Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) was founded in 1990 to address the racial/ethnic tensions and economic disparities in New York City. This program celebrates the tenth anniversary of JFREJ.

JFREJ was founded by two women, mostly led by women (five out of six directors), and driven by a mostly female staff. Though the content of our mission is not specifically feminist, we have modeled feminist activism and included a feminist spin on issues such as hate violence, right of workers to organize, police brutality, and educational equity. I was hired as JFREJ’s first director, and, as a teacher and scholar of Jewish women’s studies, I drew on contacts not only with progressive Jews but especially with Jewish feminists. My essay, “Fighting Racism as Jews: Beyond Black/Jewish Dialogue,” focused on terrain which had mostly been occupied –belligerently – by men. Here and in other writings and actions as JFREJ’s director, I reached out to – and was reached out to by – African American women who wanted to get beyond militaristic rhetoric to work in solidarity around our common issues.