Our Story

Kohenet Dr. Harriette Wimms had a dream: a gathering space where all Jews of Color could find place and belonging. She shared that dream with other visionaries . . . and The Jews of Color Mishpacha Project was born in 2020!

The JOC Mishpacha Project wants to be a hub of learning, convening, and growth for JOC individuals, communities, and Jewish institutions. We offer workshops, advocacy, outreach, and gathering spaces for Jewish People of Color and their families/allies/accomplices.

What we need is you!

Since 2021, the JOC Mishpacha Project has hosted an annual shabbaton gathering Jewish People of Color, Indigenous Jews, Sephardic Jews, Mizrahi Jews, and their white allies and family. This homecoming has been a place for JOC-led Jewish learning, prayer and ritual, spirited singing, and embodied spiritual connection.

In 2021, the National JOC Shabbaton was our central event, and took place virtually on May 14-16, 2021. Programming for families, teens, and adults included JOC-led davening, workshops, affinity spaces, and more.

In 2022, our main event was We Are Family: JOCSM In-person Shabbaton at Pearlstone Retreat Center on May 6-8, 2022. Programming was available for families with young children, youth, and adults including JOCSM family camp for families with children 0-8 years old, diverse prayer options, and varied affinity spaces.

In 2023, we returned to Pearlstone Retreat Center for the We Are Family: JOCISM Shabbaton on June 16-18, 2023. 

We once again will be returning to Pearlstone for the We Are Family: JOCSM Shabbaton on July 12-14, 2024. 

We welcome our POC family members and our white accomplices and allies to join in the homecoming!

#JOCHomecoming

#JOCShabbaton

#Each1Bring1Shabbaton


The JOC Mishpacha Project:

• Fosters community and connection among Jewish People of Color across denominations and geographic regions.

• Promotes community building, beyond organizational silos, among Jewish Leaders of Color.

• Provides intentional opportunities to engage the JOC community via a national, virtual, trans-denominational platform for outreach, spirituality, and collective healing.

• Gathers and embraces Jews of Color (JOC) agencies across the country for building community and resilience.

• Facilitates a virtual Shabbaton and ancillary programming that centers JOC engagement.

• Manifests an annual spiritual retreat (Shabbaton) where labor is both visible and compensated and JOC leadership is fostered and honored.

The JOC Mishpacha Project and our associated programs are all made possible by the generous donations of our partners.