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Agency Column: PJA

Focusing on diversity, inclusion

BY STEVE ALBERT Most recently, we’ve begun to explore
Independent schools around the nation DEI through the lens of organizational cul-
have been focusing on Diversity, Equity ture. With the help of consultant Heather
and Inclusion initiatives for years – and Clark, an anthropology professor from the
with good reason. Historically, indepen- University of Washington, we are look-
dent schools have been somewhat ho- ing at our school culture and the ways it
mogeneous, and that has not allowed our supports or hinders our DEI efforts. I find Israeli cooking
schools to serve our students well, or, in discussions about inclusion to be the most
some cases, at all. interesting. Inclusion is about the way di-
As Jewish educators, we know it is crit- verse members of a community interact. at Lewis & Clark
ical for children to learn to respect and Inclusion requires awareness, empathy and
embrace the diversity of both the Jewish intentionality. PDX Hillel’s Israel Fellow Eden Ferede
community and broader society. We know The creation of a truly inclusive insti- has created an exciting six-week course
that the best way to ensure that every child tutional culture starts at the top, and the for Lewis and Clark first-year or new-to-
finds success is to provide differentiated members of PJA’s Board of Directors campus students to cook with guest chefs
instruction and address individual needs. have been actively engaged in our recent from Portland’s Israeli community.
We also know that inclusive communities work. People are often surprised when I Eden says she created the program “to
foster respect and empathy for others and say that meaningful DEI work begins with connect students through food to different
empower confident identity development the board, and it is not immediately ap- Jewish Israeli life stories and also to expose
in children. parent that inclusion is a fiduciary duty. them to the delicious and amazing cuisines
Portland Jewish Academy has been en- However, the role of the board is to ensure we have in our Jewish heritage. Jewishness
gaged in DEI work for many years, and the sustainability of the institution, and is coming in all kinds of shapes and ways,
our efforts in this area continue to expand. diversity, equity and inclusion are keys to and so do Israelis.”
Originally, we focused on our curriculum. that future success. Eden reached out individually to each
Anti-bias education, which can begin with Consider a few examples of board actions of the more than 50 students who attend-
early childhood, is a values-based approach that enhance a culture of inclusivity. An ed PDX Hillel’s New Student Orientation
that embraces difference and counters bias. inclusive school community reflects di- Shabbat at the beginning of the semester.
This foundation celebrates the diversity versity at every level, beginning with the Those who signed on for the class get to
that is reflected in our school community board. The board can ensure that it “looks” cook, talk and eat together with a guest chef
– differences in race, ethnicity, national or- like the diverse community it aspires to each week.
igin, socioeconomic status, gender identi- include. An inclusive school has policies “Through the program, I’m ensuring that
ty, ability, age, sexual orientation, religion, and procedures that support diversity and 10 lovely students are interacting, thinking,
etc. Ultimately, this framework leads to the equity. The board can support hiring and hearing, learning and experiencing Israel
creation of a classroom and school charac- admission policies – and provide financial education for at least two and a half hours
terized by justice and empathy. aid resources – that ensure diversity and every week,” says Eden. “I want to make
This philosophy ties closely to PJA’s mid- inclusion. And an inclusive school ensures Israel more accessible in order to create a
dot (core values). In particular, there is a that all members of the community feel a strong base, where we can bring hard topics
clear connection with the values of kavod sense of belonging, which can be enhanced to the table and actually learn together.”
(respect) – the importance of treating oth- by the individual and collective actions of PDX Hillel Executive Director Hannah
ers with dignity; kehillah (community) – board members at school events, fund-rais- Sherman says food was a good choice to
the desire to establish a sense of belonging ers and gatherings. attract students.
and connectedness among members of the Ultimately, the goal of DEI work in “We know students love to cook together,
school community; and zehut (identity) – schools is to empower the voice of every so this medium of using food to learn about
the exploration of who we are and what we member of the community. In doing so, we diversity in Israel is a great way to open the
stand for and believe. prepare our young people to make our so- door to what are oftentimes difficult conver-
Following our focus on anti-bias cur- ciety more equitable and just. sations to have,” says Hannah. “Especial-
riculum, PJA began to explore equity, or Steve Albert is the ly after the recent violence in Israel over the
meeting the needs of each student. Our Executive Director summer, we knew it would be important to
school has always sought to meet the needs of Portland Jewish come back to campus this fall and immedi-
of a wide range of learners, but there have Academy and the ately show students that they could engage
also been students whose needs we could Mittleman Jewish with Israel in a meaningful way and find a
not meet. Expanding the range of students Community Center. connection to the food and the people.”
we can serve required developing a better He has 35 years Hannah hopes that after this immersive
understanding of neurodiversity. Training of experience as experience, these students will become
teachers, hiring learning specialists, rede- a teacher, school future Hillel leaders, helping to shape the
signing classrooms, educating families and administrator and Jewish community on campus.
adapting school policies are some of the Head of School. “Already these students are showing up to
strategies we use both to enhance the neu- He currently serves on the Board of programs early to help set up, taking fellow
rodiversity present at our school and to en- Governors of the Northwest Association of students out to coffee, and planning pro-
sure the success of each student we admit. Independent Schools. grams and initiatives of their own,” she says.
Jewish Review Nov. 10, 2021 15