Meet the creators behind Making Mensches

Jessie Sander and Elana Lipkin are leading active change within local Jewish communities in Orange County. The two created an organization called Making Mensches, which focuses on facilitating conversations that confront the systemic nature of anti-Blackness in Jewish spaces.

The organization was sparked in July 2020, after Sander read a letter called the Not Free to Desist, which was published by Black Jews and Jews of Color. After reading the seven-point plan that outlined how white Jewish organizations could be better allies, she immediately went home to Monroe Temple Beth-el, where the Temple’s president told her to connect to his daughter. That was when Sander was introduced to Lipkin.

“Turns out we live 10 minutes away from each other in Brooklyn,” said Sander.

Making Jewish spaces more safe and inclusive

Lipkin, who is obtaining her Masters at Columbia University for social work, and Sander, a special education teacher of three years and graduate of Pace and CUNY Hunter, both had a passion to begin something they knew was lacking in Orange County.

“We introduced the idea of making a six-part online workshop series on anti-racism in the Jewish community,” said Lipkin. “It’s action based, so they’re actionable steps that members of the community can take to make these Jewish spaces more safe and inclusive.”

The workshop, which took place on Zoom in fall 2020, was a success, with at least 25 people in attendance at each workshop. They plan to hold another series at Temple Beth Shalom in Florida, N.Y., where they will be focusing on microaggressions, internalized anti-Semitism and ashkenormativity.

The workshops are open to all members of the community. “Bring your babies, your high schoolers, we are welcome to have any community member join, just as long as they know it is Jewish in nature,” said Sander.

The good person

And what does Mensches (pronounced mench-es) mean?

“It’s a Yiddish word for a good person, or someone who does good in the world. Elana and I both went to a preschool called Mensch Makers - so it’s like we’re making mensches again.”

Sander and Lipkin, while hoping to expand Making Mensches, believe it’s important to start change locally, especially within their hometown community.

“I feel a responsibility to changing the community in which I was raised,” said Sander. “The best change starts at home and while it is easy to get caught up in the larger frustrations of the world right now, it really grounds us to return to our roots and try to make our community a better place for the next generation of Jews.”

Essentials

Making Mensches’ upcoming three-part series on Zoom is currently scheduled for March 7th, 14th and 21st. Go on their website to sign up, or for more information: https://www.makingmensches.com/ or follow them on Instagram at @makingmensches