! Sample one or two courses without a full certificate commitment.
BIPOC + Queer/Trans scholarships available. (limited availability)
Inquire for more details!

Fall 2024 Course

Meet the Moment – Israel/Palestine and American Jewish Life: Generational Divides and Future Directions with Oren Kroll-Zeldin

Israel/Palestine has been a central topic of concern in American Jewish life since before the State of Israel was established. Though there has never been a consensus among American Jews about Israel, American Jews, and their institutions have largely expressed support for Zionism and the State of Israel for more than half a century. Since October 7, 2023, American Jews have grappled with the role of Israel/Palestine in their communities and institutions in new and intense ways, particularly as dissenting Jewish voices against Israel and Zionism have become much more pronounced, especially amongst younger American Jews.

Our fall 2024 “Meet the Moment” course — Israel/Palestine and American Jewish Life — examines American Jewish perspectives on Israel during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Topics will include histories of Anti-Zionism and Zionism; generational trends, especially among today’s younger American Jewish Palestine solidarity activists; teaching multiple narratives on Israel/Palestine; Jewish responses to trauma since October 7; and how to have hard conversations inside and outside of Jewish institutions regarding this potentially volatile topic. This course is especially relevant for people working in Jewish institutions looking for meaningful ways to engage with Israel/Palestine in their communities.

Spring 2025 Course

Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out with Yehudah Webster

Form antiracist habits and behaviors through Jewish spiritual practice in our course, Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out.

Efforts to dismantle racism are often comprised of education, advocacy, and systemic change. These efforts are not enough —it’s crucial that we also do the inner work necessary to change our habits of mind, body, and spirit to wholly dismantle racism. Indeed, it's through strengthening our habits of mind, body and spirit that we’ll be most effective and successful in our advocacy and organizing to dismantle racism systemically. We have ancestral wisdom available to support this change; Mussar is the Jewish spiritual discipline designed to integrate what the head understands with what the heart feels through daily practice. Emerge from this program with renewed ability and resilience to disrupt racism, a regular spiritual practice, and a set of concrete tools to support your antiracism efforts.