Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – We recently had the pleasure of convening a group of passionate, committed executive and philanthropic leaders to explore together what it would look like to recommit to advancing gender equity across our Jewish communal sector.

It was, and is, impossible to talk about the work of safety, respect, and equity without acknowledging the moment we are living through as Jews, and as Americans: hostages still held captive in Gaza; sexual violence used as a tool of war on October 7; the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the West Bank and across Israel; the war with Iran – which, God willing, will have a ceasefire that holds. Here in the U.S., we’ve been experiencing the ugliest and most dangerous forms of antisemitism, rapidly changing domestic policies that threaten the rights of historically marginalized identities, and increasing polarization sowing chaos – making it more challenging to know where to look, how to focus, when everything feels pressing, every day.

When SRE Network began seven years ago, it started in multiple rooms with visionary leaders imagining a future where gender-based safety, respect, and equity would shape the culture of our Jewish communal sector. We dreamed big. And we’ve witnessed meaningful wins and culture shifts along the way.

But today, in 2025, we face a new and more complex reality. Domestic and geopolitical landscapes have shifted tectonically. The oldest forms of hatred and bias—antisemitism, racism, homophobia, and of course the mother of them all - misogyny—persist, but in different guises. The domestic and global trends are unfortunately pushing us backward.

Today, 1 in 5 workers in the general population has experienced domestic violence and reports that it affects their job performance.  Many companies and organizations have reduced or eliminated their investment in developing diverse leaders - primarily, women and people of color. Less than 2% of all philanthropic dollars are allocated to programs for women and girls. For the first time since the early 2000s, the gender pay gap has increased.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

So once again, we found ourselves in a room together to ask, Where do we go from here?

What needs to change?

What’s not being said?

And how bold are we willing to be to name it?

First, we must imagine what it could look like if we collectively mobilized to remove persistent barriers to safety, respect, and equity. Imagine that in 10 years:

• Meaningful male allyship is the norm, not the exception, and “manels” are a thing of the past.
• Women hold at least 50% of leadership roles across our sector.
• We value family and health - and our policies match
• What pay gap?
• Our professional and volunteer leaders reflect the full diversity of our people across gender, race, sexual orientation, age, marital status, and ability.
• When harm occurs - intentionally or not - there is accountability and a clear path to teshuva (repentance).
• There’s a sense of abundance when it comes to funding these practices above.

This does not have to be a pipe dream.

But getting there will require new solutions - adaptive ones, not just technical. It will take more than policies and compliance practices. It will take mindset shifts, institutional change, and a collective commitment to keeping these values at the forefront. And, this work will and MUST look different in different communities, and be applied and adapted in ways that work for them.

Most importantly, none of us could do this alone seven years ago, and we still can’t now.

We must move forward in collaboration, in community, and with a shared commitment to building a Jewish communal future where we are all treated fairly, with dignity and care. A future where we can all belong, thrive, and drive bold change. SRE is unwavering in our pursuit of this vision and is here to help ignite and mobilize our sector to advance this work. Together, a safer, more respectful, and equitable future is possible.

Rachel Gildiner
Executive Director
SRE Network