JWFA is working to

Change the Culture by Addressing Workplace Harassment

Since 2018, Jewish communities have begun engaging in a systematic effort to address sexual harassment, sexism, and gender discrimination in our workplaces and communal spaces. This includes congregations, day schools, and community-based nonprofits. National organizations and coalitions – such as the SRE Network – have been founded to guide this work, and a special emphasis is being placed on the ethical – not only the legal – standards that we as Jews owe to each other.

Now it is Atlanta’s turn.

Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta (JWFA) promotes social change and creates positive opportunities for Jewish women and girls. Since 2012, we have tackled gender inequality throughout our Jewish community. We are uniquely positioned to spearhead the Safety, Respect, Equity effort in Atlanta and are proud to spearhead the Change the Culture Initiative to address these issues locally.

In February 2020, leaders from throughout Jewish Atlanta gathered for the Change the Culture Summit to learn from experts from the Safety, Respect, and Equity Coalition and Ta’amod. Participants were encouraged to engage their organizations in follow-up conversations and training to dive deeper into these issues. In June 2020, we hosted a film screening and panel discussion of NEVERTHELESS, a documentary about gender-based harassment, discrimination, and assault in the workplace. Our esteemed panel of experts, led by moderator Cynthia Good, examined the film and ways in which we all must engage to create safe, more respectful workplaces. Educational guides and resources are also available from the filmmaker.

In our 2021-2022 grant cycle, we allocated grants to JWI, Ta’amod, and Women’s Rabbinic Network to address gender-based harassment and discrimination in Jewish workplaces and communal spaces on a more intensive level. We are inspired by the work of these organizations and feel strongly that their programming will enhance the Change the Culture Initiative and create a significant result for Atlanta’s Jewish community.