Hello! My name is Talia Yaari, and I am so excited to join JCUA as the new Youth Leadership Coordinator. 

I grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan with many different Jewish communities and institutions shaping my upbringing. At Jewish day school, I developed a strong foundation of Jewish literacy regarding ritual, history, language, and text. At home, my parents and family instilled knowledge and pride in our mixed cultural heritage of Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi traditions. 

My passion for engaging in social justice causes from a Jewish lens emerged from my summers spent at Habonim Dror Camp Tavor. Through Camp Tavor’s informal education and programming, I was encouraged to learn, question, and grow alongside my peers. We explored subjects including socialism, feminism, Jewish peoplehood, societal inequality, and so much more. These formative summers were so impactful in shaping my values and the person I have become. As I take the reins of JCUA’s youth programming, I intimately understand the importance of creating spaces where youth can feel truly empowered, because I experienced that myself. 

Camp Tavor’s influence also catalyzed engagement with social justice work from an educational perspective. As I transitioned into roles on staff, I recognized that education serves as a crucial entry point for engaging in social justice work. I internalized that how this education is framed can significantly affect whether people feel brought in and inspired to contribute.

My organizing experience began in college through climate justice work when I joined the local hub of the Sunrise Movement. As part of Sunrise Ann Arbor, I was involved in leading a months-long escalation campaign targeted at garnering elected officials’ support for the Green New Deal. Along with the many practical skills and lessons that I learned during my time organizing with Sunrise, one that stands above the rest is the importance of solidarity and strong coalition building. 

One of the many reasons that I am so excited to be joining JCUA is because of the organization’s deep commitment to the principle of solidarity. I believe so strongly that in order for our communities to be taken care of and get what we need, we must work together, rather than seeing ourselves in an isolated bubble. It is also very personally exciting for me to join an organization that recognizes and celebrates the diversity of my Jewish identity and experience. I am so thrilled for the Or Tzedek program to begin this week, and to get to know the next generation of Jewish leaders who will advocate for change. 

A bit about me personally is that I moved to Chicago just over a year ago after graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in Sociology and Social Work. I live in a Jewish co-op with my partner and four close friends that I met at Camp Tavor. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, dancing, and spending time with my friends and family, especially my adorable nieces and nephew. 

Please reach out to me at talia@jcua.org if you’d like to chat or schedule a 1:1!