(JTA) — Dozens of liberal Jewish groups have signed a letter defending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at a time when such efforts are under fire from the Trump administration, and after some Jews have accused DEI programs of fueling antisemitism.
“Jewish tradition teaches of the Divine spark in every person,” the statement begins. “As Jewish groups that are committed to protecting and advancing the safety and security of our community, we know we have an invaluable tool to leverage: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.”
The statement, led by the Union for Reform Judaism, is the latest by a coalition of Jewish groups vocally opposing signature Trump administration policies. It follows letters against his immigration crackdowns and against the barring of transgender girls from women’s sports.
The letter says DEI is an outgrowth of the civil rights movement and of fights against the institutionalized American antisemitism of the mid-20th century. And it pointed to federal agencies canceling Holocaust remembrance activities in order to accord with a ban on DEI programs.
“All these achievements, now regarded with nearly universal pride, were and are about making our communities equally inclusive for all, for the benefit of all,” the statement says. “Why? Because people and society overall are stronger when arbitrary barriers to participation are removed.”
Opposition to DEI not limited to conservatives
The statement also acknowledges that opposition to DEI isn’t limited to conservatives. Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, some Jews have argued repeatedly that DEI is to blame for the widespread protests against Israel on campus. For example, the journalist Dara Horn wrote that DEI targets “people in our society [who] have too much power and too much privilege” — which plays into antisemitic tropes about Jews wielding too much control.
But the statement says Jews should not give up on DEI, including because doing so would put LGBTQ Jews or Jews of color at risk.
“Some Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion champions have spoken or acted in ways that have caused us pain, including through overt expressions of antisemitism, and others have shared visions of the future that differ from our own,” it said, adding, “It is for each of us to do the work of opening the doors of opportunity for all. It is not only possible, but necessary, to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts in a way that is truly inclusive of Jewish safety, identities, and history.”
In addition to Reform institutions, the letter was signed by groups including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the National Council of Jewish Women, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Reconstructing Judaism and T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.
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