Concord Academy hosts a large variety of clubs, organizations, and affinity groups, one of which is the Jewish Student Organization (JSO). More than just an organization or affinity group, however, the JSO is a community for Jewish students at CA. During casual meetings, students can check in with peers, celebrate Jewish holidays, share traditional foods, discuss aspects relating to identity, or just share a space and be surrounded by those who share a similar background.
Each year, JSO—which is currently led by co-heads Lila Simon ’25, Lyla Brooks ’25, and Eliya Ganot ’26 for the 2024-25 year—reminds CA that it is an affinity space that welcomes anyone who identifies as Jewish. However, a Jewish identity can be complicated and sometimes unclear. Judaism is an ethnic religion and also has a strong cultural element—some Jews may identify with one, two, or all three of these categorizations.
From an ethnic perspective, there are two major ancestral groups: Ashkenazi Jews, whose roots go back to Central and Eastern Europe, and Sephardic Jews, who lived in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East. The two groups have different cultural and religious practices, but are connected by ethnic background. There are also four main denominations of Judaism—Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist, which differ in their teachings, interpretations of holy texts, and level of adherence to Jewish laws.
To clarify, Lila shared what a Jewish identity means in the context of the affinity space. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a B’Nei Mitzvah, or which of your parents are or are not Jewish," she said. "If you connect to Judaism in some way, we hope you can find your place at JSO.” She remarked that many people do not feel “Jewish enough” with regards to their identity or upbringing, but that anyone with a connection to Judaism, even a small one, is welcome and encouraged to come to JSO.
This year, the co-heads are hoping to cultivate a supportive environment where Jewish students at CA can uplift and share with one another. “We hope to provide a safe space where people feel comfortable without pressure to be a ‘certain kind’ of Jewish. We want to make sure people know that we are a community, and [are] always there to have fun and support one another,” Lila said. She shared that in and outside of CA, it can be hard to come across a Jewish community and relate to people with similar upbringings. It is important to her, and the other co-heads, that JSO serves as a comforting, safe, and encouraging environment where students feel supported and can relate to those with a shared identity.
Sources just in case for info on Jewish groups/denominations
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/support/world_religions/judaism/diversity.pdf
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-jewish-denominations/