How Jews in ALL Hues is Building a Future Rooted in Jewish Community, Justice, and Inclusion

Jared Jackson ’21, founder and executive director of Jews in ALL Hues, is dedicated to transforming Jewish communities through structural change. For him, it’s about dismantling white supremacy, challenging ableism, and ensuring that every Jew, regardless of heritage, feels respected and supported. His commitment to this cause was shaped not just by his lived experience, but also by his time at Hebrew Union College, which he credits with deepening his understanding of how to lead systemic change within Jewish spaces.

Jews in ALL Hues, founded in 2009, initially focused on multi-heritage Jewish identity. Over time, it evolved into an anti-bias institution targeting white supremacy, which Jackson identifies as the core issue. “White supremacy encapsulates racism and internalized anti-Semitism,” he says, highlighting how it shapes the Jewish community. His time at Hebrew Union College helped him expand the organization’s reach and approach. “Being a student gave me access to fundraising professionals and nonprofit managers,” he shares, noting how mentorship from figures like Hebrew Union College faculty Amy Schiffman and Erik Ludwig, Ph.D., former Director of the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management, helped him grow.

A pivotal moment for Jackson came early in his studies when he raised funds for a classmate’s family following the loss of their father, which led him to explore burial and death issues in Jewish communities through a DEI lens. “A lot of people with disabilities and interfaith families are pushed aside when they need resources,” Jackson explains. This became the focus of his capstone project, “The Underserved of the Undertaken,” in which he examined how Jewish communities can/sometimes fail to meet the needs of marginalized groups. His time at Hebrew Union College reinforced his belief in the importance of changing how the Jewish community addresses these structural gaps.

Jews in ALL Hues emphasizes long-term partnerships over performative allyship. Jackson recounts a three-year collaboration with the Foundation for Jewish Camp to help day camps build diversity plans. “It was a humanization process, not just a checklist,” he says, emphasizing the importance of sustained efforts. The organization’s current work includes a partnership with the Weitzman National Museum to include Jews of Color in American Jewish history. Through this partnership, Jackson affirms, “Jews of Color will finally be able to see ourselves inside of American Jewish history in a way that we haven’t been, but in a way that should have been, because Jews of color have been here since Jews have been here

Jackson also pushes for broader representation within Jewish spaces. Through his work and education, Jackson has become a strong advocate for Jews of Color to take on leadership roles, ensuring that the Jewish community accurately reflects its diversity and complexity.

Jews in ALL Hues focuses on creating a Jewish community that is truly inclusive and equitable, addressing systemic barriers, and ensuring that all voices are heard. For Jackson, true Jewish continuity means building a future where Jewishness can thrive for everyone, regardless of race or background.

“It’s not just about ensuring that Jews of Color are safe today, but about creating a future where everyone belongs,” he says. His advice for the next generation, “I see a lot of fight in their future, and a lot of fire in them. Use it.”

His call to action is clear: it’s time to reconfigure resources, dismantle systems of oppression, and ensure that every Jew, regardless of their background, is supported and valued. Through Jews in ALL Hues, he is leading the charge for a more inclusive and just Jewish community, one where all Jews, especially Jews of Color, can see themselves reflected and heard.