Building Jewish From the Foundations Up, R’ Dara Lithwick in Conversation with Tyler Samuels
Why don’t the boards of most major Jewish organizations have youth advisory councils (as many municipalities and even the federal government have), especially if a major challenge facing such communal organizations is a decline in youth involvement? How do we combat antisemitism without letting Jewish identity be defined by it? How can diving into Jewish history help make our Jewish spaces more welcoming, inclusive, and just? And in terms of amplifying the voices of Jews of Colour in Canada and beyond, if not now, when? And what could this all have to do with Pesach?
Tune in to my interview with Tyler Samuels where we tackled these topics and more. Tyler Samuels (he/him) is the Program Coordinator for the Tel Aviv Institute, “a multidisciplinary laboratory focused on uplifting Jews on and offline through innovative, social media driven strategies.” A graduate of the University of Toronto in political science and history, Tyler was also the vice president of engagement at Jews of Colour Canada. As a prolific writer and activist, he speaks out against racism and “polite” antisemitism. Self-described as “your friendly Jewish History Geek,” Tyler also regularly posts about Jewish history, for example regarding the Jewish community history in Jamaica and in Sephardic/ Mizrahi locales around the globe. He is active on social media and can be found on Twitter at @BluntBlackJew.
May this Pesach, this holiday of Cherut, liberation, inspire us to build a more connected, just, inclusive and barrier-free Judaism.
R. Dara Lithwick
Rabbi Dara Lithwick, the lead builder at Builders Blog, is an advocate for LGBTQ2+ inclusion within diverse Jewish spaces and for Jewish inclusion in LGBTQ2+ spaces. When not at work as a constitutional and parliamentary affairs lawyer, Rabbi Dara is active as an outreach rabbi at Temple Israel Ottawa. She is a member of Bayit’s Board of Directors.
Tyler Samuels (he/him) is the Program Coordinator for the Tel Aviv Institute, “a multidisciplinary laboratory focused on uplifting Jews on and offline through innovative, social media driven strategies.” A graduate of the University of Toronto in political science and history, Tyler was also the vice president of engagement at Jews of Colour Canada. Find him on Twitter: @BluntBlackJew.
