Personal Reflection: Am I a Jew of Color? Negotiating Competing Definitions of JOC

In this personal reflection, the author interrogates the question of whether she is a Jew of Color. She explores the lack of consensus about clear definitions for this category and raises questions about how the category has been defined over time. Specifically, the author examines three main ways in which researchers, individuals, or institutions have been setting the parameters to decide who to include in the category of Jews of Color, identifying both their strengths and limitations. As those engaged in pro-inclusion work will continue to use different approaches and orientations to the category of Jews of Color, she argues that clarity regarding the classification schema employed to define Jews of Color is a critical starting point for discussing Jewish American diversity.