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Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
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Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) is an American left-wing non-profit grassroots Jewish organization based in New York City. JFREJ describes itself as a "movement to dismantle racism and economic exploitation". It operates both a 501(c)(3), also known as JFREJ Community and a 501(c)(4) known as JFREJ Action.
JFREJ was founded in New York City in 1990. Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz served as the organization's first director. While initially focused on local issues, JFREJ's first event was a Shabbat gathering honoring Nelson Mandela during his visit to New York City in June 1990. Mandela's visit drew mixed reactions from the local Jewish community, with organizations including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations requested him to clarify his stance on Israel following recent interactions with Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat and Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. Some members of New York City's Jewish community protested Mandela during his visit. To counter to this response, JFREJ's first event, held on June 15, 1990, honored Mandela and raised $50,000 for the anti-apartheid movement.
Following the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo by four New York City Police Department officers, JFREJ began organizing its members to address issues of police brutality and advocate for police accountability. On March 24, 1999, 126 JFREJ members were among the 212 individuals arrested during protests against Diallo's death, as reported by The New York Times.
Between the early 2000s and 2010, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) participated in the campaign led by Domestic Workers United (DWU) to pass the Domestic Worker's Bill of Rights in New York State. JFREJ began collaborating with DWU in 2002 and supported the passage of a New York City Council resolution for domestic workers' rights in 2003–2004. JFREJ worked with Jewish employers of domestic workers to improve employment practices and advocate alongside domestic workers to secure the legislation. After the bill's successful passage, Ai-jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and JFREJ members who had been organizing domestic employers established Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network.
In October 2012, JFREJ began working with Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) to oppose stop-and-frisk in New York City.
From its founding through the mid-2010s, JFREJ primarily consisted of white Jews and engaged with non-white communities through partnerships with non-Jewish organizations. In 2014, Leo Ferguson joined the organization to promote greater inclusion of the diversity within the Jewish community. By 2020, this effort resulted in increased diversity within JFREJ's membership, the establishment of a Jews of Color caucus led by Ferguson, and a staff composition that included 3 Jews of color out of a total of 9 staff members.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, JFREJ was active in protests against the Trump travel ban and as part of the movement to Abolish ICE.
In 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a JFREJ event where she discussed her Puerto Rican ancestors' distant Sephardi Jewish heritage.
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Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) is an American left-wing non-profit grassroots Jewish organization based in New York City. JFREJ describes itself as a "movement to dismantle racism and economic exploitation". It operates both a 501(c)(3), also known as JFREJ Community and a 501(c)(4) known as JFREJ Action.
JFREJ was founded in New York City in 1990. Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz served as the organization's first director. While initially focused on local issues, JFREJ's first event was a Shabbat gathering honoring Nelson Mandela during his visit to New York City in June 1990. Mandela's visit drew mixed reactions from the local Jewish community, with organizations including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations requested him to clarify his stance on Israel following recent interactions with Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat and Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. Some members of New York City's Jewish community protested Mandela during his visit. To counter to this response, JFREJ's first event, held on June 15, 1990, honored Mandela and raised $50,000 for the anti-apartheid movement.
Following the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo by four New York City Police Department officers, JFREJ began organizing its members to address issues of police brutality and advocate for police accountability. On March 24, 1999, 126 JFREJ members were among the 212 individuals arrested during protests against Diallo's death, as reported by The New York Times.
Between the early 2000s and 2010, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) participated in the campaign led by Domestic Workers United (DWU) to pass the Domestic Worker's Bill of Rights in New York State. JFREJ began collaborating with DWU in 2002 and supported the passage of a New York City Council resolution for domestic workers' rights in 2003–2004. JFREJ worked with Jewish employers of domestic workers to improve employment practices and advocate alongside domestic workers to secure the legislation. After the bill's successful passage, Ai-jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and JFREJ members who had been organizing domestic employers established Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network.
In October 2012, JFREJ began working with Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) to oppose stop-and-frisk in New York City.
From its founding through the mid-2010s, JFREJ primarily consisted of white Jews and engaged with non-white communities through partnerships with non-Jewish organizations. In 2014, Leo Ferguson joined the organization to promote greater inclusion of the diversity within the Jewish community. By 2020, this effort resulted in increased diversity within JFREJ's membership, the establishment of a Jews of Color caucus led by Ferguson, and a staff composition that included 3 Jews of color out of a total of 9 staff members.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, JFREJ was active in protests against the Trump travel ban and as part of the movement to Abolish ICE.
In 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a JFREJ event where she discussed her Puerto Rican ancestors' distant Sephardi Jewish heritage.
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