YESOD D.C.

JOC Connections Grounded in Torah


For Jews of Color in their 20s and 30s

Why is Torah compared to fire? Just like fire, which cannot keep burning with one lone twig, Torah cannot continue with one person alone - Talmud (Taanit 7a)

Join us for Friendship and Torah Today!

Yesod is Ammud’s newest program for JOC Young Professionals in D.C., created for Jews of Color, by Jews of Color. We want JOCs to have:

  • A friend to invite for Shabbat dinner

  • Other JOCs who will check out a new congregation or organization with you

  • Learning spaces where you can bring your full self to Torah

Judaism is made more whole when Jews of Color have the tools, skills, and support to make Judaism relevant to our lives. We gain those skills in supportive environments where we can learn as we are, and try both ancient and new practices in affinity. The more we learn, the more we are empowered to live Jewish lives that reflect our experiences. 

Program Outline

  • Monthly programs in D.C.

  • Open to Jews of Color in their 20s and 30s

  • Our culturally-sustaining Torah learning is led by Ammud’s D.C. Ambassador Rabbi Kelly Whitehead, programs are organized by community leaders

  • Ammud’s staff and educators will support participants with connections to local congregations and organizations

  • We’ll also connect folks who want to study more with a hevruta study partner, Torah learning guides, and rabbinic support throughout the learning. 

We're Excited to Learn with you!
Sign Up for Yesod

After you sign up, you’ll be contacted by an Ammud rabbi on staff for a quick get to know you. We’ll share about Ammud’s wraparound services, including connecting you with local congregations and organizations and pairing you with JOC hevruta (study partner), if you’d like! We’ll hear about any learning goals you have, and invite you to our group chat as we get the programs started.

  • Ammud has been deeply fortunate to partner with local organizations and community leaders on D.C. programming since summer of 2025. Before Shavuot in 2026, we partnered with the EDCJCC to host our first JOC young professionals’ Torah study over ice cream, and it was a joyous success! We’re excited to continue to offer more opportunities for Jews of Color to learn Torah in a way that is accessible and culturally-sustaining.

  • You’re welcome if you’ve never learned Torah before, and you’re welcome if you’ve studied for years. All of Ammud’s adult learning programs are designed to meet multiple levels of learners where they are. Our rabbi educators learn deeply from research into adult learning so we can design lesson plans that meet our learners where they are.

  • Ammud centers text from the Torah in all of our programs, but we come to the text in many creative ways. This is because Torah has always been studied creatively! In recent years, we’ve learned by imitating old Jewish collage poetry, trying lesser-known Jewish rituals, reading texts translated for the first time at Ammud, exploring rabbinic storytelling through stagecraft, and careful reading with guided questions. We take learning seriously, which is why we learn through multiple modes and activities.

  • Culture effects the way we make sense of new information, and informs how we feel belonging. We learn from models in culturally-sustaining pedagogy and ethnic and racial identity development to find ways to invite our full selves to Torah. When we connect our cultures to Torah learning, we learn better, and we discover new Torah that benefits JOC community and the wider Jewish community alike.