Inclusivity
The Jewish community is a tapestry of people and identities representing the rich diversity of what it means to be Jewish. We are committed to fostering welcoming, inclusive communities for all Jews.
CLSPN has been an outspoken advocate for equality and inclusion in the Jewish world, Israel and Tulsa. Our work is grounded in our belief that all people should feel safe in and proud of who they are and a strong sense of community and connectedness. As Judaism teaches, we have a duty to treat people with derekh eretz (civility and humanity) and chesed (mercy and kindness).
Within the Jewish world, in particular, we believe that a diverse Jewish community is a stronger, more enduring Jewish community. In an era where all Jews are Jews by choice, we are working to forge a culture in which every Jew is welcomed as a full and vital member of the Jewish family at home, at work and in all aspects of communal life.
As part of our efforts to create a community in which all Jews feel they have pride of place, our Foundation has been at the forefront of working to create and support programs that are as inclusive and pluralistic as possible.
We are especially focused on supporting opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer (LGBTQ) Jews seeking to actively lead Jewish lives and uniting leaders who are prepared to make the necessary changes for Jewish organizations and institutions to become fully inclusive.
To this end, in November 2012, the Human Rights Campaign released the Jewish Organization Equality Index, which looks at the existing LGBT inclusivity policies and practices of 204 Jewish non-profit organizations. We supported the Index, together with the Morningstar Foundation and philanthropist Stuart Kurlander, to begin to establish benchmarks for gauging, and resources for improving, inclusion and equality within North American Jewish communal organizations.
Key findings from the index create a preliminary snapshot of how a broad range of Jewish organizations—from national umbrella and advocacy groups to local nonprofits and synagogues—address LGBT diversity and inclusion in three categories of practice: organizational inclusion efforts, community/client engagement and workplace policies. The Index intends to create a baseline for change and is part of our broader work to:
- Strengthen the capacity of the organized LGBTQ Jewish community;
- Provide support, training and resources to create a Jewish community that welcomes and affirms LGBTQ Jews;
- Ensure Jewish organizations adopt hiring policies that do not discriminate, explicitly mention sexual orientation and gender identity, and provide benefits for domestic partners of staff members; and
- Craft practices around the use of inclusive language and images.
Who We Support
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Diversity Statement (Adopted August 2007)
The Schusterman family of philanthropic entities values diversity in its employment practices, in the organizations it supports and in all of its other endeavors.
We believe that an understanding of and an appreciation for differences—age, color, disability, sex, race/ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression—lead to healthy and inclusive communities. We believe that by respecting all people and hearing all voices—by celebrating our shared humanity—we make better decisions for ourselves and for the communities we serve.