By Liliana Peliks, Jewish LearningWorks Director of Marketing
In the United States we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. This time of the year gives us the opportunity to bring to the forefront those who identify as Latino, LatinX, have family with latin descent, and/or speak Spanish, and also have ties to Jewish peoplehood. This population, similar to many in our country, touches on many worlds. But living as multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-cultural individuals, and celebrating the intersections is two different things. However, for families with Latin and Jewish identities, merging living and celebration is becoming more accessible.
Olamim, which is the word for worlds in Hebrew, is the name of a rising engagement program for Latin Jewish families that blends nature connection, cultural expression, and community-building in the Bay Area. Last month, they launched the first-ever, Spanish-English Jewish Family School in Northern California.
Last year, their founder and Executive Director, Ariela Ronay-Jinich, published a study based on her research of Latin Jewish identity in the Bay Area, noting the challenges these families face when making educational choices for their children. Grounded in our anti racist statement, and commitment to centering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in Jewish educational spaces as expressed in our 2022 strategic plan, Jewish LearningWorks is excited about what this new school choice means for Latin Jewish families, and the blueprint it is creating for other Bay Area populations within the Jewish community.
Este artículo celebra el lanzamiento de la primera escuela familiar bilingüe que teje latinidad y judaismo en el norte de California. Puedes aprender más sobre el programa aquí.
