Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Cultural and Educational Programming
JCRC sponsors several events during Florida Jewish History Month (January), including the annual JCRC/Friends of the Collier County Library Klezmer Revival Band
Concert. JCRC also participates in, and encourages all Jewish community members to join in the annual Martin Luther King Day Parade. The major community event sponsored by JCRC is the annual Jewish Community Day of Learning. A variety of presenters with expertise in numerous topics share their knowledge with the attendees. The purpose of this event is to provide the opportunity for everyone in our community to learn something of interest and to better connect with our shared Jewish heritage. We are still waiting to determine whether the 6th Annual Day of Learning (in 2022) will be conducted virtually or in person. More details about this important event will be forthcoming.
Human Needs Award
For several years, JCRC and JFGN actively acknowledged the positive contributions of several select nonprofit organizations in our community. Annually, monetary awards are given to two small nonprofit agencies. The objective of these annual awards is to identify agencies that serve a severely means-limited, disadvantaged population. We seek agencies with limited ability or success with their own fundraising.
Stand Up for Justice Educator Award
Annually, this Educator Grant Award recognizes middle and high school teachers, librarians, media specialists, guidance counselors and administrators who demonstrate outstanding, unique educational initiatives countering bigotry and bullying in the schools. The underlying purpose is for these programs to be replicated and broadly applied in the school system. Nominees must prepare and/or implement lessons or activities of their own design or that have been adapted from other programs. Nominees should be able to show their initiative(s) had a positive influence in their school or venue. These lessons or activities should teach students to Stand Up for Justice, no matter what religious, racial, cultural or other differences exist. A committee of experienced educators evaluates those programs submitted for consideration and selects two programs that best achieve the objectives of the program to receive monetary awards.
Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Bill McCormick, Jeffrey Feld, Lindsey Abellard, Brittany Nguyen and NAACP President Vincent Keeys
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CONNECTIONS 2022
The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue engages people of both faiths in understanding our long history and to advance the cause of A Guide to Jewish Living in Greater Naples
Photo credit: Les Schwartz and Chuck Naumoff
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he primary mission of JCRC is to promote and enhance relationships between the Jewish community and the general Greater Naples community. JCRC participates in many programs with a number of groups with whom it collaborates. To further this goal, JCRC: • Acts as a voice for Jewish causes and concerns in the Greater Naples area • Supports and joins Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and religious institutions to develop and sustain constructive causes • Provides appropriate responses to counter statements of bigotry and acts of antisemitism • Develops educational opportunities with other religious and ethnic groups • Works with other nonprofit organizations to deal with pertinent legislative matters • Emphasizes attempts to foster an ongoing and beneficial relationship with the local media • Cooperates with other Jewish Community Relations Councils throughout Florida. JCRC membership includes representatives from Jewish organizations that serve our community as well as at-large members. This member diversity enables JCRC to represent the opinion of the Jewish community on a variety of issues. Some of the activities JCRC participates in are:
