JCPA
2011
JEWISH COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT
R E PA I R I N G T H E WO R L D T H R O U G H J E W I S H AC T I V I S M
On the cover: African American/Jewish Community Leaders Mission to Detroit visit the Heidelberg Project. 02
CONTENTS 04
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS: OUR MODEL
08 ISRAEL 18
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
20 POVERTY 30
CIVIL RIGHTS
34 CIVILITY 40
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
44 FINANCIALS 46
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
48
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
50
MEMBER AGENCIES
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LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Dear Friends, As American Jews in 2011, we hold a special place in Jewish history. Whether it is defending Israel or religious liberty, protecting the environment or the poor, we stand tall and never alone. Through our model of community relations, the Jewish community and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs shape, impact, and lead our communities to an extent unimaginable to our parents. The JCPA’s model of community relations begins with us. As Jews, we are strongest when we are united as a kehila, a community. The JCPA is the only organization that brings together all four religious movements, fourteen major national organizations, and 125 communities to build consensus perspectives, underpinned by our shared values, on the issues of the day. We speak not as individuals, but in concert with each other across the country. As we confront the challenges of the future, we are strengthened and inspired by our history, starting with our first Plenary in 1944 at the Commodore Hotel in New York City when early leaders like Edgar Kaufman, Judge Joseph Proskauer, Rabbi Stephen Wise, and Beryl Maniscewitz met to formulate “policy in civic protective work in the United States.” But Jewish community relations means more than uniting our own community. It means reaching out to and working with interfaith and civic partners from local churches to the halls of Congress. Tikkun olam is a joint endeavor. JCPA and our member agencies have developed networks of friends, partners, and supporters who join with us in our pursuit to repair the world. Over my past two years as Chair of the JCPA, I am proud of the great amount our tiny community has achieved. Through our partnerships, we have the ability to influence our community beyond our numbers. Our strength today and tomorrow depends on our current success in promoting civility, and in uniting the Jewish, interfaith, and civic communities around our common purpose and common values. This is what community relations is and this is what makes our potential so significant. Sincerely,
Dr. Conrad L. Giles
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Chaverim, The Annual Report is our chance to share with you our successes in Jewish community relations and advocacy over the past year. As with last year’s report, we are proud tell the story of 2011 through the voices of our friends and partners. In introducing our work, Rabbi David Saperstein describes our community relations model and the unique programs and campaigns that have continued to bring the Jewish community together around common goals and united purpose. It is as a united community that we can work with civic and interfaith partners to create a more just world and a more secure Israel. The Israel Action Network, created in 2010 in partnership with The Jewish Federations of North America, grew exponentially in 2011. Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren and Alisa Doctoroff share how, as the Palestinian leadership sought to bypass peace talks and unilaterally declare independence at the United Nations, the IAN and the New York Jewish Community Relations Council gathered a staggering 100,000 signatures on a petition delivered to the UN urging the rejection of one-sided action and a return to bilateral peace talks. In the end, the Palestinian strategy ultimately failed, and IAN’s gained new supporters to combat and defeat efforts to delegitimize Israel. The JCPA’s national impact was further highlighted as Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, joined us in early March for the JCPA Plenum and again in the fall to kick off our national Fighting Poverty with Faith (FPWF) mobilization. As Representative Jan Schakowsky shares, this year’s FPWF Food Stamp Challenge brought together over a dozen Members of Congress, national faith and anti-poverty leaders, and thousands around the country to live on the average food stamp budget for a week. The Food Stamp Challenge was a clear success that focused the attention of media and policy makers on the difficulties of living on food stamps and the need to protect this vital program. Our Hunger Seder mobilization which, as Ambassador Tony Hall discusses, led to community seders in the US Capitol and around the country that tied the theme of Passover to the struggles of hunger. Once again, members of Congress, faith and community leaders, and activists in over 40 cities were joined in raising awareness about the tools available to end hunger and how we can protect them. “The day is short, the task is great,” we are taught by Rabbi Tarfon in Pirkei Avot. And while “it is not incumbent on you to finish the task, neither are you free to desist from it.” Looking back, 2011 feels like we began many important programs, but the work before us continues to be great. We cannot – and will not – finish the work alone. But as you will see in these pages, from protecting the environment to protecting religious liberty, the JCPA’s network of partners and communities ensure that the work will not be ignored. B’Shalom, Rabbi Steve Gutow 05
CO M M U N I T Y R E L AT I O N S “T HE JC PA EV E RY DAY B R IN GS J E WS F RO M ACROSS T HE R E L IG I O U S, I D EOLOGIC AL A ND C U LT U R AL SP ECTR UM TO GET H E R A RO UN D CO M M ON PO L I C I E S A N D AC T IO N .” - RA B B I DAVI D SA P ER STEIN R A B B I DAV I D SAPERSTEIN Director and Counsel, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism
More than 1,500 years ago, the early Rabbis expounded on the power of community: “Do not separate yourself from the community,” warned Hillel. Those “who occupy themselves with communal affairs do so for the sake of Heaven,” taught Rabban Gamliel. Today, the JCPA continues to model cooperative communal collegiality, seeking to ensure the Jewish community lives up to the wisdom of its sages. Far from separating Jews from our community, the JCPA every day brings Jews from across the religious and ideological and cultural spectrum together around common policies and action. In the face of disagreements on Israel policy and on American politics and/or elections, the JCPA sought instead to find a way to heal divides and 06
foster a more civil and productive discourse—in our community and in our nation. At a time when our nation is being torn apart by its divisive politics, JCPA plays a crucial role in finding common ground and forging a consensus on how we can agree to disagree respectfully. I was proud to sign the JCPA’s widely commended Civility Statement and was inspired by how many others did too. In its unique reach to both national agencies, religious movements and local CRCs, and in supporting the work of building community relations, JCPA has forged effective coalitions across the diverse fabric of America’s ethnic, racial and religious communities and has brought Jews together with our neighbors across the country. One vivid example I was honored to participate in:
CO M M U N I T Y R E L AT I O N S : O U R M O D E L
JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton purchasing groceries for the Food Stamp Challenge.
through their leadership in the 4th Annual Fighting Poverty With Faith mobilization, the JCPA worked with Catholic Charities and the National Council of Churches to spread awareness of the realities of hunger in America. I joined Rabbi Gutow, members of Congress, leaders of more than 50 national and local faith organizations, and thousands of activists for the Food Stamp Challenge: living on the average food stamp allotment of $31.50 for one week. Through Fighting Poverty With Faith, the JCPA helped educate Americans of every faith about the indispensable role the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program plays in the lives of 45 million persons struggling to feed themselves; and built support in Congress to protect it, and dramatized to the nation that hunger is not a problem in just one community, nor is it a problem to be solved by just one community.
Be it through its hunger seders that ties the Passover message of freedom to the oppression of hunger, its advocacy to protect religious liberty, its development of programming on energy and environmental issues, its lead role in the anti BDS pro-Israel community, the JCPA continues to unite the Jewish community with the broader American community. I am proud of my relationship with the JCPA, an organization whose mission and model is rooted in our Jewish community’s heritage and builds enduring relationships and communal consensus for our Jewish community’s future. - Rabbi David Saperstein
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Israeli President Shimon Peres and JCPA Chair Dr. Conrad Giles meet in Jerusalem. 09
ISRAEL
“T HE JCPA H AS BE E N AN INVALUABLE RE SOU RC E TO M E PE RSONALLY IN WASH INGTON, D.C.” - AMB. MICH AE L OR EN
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ISRAEL I have deep appreciation for the JCPA’s unique model of Jewish community relations, as well as its track record of building understanding and support for Israel among the American people. The JCPA’s engagement on a range of issues—poverty, housing, human rights, the environment and others—are reflective of the essential Jewish value of tikkun olam. In seeking to promote a better, more humane world, I have seen the JCPA take a lead role in galvanizing American Jews nationally and locally in the pursuit of social justice.
DR. MICHAEL OREN Ambassador of Israel to the United States
These efforts in the wider community have resulted in the creation of a web of relationships, indeed friendships, with political, religious, and ethnic leaders based on mutual interests. Many of these leaders have learned to connect with and have grown to appreciate Israel’s cultural and political perspectives. There is an old adage, “To have a friend, one must be a friend.” The JCPA has been an invaluable resource to me personally in Washington, D.C., and also as I interact with civil society leaders throughout the United States. Thank you for your outstanding work. - Dr. Michael Oren
Left: Amb. Michael Oren meets
with JCPA leadership. 11
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ISRAEL “BY CO O R D I NAT IN G CO MM U N I T I E S A N D FO C U S I N G AC T IO N , T H E J C PA WA S AB LE TO M U LT I P LY O U R IM PAC T.” - AL I SA D O C TORO F F
A L I SA D O C TO RO F F Chair of the Board, UJA-Federation of New York
There is one indelible truth that underpins peace between Israelis and Palestinians: to live together as neighbors in peace and security, there must be a twostate solution that results from direct talks, without preconditions. Only then can both peoples live sideby-side in harmony and prosperity. Last fall’s effort of the Palestinian authority to unilaterally declare their independence (UDI), flew in the face of this truth. We felt that the North American Jewish community could not stand back and watch a situation that could be detrimental to the cause of peace. It was essential for us, as a people, to come together and raise our collective voice. UJA was pleased to support a petition initiated by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, 12
together with the Israel Action Network, a shared initiative of The Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Jewish communities across North America joined us as we collected over 107,000 signatures from individuals and key organizations that stood united in opposing UDI in favor of a two-state solution through bilateral negotiations. The JCPA and its national infrastructure were critical in making this success. By coordinating communities and focusing action, the JCPA was able to multiply our impact in New York and demonstrate the consensus of the North American Jewish community. This online petition, lead by JCRC-NY in partnership with IAN, became a central organizing vehicle in a major grassroots campaign to reject UDI and promote
ISRAEL
negotiations. The first week alone garnered over 10,000 signatures and soon, the effort went viral, as the campaign utilized email, Facebook and Twitter to mobilize the masses and break the 100,000 mark. I was proud to stand with my colleagues and present this landmark achievement to the U.N. when we delivered it to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s office. I was prouder still when the petition was presented at a press conference organized by JCRCNY with bipartisan members of Congress like Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Jerald Nadler, Rep. Bob Turner, Rep. Gary Ackerman, Rep. Nan Hayworth, Rep. Nita Lowey, Rep. Charles Rangel among many others, who all lent their support to tell the U.N. that unilateralism is not a path to peace. 13
Unfortunately, the question of Palestinian statehood continues to be flagged in controversy and uncertainty. But as we learn from the past and look towards the future, I only hope we can continue to face these challenges with the same sense of unity and shared values as we did in September - Alisa Doctoroff
Above: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand speaking at the press conference organized by JCRC-NY to deliver the petition to the United Nations. 13
ISRAEL “[ T H E I S R A E L AC T IO N N ET WO R K ] H A S A S S I S T ED 50 CO M M UN IT IES I N A DVO C AC Y T R AIN IN G AN D S T R AT EG I C P LA N N IN G. T HAN K S TO T H E I R WO R K , THESE F EDER AT IO NS A ND CO MM U N ITY R ELAT IO N S CO U N C I L S H AVE IN C R EASED T HEIR C A PAC I T Y TO CO UN T ER AT TAC K S O N I S R A EL’ S L EGIT IM AC Y.” - DAVI D S H E R M A N
Israel today faces an intensive and increasingly sophisticated assault on its very right to exist as a sovereign Jewish democratic state. Delegitimization, which is carried out by those who seek to isolate Israel from the family of nations often through the use of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS), is a threat that should not be taken lightly. It’s the reason why the Jewish Council for Public Affairs partnered with The Jewish Federations of North America to create the Israel Action Network, the vehicle through which to counter this attack on Israel’s legitimacy. As the chair of the Israel Action Network Committee, I’m tasked with leading our strategic efforts to educate, organize and mobilize the organized North American Jewish community in proactively changing the conversation about Israel. And in the two short years since IAN’s launch, I’m proud to see this important 14
DAV I D S H E R M A N Chair, Israel Action Network Committee
work being carried out from coast to coast as part of IAN’s “Year of Community Mobilizations.” We’re only a little more than halfway though thus far and already IAN has assisted 50 communities in advocacy training and strategic planning. Thanks to their work, these Federations and Community Relations Councils have increased their capacity to counter attacks on Israel’s legitimacy through comprehensive mobilizations, direct consultations and micro-grants, in addition to other various types of programming. Mobilizations are versatile and dynamic workshops tailored to each community’s unique needs. From large cites such as Detroit, MI, and Minneapolis, MN; to smaller communities like Charlotte, NC, and Milwaukee, WI; community outreach delivers support far and wide. Over the past year, IAN hit the ground running with visits to Columbus, OH; Chicago, IL;
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Long Beach, CA; Tucson, AZ; Rochester, NY; Las Vegas, NV; Nashville, TN, Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; East Bay, Peninsula and Silicon Valley, CA; among many others, with future trips scheduled through the end of the year.
Above: Israel Action Network Managing Director Geri Palast leads a workshop.
Engaging the Jewish and non-Jewish communities is crucial to the success of IAN and our mobilizations are a key component of that effort. I look forward to IAN’s continued close work with the JCPA on this endeavor, as the IAN builds a shared framework to proactively respond to challenges posed by Israel’s detractors in the hopes of achieving our ultimate goal of two states for two peoples living in peace and security. - David Sherman 15
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ISRAEL
“ MOVIE S LI K E TH E J CPA’S ‘ WHAT GILAD MISSE D’ W ERE CRE ATIVE AND HE LPFU L RE SOU RCE S TO INTRODU CE HIM TO NE W AU DIE NCES.” 16
- J E FF COHAN
ISRAEL Before the excitement of Gilad Shalit’s return this year, we at the Pittsburgh Jewish Community Relations Council, like other Jewish groups across America, were tireless in keeping his cause alive. Thanks in part to resources from the JCPA, Gilad’s story became so well known that we reached new allies in calling for his release and city leaders even named him an honorary citizen.
JEFF COHAN Director of Community and Public Affairs, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
To spread awareness of his ongoing captivity, we had a showing of “Family in Captivity”, a film about the Shalits, for a crowd of 200, including both Jews and non-Jews, at the city’s most popular movie theater. Showing this film was an opportunity to tell his story in a powerfully visual way, reach new audiences, and move those already familiar with Gilad’s plight. After the film, the director, who was in attendance, engaged the audience, answering their questions and giving insights into the Shalit family. It was an intimate conversation that let the audience go further in understanding Gilad’s situation. As a lead in to the film, we screened a short video from the JCPA called “What Gilad Missed.” The video was part of a JCPA campaign around the 5th anniversary of Gilad’s captivity to help illustrate just how long five years actually is. Using political and pop culture references, the at times whimsical video covered some of the many events and changes that have happened since June 2006. It ended on a solemn note, though, reminding the viewer that Gilad was still a prisoner and unaware of any of these references. “What Gilad Missed” is an online video, but when shown on the big screen, it is emotional and jarring. In addition to the video and film, there were fliers for each audience member with information about Gilad and how to take part in What Gilad Missed. There are many in each of our communities who were unaware of Gilad Shalit and Hamas’s cruel refusal to grant him access to the Red Cross. Movies like the JCPA’s “What Gilad Missed” were creative and helpful resources to introduce him to new audiences. - Jeff Cohan
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L H U M A N R I G H T S “RA B B I G U TOW HA S BEEN M Y BI G G E S T PA RT N ER IN B E L IEV I N G T H AT FA ITH I S T HE A NS WER TO T HE S UFF E R I NG I N SUDAN .” - RE V. G LO R I A W HITEH A MM O ND R E V. G L O R I A W H I T E HAMMOND Executive Director, My Sister’s Keeper; Board Member, United to End Genocide
I have had the unique displeasure of witnessing first-hand the horrors of genocide and slavery that have plagued Sudan and South Sudan for years. In July 2001, Liz Walker and I were invited by Zurichbased human rights organization, Christian Solidarity International, to travel to southern Sudan to take part in a slave redemption mission. As part of a delegation of several other African-American ministers, we participated in the liberation of over 6,700 enslaved women and children. Bearing witness to the untenable realities of slavery taking place in the 21st century changed our lives forever. The following year, I returned to Sudan with Cynthia Bell and Pat Brandes. We spent days talking with women in villages throughout the southwestern region of Sudan, in Gogrial County. We asked the 18
women to share ways in which American women might come alongside in solidarity in support of their efforts. We heard them speak of a need for grinding mills to lessen the amount of arduous physical labor they would need to do to prepare daily meals, and shared their dreams for schools to educate their girls. Through talking sister to sister, the basis for a trusted working relationship between the Sudanese women and the American women was solidified. The courage, resilience and forward thinking of the Sudanese women in the midst of a raging war spurred us to get busy. Upon returning to the States, we established an organization for the work — calling it, “My Sister’s Keeper”. In this effort, I have been incredibly grateful for the support and work of Rabbi Steve Gutow and the Jewish Council for Public
I N T E R N AT I O N A L H U M A N R I G H T S
Affairs. Rabbi Gutow has been my biggest partner in believing that faith is the answer to the suffering in Sudan, and the JCPA, with its reach in so many cities across the country, has been invaluable in organizing the faith community and bringing the passion of the organized American Jewish community to this cause. As Sudan’s government began to starve its own people in South Kordofan and Blue Nile last year, the JCPA was able to garner the signatures of hundreds of rabbis and interfaith leaders to letters calling for the US to see that humanitarian assistance could get through. On behalf of the faith community, Rabbi Gutow delivered these letters to the White House personally, ensuring that our message and call for aid was received. That same passion for action brought Rabbi Gutow and the JCPA to a rally outside of the U.N.
where his voice helped focus international attention on the suffering in Sudan. I was proud to stand with the JCPA at a rally on the National Mall in 2006 and I was proud to follow Rabbi Gutow as the chair of the board of United to End Genocide. While the horrors in Sudan continue, I know that the continued work of the JCPA and Rabbi Gutow means their cause is not forgotten. - Rev. Gloria White-Hammond
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POVERTY
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POVERTY
“I AM SO PROU D TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH T HE JCPA ON OU R MU TUAL PRIORITIE S OF P R EV ENTING HU NGE R, E LIMINATING H U NGE R, AN D ENSU RING SOCIAL J U STICE FOR E VE RYO N E IN T HI S COU NTRY.” - R EP. JAN SCH AKOWSKY
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POVERTY Jewish tradition teaches that feeding the hungry is a responsibility we must all bear. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs has been an inspiring leader and an important voice in the effort to address the reality of hunger in America.
R E P. J A N S C H A K O W S K Y Member of Congress
During a time of tremendous financial insecurity and an unprecedented demand for services, critical federal assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have faced the threat of dramatic cuts under two consecutive budget proposals. The JCPA has helped to organize the Fighting Poverty with Faith Food Stamp Challenge – in which political, religious, and other community leaders live on the average food stamp budget for one week – and has been instrumental in raising the visibility of hunger among American families and children. I have been honored to participate in the Challenge. In February, I introduced H.Res. 564, which recognizes the critical importance of the SNAP program. JCPA played a significant role in raising awareness of the resolution, and its Washington Director, Josh Protas, spoke at the press event announcing its introduction. JCPA has also played an important role during congressional deliberation of the Farm Bill - legislation to authorize everything from crop insurance to food stamps to biofuels. As a member organization of the Jewish Farm Bill Working Group, JCPA works tirelessly to ensure that the legislation will ultimately best serve those struggling each day with poverty and hunger. I am so proud to be able to work with the JCPA on our mutual priorities of preventing hunger, eliminating hunger, and ensuring social justice for everyone in this country. I thank the Council for its dedication and leadership, and I look forward to our continued alliance in the future.
Left: Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President, speaks at the Fighting Poverty with Faith press conference outside of a Washington, D.C. grocery store. 23
- Rep. Jan Schakowsky
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“ INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS SU CH AS T H E HU NGE R SE DE R MOBILIZATION MAK E A TRE ME NDOU S DIFFE RE NCE AND INSPIRE OTH E R ORGANIZATIONS TO TRANSLATE FAITH INTO ACTION.” - AMB. TONY HALL
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POVERTY It was a special honor for me to participate in the National Hunger Seder event that the Jewish Council for Public Affairs hosted at the U.S. Capitol. This event, and the dozens of Hunger Seder events held across the country as part of this mobilization, powerfully reflected Passover’s story of the journey to freedom and the relevance of the struggle in our world today to end the oppression of hunger. From the opening words of, “Let all who are hungry come and eat,” participants at the Seder were personally engaged in better understanding the tragedy of domestic hunger and inspired to take action to address this problem through advocacy in support of vital and effective federal anti-hunger programs. The JCPA’s deep commitment to confronting poverty and ending hunger are an example to us all. A M B. TO N Y H A L L Executive Director, The Alliance to End Hunger
Innovative programs such as the Hunger Seder mobilization make a tremendous difference and inspire other organizations to translate faith into action. I was particularly honored when several JCPA staff members joined me in a campaign of prayer and fasting last March to call on our Congress to pay attention to the needs of poor and vulnerable people. With their support and the support of other faith partners, we were able to get 28 members of Congress and 36,000 individuals across the country to join us in prayer, fasting, and advocacy on behalf of poor people. When I served in the U.S. Congress, the most effective advocates I encountered where the faith leaders and activists from my district. They had a powerful effect on me and my colleagues by bringing the moral authority of their religious convictions to bear on the policy issues of our time. I have seen the kind of effect the efforts of the JCPA and its network of local JCRCs can have on the hearts and minds of their elected leaders, which is why I am so proud to call myself a partner and ally in these and other efforts. - Amb. Tony Hall
Left: Children recite a reading from the at National Hunger Seder 25 in the United States Capitol.
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POVERTY
“M Y ON E HO P E IS TH AT MISSIONS LIKE TH E SE CONTINU E TAK IN G P LAC E, B R INGING TOGE THE R ME MBE RS OF BOTH COM M UN ITIES W ITH A GE NU INE DE SIRE TO AFFECT CHANG E.” - JOAN A T HUR STON 26
POVERTY If I am to speak candidly I would have to admit I approached this trip with slight trepidation, and cynicism; having an African American father and Ashkenazik mother I know all too well how difficult it can be to find common ground even in the most intimate relationships; added with sentiments of a Detroit beyond repair, it read to me as a trip less about a “mission� and more a psychological experiment.
J OA N A T H U R S TO N Jacksonville, Florida
I am so honored and humbled to have spent these days in the company of eminent figures from across this country, elected public officials, religious leaders, prominent business men and women and the next generation of invigorated Detroit youth ready to turn their city around one community garden and rehabilitation center at a time. Witnessing productive dialog between these two minorities was uplifting in itself but it pales in comparison to the action I got to be a part of. I could speak at great lengths about the places I visited and the profound effect the people I encountered had on my spirit but what is most relevant is the knowledge that Detroit is a city that is winning the fight to rebuild and is a model for others around the country. It has nothing to do with race or religion and everything to do with repairing the world together. My one hope is that missions like these continue taking place, bringing together members of both communities with a genuine desire to affect change. - Joana Thurston
Left: African American/Jewish Community Leaders Mission to Detroit participants volunteer at an 27 urban garden.
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POVERTY “IT IS A P R I V I L EGE FO R ME A ND FO R T HE E N T I R E C A MPAIGN TO WO R K A LO N GSIDE T H E J C PA O N BEHA LF O F T H E U NEM P LOYED, UN D E R EM P LOYED, AN D T H E I R FA M I L I E S.� - RE V. PAU L H . SHER RY
R E V. P A U L H . S H E R R Y Campaign Coordinator, Director of the Washington D.C. Office, Interfaith Worker Justice
It has been a joy for me to work alongside our good friends at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs in the Faith Advocates for Jobs Campaign. Together, we have worked with like minded advocates to support the unemployed and the under employed and to advocate for the public policy changes required to address the unemployment crisis.
is about and to state how important it is to see our various faith traditions working toward a common goal.
Our work on the Faith Advocates for Jobs Campaign has been an interfaith effort. Our membership includes Protestant and Catholic Christian bodies, Jewish bodies, Muslim, Unitarian, and Buddhist. All of us united in the conviction that, when so many people are hurting, the shared commitments to justice and mercy at the very heart of all our faith traditions cannot be ignored. Time and time again, people have approached me to thank me for what the Campaign 28
Together, we have organized congregations across the country to stand in support of the unemployed in their congregations and communities. Our work has contributed to the enactment of legislation to create jobs and to extend benefits for the unemployed, and we have educated others about the nature of the crisis and what can be done to bring about necessary change. As we all know, there is much more that needs doing. The unemployment crisis is far from over but our interfaith alliance is committed to stay the course until those who hurt receive the justice and mercy they deserve.
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From the very beginning of our work in December of 2010, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs has been one of our lead organizations. We are thankful that Elyssa Koidin, Senior Policy Associate of JCPA, sits on the Campaign steering committee. Elyssa is one of the Campaign’s most active and effective members. It is a privilege for me and for the entire membership of the campaign to work alongside the JCPA on behalf of the unemployed, the underemployed, and their families. - Rev. Paul H. Sherry
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CIVIL RIGHTS
“T HE JC PA H A S P LAYED A VI TA L RO L E I N B R ID GIN G D I VI D E D A P P ROAC HES IN O UR CO MM U N I T Y O N HOW TITLE VI C AN B E B E ST USED TO PROT EC T S T U DEN TS.” - DE B O R A H M. LAUT ER
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CIVIL RIGHTS Following the circulation of an October 2010 letter by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights clarifying that the protections of Title VI of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 can apply to Jewish students, there has been considerable discussion in the Jewish community regarding when to seek this statute’s protection. The discussion has included how to find the right balance between principles of free speech and academic freedom on the one hand, and Jewish security and protection from harassment, anti-Israel intimidation and bullying on the other. The JCPA—and the Jewish community—have been committed to trying to achieve the appropriate balance. DEBORAH M. LAUTER Civil Rights Director, Anti-Defamation League
ADL has been a leading voice in the effort to stop student bullying – and we worked with JCPA and other groups to secure recognition that religious harassment is illegal under civil rights law. We also share the JCPA’s respect for principles of academic freedom, and recognize that anti-Semitism is often best countered when the remedies sought are seen as in harmony with, rather than in opposition to notions of free speech. The JCPA has played a vital role in bridging divided approaches in our community on how Title VI can be best used to protect students. This organization’s unique consensus building process emphasized that creating a safe environment for students and protecting freedom of expression is not a zero-sum game. Throughout 2011, partnering with its member agencies, the JCPA developed a thoughtful resolution that can provide guidance to the community relations field about the new protections in Title VI. By consulting with Jewish students, community leaders, and campus Jewish professionals about how Title VI impacts their campus, we can use this new tool most effectively to ensure every student feels safe at school. - Deborah M. Lauter
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CIVIL RIGHTS
“ WE APPRECIATE TH E LONGSTANDIN G RE LATIONSH IP WIT H J CPA AND THE BROADE R J E WISH COMMU NITY ON ISSU E S OF RE LIGIOU S FRE E DOM.” - J. BRE NT WALKE R
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CIVIL RIGHTS For over the over seventy-five years, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has been dedicated to defending the first freedom of the First Amendment. Primarily an education and advocacy organization, BJC is a leading voice in Washington, D.C., fighting to uphold the historic Baptist principle of religious freedom. It stands guard at the intersection of church and state, protecting religious liberty for all-- ensuring that religion can be freely exercised without being advanced or inhibited by the government.
J. BRENT WALKER Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
In our work in Washington, BJC builds, facilitates, and leads coalitions of religious and civil liberties groups striving to protect both the free exercise of religion and to defend against its establishment by government. We are proud to work with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and many of JCPA’s member agencies in our efforts. Alongside BJC, JCPA is an integral member of the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination (CARD), a broad and diverse group of more than 50 leading religious, civil rights, educational, labor, health, and women’s organizations. Formed in the mid-1990s specifically to oppose insertion of the legislative proposal commonly known as “charitable choice” into authorizing legislation for federal social service programs, CARD has opposed efforts to that further erode legal protections for religious liberty. Recently, JCPA, BJC and CARD have worked together to reach out to the Obama Administration on matters pertaining to its version of the Faith-Based Initiative, including the implementation of Executive Order 13559; three proposed regulations pertaining to the funding of faith-based social services and the construction of buildings; and the Administration’s policy on federally-funded religious employment discrimination. JCPA and JCPA’s member agencies have been invaluable partners in our advocacy and education efforts. We appreciate the longstanding relationship with JCPA and the broader Jewish community on issues of religious freedom. We look forward to continuing our work together as we strive to protect both the free exercise of religion and to defend against its establishment by government. - J. Brent Walker
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CIVILITY
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CIVILITY “M OS T I MP O RTAN T LY, T HE I NST I T U T E G AV E M E A SET OF TO OL S TO I NCR EA SE C IV ILIT Y A ND EN CO U R AGE O P EN D I SCO U R S E I N OUR CO M M UN IT Y.” - E L A NA K A H N -OR EN ELANA KAHN-OREN Director, Jewish Community Relations Council, Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Just days after JCPA’s 2010 Plenum, which focused on the theme of civility, I wrote an opinion article in The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. Not yet in the CRC field, I was commenting on national events. For our medium-sized, Midwestern Jewish community, incivility seemed more of a potential problem than a chronic disorder. Even when it comes to Israel, I told myself, Milwaukee doesn’t suffer from widespread and severe incivility. In January 2011, however, the issue of incivility became a highly local – and seriously charged -issue. Like people across the country, Wisconsinites reacted with alarm to the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. As new director of the JCRC, I spoke with leaders of other faith communities about creating a collective call for 36
civility. The call seemed not only to have the potential to unify across cultural boundaries but also to provide a necessary and holy purpose for a changing organization. The following month, Wisconsin erupted in response to our new governor’s efforts to remove most collective bargaining rights of public workers. Our civil discourse descended to personal attacks, the use of Holocaust imagery and a general tone of nastiness that divided colleagues, family members and friends. In March, just weeks after the Wisconsin storm began, I was privileged to participate in the JCPA’s Civility Institute. Throughout the two-day program – and in the days since – my understanding of civility has deepened as I see that incivility is much more than just
CIVILITY
about the unfortunate escape of words from mouths. It is not just about guarding our tongues from revealing true biases. Rather, it is about acknowledging the holiness of others, learning to listen with the option of being persuaded, and allowing good-faith disagreement. Most importantly, the institute gave me a set of tools to increase civility and encourage open discourse in our community. Since the Institute, our community launched a community-wide Civility initiative. The kick-off event built on the skills and expertise of JCPA’s Ethan Felson and Rabbi Steve Gutow, who was the event’s featured speaker. The initiative and its media attention spurred not only ideas for more programs but provided a different lens for our work. 37
Almost one year after the institute, I continue to refer to the materials I received and continue to process the lessons I learned as I work within our JCRC and with other local groups to help create the infrastructure for a kinder, more respectful community. - Elana Kahn-Oren
Above: Community leaders attend a workshop at the 2011 Civility Institute. 37
CIVILITY
“ THE PARTNE RSH IPS WE HAVE BU ILT W I T H J CPA HAVE ALLOWE D U S TO E XPLORE CRE ATIVE INTE RFAITH SOLU TIONS TO COMPLE X PROBLE MS.” - RE V. DR. J OE L HU NTE R
Prof. Amy-Jill Levine and Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter discuss Evangelical-Jewish relations. 38
CIVILITY Hiney mah-tov umah-na’im shevet achim gam-yachad. How good it is, and how pleasant when we dwell together in unity. (Psalm 133:1) I am a proud partner of JCPA because it is an organization dedicated to building community. Together, we have shaped a national Evangelical-Jewish roundtable, now in its fifth year, that has built relationships and fostered partnerships on issues from peacemaking to poverty to protecting God’s creation. Through the roundtable, which JCPA helped create, we bring key Jewish and Evangelical organizational, seminary, and congregational leaders together to teach, learn, share, and grow. R E V. D R . J O E L HUNTER Senior Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed
The dialogue between our communities helps us better understand one another and recognize the broad range of issues on which Jews and Evangelical Christians work on cooperatively. The dialogue also helps us highlight important differences between us. Even when we sometimes have different interests and world views, our ties help dispel negative stereotypes and reaffirm that we are all created in the divine image and can and should pursue justice and righteousness together. The partnerships we have built with JCPA have allowed us to explore creative interfaith solutions to complex problems. JCPA’s community relations field encourages increased interaction with the Evangelical Christian community, seeking to learn and teach, confront and to cooperate. By working together, we are better able to understand how we can help each other achieve our shared goals. - Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter
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ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
“OU R SHARE D MISSION IS INSPIRATION—TO PROTECT WILDLI FE AND E NCOU RAGE INDIVIDUAL STE WARDSH IP OF E ARTH’S NATU RAL RE SOU RCE S.” - JAIME MATYAS
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ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT As the country’s largest conservation organization, it’s the National Wildlife Federation’s mission to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. As NWF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, this mission is dear to my heart. I am also engaged as a member of my synagogue as my daughter prepares to be a bat mitzvah. That’s why it was so exciting for me to be at the JCPA Plenum and to participate in the dialogue sessions that COEJL ran between Jewish communal professionals and Jewish environmental professionals.
J A I M E M AT YA S Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, National Wildlife Federation
In particular, I spoke with directors of JCPA’s Jewish Community Relations Councils about how they approach environmental issues in their day-today work. It was clear that the interest to make a difference is there but that COEJL is an important resource for helping them shepherd these priorities and develop programs in the field. Likewise, we met with 30 Jewish environmental professionals and discussed how to engage as both environmentalists and Jews and, being experts, what we can do to help advance environmental causes further within the Jewish community at-large. Many ideas and concerns were shared but these conversations were obviously just a first step among many that we can take. Our shared mission is inspiration – to protect wildlife and encourage individual stewardship of Earth’s natural resources. Thank you, COEJL, for helping us do that together, Generation to Generation. - Jaime Matyas
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ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
QU OTE TO COM E - PE RSON’S NAME
“T HRO UGH THE COMME NDABLE E FFORTS OF COE J L AN D JCPA, THE JEWISH COMMU NITY IS SHARING A STRONG VO ICE O N EN ERGY DE PE NDE NCE AND CLIMATE CH ANG E A N D HELP IN G TO E NSU RE A SAFE R, CLE ANE R AND MO RE SECUR E WO R LD FOR FU TU RE GE NE RATIONS.” 42
- R . JA M ES WOOLSE Y, J R.
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT I was honored to join JCPA at the 2011 plenum in Washington, D.C. for a discussion on Adam v’Adamah: Human Beings and the Earth: The Intersections between the Environment, Energy, and Security. Together with Rabbis David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism and Julie Schonfeld of the Rabbinical Assembly as well as Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), I spoke about this vital issue for the Jewish community, the United States, and all of humanity.
R . J A M E S W O O L S E Y, J R . Chairman, Woolsey Partners; Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
Our addiction to oil severely jeopardizes our national security. Our nation spends more than one billion dollars per day to import petroleum, often from dictatorships and autocratic kingdoms that sponsor terrorism and are hostile to the United States. Moreover, our dependency on oil and coal is significantly contributing to global climate change and increasing air pollution. It is imperative that we tremendously increase our energy efficiency and embrace renewable sources of energy. The threats of climate change and energy security should be addressed together. We must reduce consumption of oil and coal and expand our utilization of natural gas, solar power, wind power, cellulosic ethanol from plants such as switchgrass, biodiesel from algae, and other sustainable sources of energy. The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) is an important voice in organizing the Jewish community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and conservation. Through the commendable efforts of COEJL and JCPA, the Jewish community is sharing a strong voice on energy dependence and climate change and helping to ensure a safer, cleaner, and more secure world for future generations.
Left: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Jim Woolsey, and Rabbi David Saperstein discuss the intersection of energy and the environment at the 2011 JCPA Plenum in Washington, D.C.
- R. James Woolsey, Jr.
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FINANCIALS
JCPA Chair Dr. Conrad Giles speaks during a meeting of the JCPA Board of Directors. 44
FINANCIALS FY 2011 Summary Revenue and Expense Statement Revenues* National Agency Dues CRC Dues Non-Alliance Federation Allocation Alliance Federation Allocation Grants Leadership Appeal Other Contributor Donations Occupancy Reimbursement Program Misc. Total Revenues
135,198 250,418 75,472 596,797 1,577,812 273,382 15,664 77,968 295,305 1,704
Grants 47%
3,299,720
Expenses* Program 265,871 Administration 259,159 Grants Given 23,100 Occupancy 308,191 Salaries 1,666,397 Benefits 266,600 Consultants 88,090 Retiree Compensation 43,507 Technology 72,395 Travel 116,454 Total Expenses
Programs 9%
Occupancy Misc. Reimbursement 1% 3%
3,109,764
Leadership Appeal 8% Benefits 9%
Allocations Alliance Federations 18% Allocations Non-Alliance Federations 2% Dues - CRCs 8% Dues - National Agencies 4%
Occupancy 10% Program 8% Grants Given 1% Consultants 3%
Salaries 55%
Administration 8%
Technology 2% Travel 4%
Net 189,956 National Federation/Agency Alliance
*Unaudited 45
The JCPA is a proud beneficiary of the National Federation/Agency Alliance. 45
B OA R D O F D I R EC TO R S
JCPA leadership in Jerusalem. 46
B OA R D O F D I R EC TO R S Board of Directors Chair Dr. Conrad L. Giles, Detroit
Vice Chairs
Lawrence M. Gold, Atlanta Harold Goldberg, Silicon Valley Bruce Lev, Youngstown David Luchins, Orthodox Union Susan Penn, Northern New Jersey Midge Perlman Shafton, Chicago Robert H. Siskin, Chattanooga Marc Stanley, Dallas David J. Steirman, San Francisco Susan W. Turnbull, Washington, D.C.
Treasurer
David Bohm, St. Louis
Secretary
Stephen Stone, Springfield, IL
Chair’s Appointees to Executive Committee Alan Jaffe, New York Toni P. Young, Delaware
Past Chairs
Marie Abrams, Louisville Albert E. Arent, Washington, D.C., z”l Jordan C. Band, Cleveland Michael J. Bohnen, Boston Leonard A. Cole, Northern New Jersey Lewis D. Cole, Louisville, z”l Henry Epstein, American Jewish Congress, z”l Lois Frank, Atlanta Aaron Goldman, Washington, D.C., z”l Irving Kane, Cleveland, z”l Edgar Kaufman, Pittsburgh, z”l Jacqueline K. Levine, MetroWest Lynn Lyss, National Council of Jewish Women Theodore R. Mann, Philadelphia Michael N. Newmark, St. Louis Michael A. Pelavin, Flint, z”l Steven Schwarz, Wilkes Barre, z”l Arden E. Shenker, Portland David Sher, American Jewish Committee, z”l Bernard H. Trager, Bridgeport, z”l David L. Ullman, Philadelphia, z”l
Andrea Weinstein, Dallas Lewis H. Weinstein, Boston, z”l Maynard Wishner, Chicago, z”l Bennett Yanowitz, Cleveland, z”l
President and Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Steve Gutow
Executive Vice Chair Emeritus Albert D. Chernin
Community Representatives
Louis Beckerman, Central New Jersey Martin Belsky, Akron Donna Beyer, Tucson Leslie Billet, Northern New Jersey Mark Frank, Pittsburgh Michael Futterman, San Francisco Kathryn Gallon, Toledo Judy Gilbert-Gould, Miami Gerald P. Greiman, St. Louis Vikki Grodner, Birmingham Mary Ellen Gurewitz, Detroit Howard Hammer, Cumberland County Mona Friedman Kolko, Rochester Toby Shylit Mack, Monmouth County Anita P. Miller, New Mexico Melanie Nelkin, Atlanta Maxine Richman, Rhode Island Daniel S. Robins, Columbus Samuel Rosenberg, Baltimore Jane Schiff, Atlanta Irving Shapiro, Washington, D.C. Steven G. Silverman, Detroit Stephen Skrainka, St. Louis David Steinhardt, South Palm Beach County Michael Stern, San Antonio Warren Wolfson, Cleveland Ira Youdovin, Santa Barbara
At-Large Members
Martin Bresler, New York Jeffrey Pasek, Philadelphia Marc Winkelman, Austin
National Agency Representatives
Merom Brachman, The Jewish Federations of North America Charney Bromberg, Jewish Labor Committee
Debbie Cosgrove, The Jewish Federations of North America Betty Cotton, American Jewish Committee Behnam Dayanim, Orthodox Union Sheila Derman, Hadassah Nathan Diament, Orthodox Union Jack M. Fein, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Marla J. Feldman, Union for Reform Judaism Steven M. Freeman, Anti-Defamation League Gail Goldfarb, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism Leonard Gordon, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Richard Gordon, American Jewish Congress Joel Kaplan, B’nai B’rith International Shelly Kupfer, The Jewish Federations of North America Arieh Lebowitz, Jewish Labor Committee Lynn M. Leeb, ORT America Norman Liss, American Jewish Congress Daniel S. Mariaschin, B’nai B’rith International Judy Menikoff, ORT America Nancy Ratzan, National Council of Jewish Women Shepard Remis, The Jewish Federations of North America Judy Rosenberg, National Council of Jewish Women Herb Rosenbleeth, Jewish War Veterans Judy Shereck, Hadassah Robert Sugarman, Anti-Defamation League Albert Vorspan, Union for Reform Judaism Marilyn Wind, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism Shawn Zevit, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Robert M. Zweiman, Jewish War Veterans
Chair’s Appointees
Rosalind Osterman, Lee & Charlotte Counties
Ex Officio
Jonathan J. Ellis, Tampa Jerilyn Gelt, San Francisco Marlene Gorin, Association of Jewish Community Relations Workers Robert A. Horenstein, CRC Directors Association Michelle S. Kohn, Palm Beach County Geoffrey H. Lewis, Boston Jack Moline, Washington, D.C. Avi Poster, Nashville James Rosenstein, Philadelphia 47
P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA F F
JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow purchases groceries for the Food Stamp Challenge. 48
P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA F F
Professional Staff Rabbi Steve Gutow, President & CEO Anide Charles, Administrative Assistant, JFNA/JCPA Israel Action Network Julie Bernstein, Associate Managing Director, JFNA/JCPA Israel Action Network David Dabscheck, Deputy Managing Director, JFNA/JCPA Israel Action Network Elisa Dell’Amico, Administrative Associate, Graphic Designer Jared Feldman, Deputy Washington Director Ethan Felson, Vice President Lynn Gefsky, Director, JFNA/JCPA Israel Advocacy Initiative Dr. Mirele B. Goldsmith, Sustainability Consultant, COEJL Emily Hochberg, Director of Communications, Social Media & Research, JFNA/JCPA Israel Action Network Alison Holstein, Program Intern Emily Kaplan, Public Policy Fellow Hod Klein, Outreach Coordinator, JFNA/JCPA Israel Advocacy Initiative Elyssa Koidin, Senior Policy Associate David Krantz, Leadership Fellow, COEJL
Sarah Levinson, Assistant Director, COEJL Haya Luftig, Director of Administration Andi Milens, Vice President Geri Palast, Managing Director, JFNA/JCPA Israel Action Network Josh Protas, Vice President & Washington Director Martin J. Raffel, Senior Vice President, Director, JFNA/ JCPA Israel Action Network Sybil Sanchez, Director, COEJL Simcha Shapiro, Comptroller Julia Simon, Summer Intern, COEJL Ben Suarato, Communications Associate Danielle Sundstrom, Fellow, COEJL Lauren Freedman Whittlesey, Program Director, COEJL Sara Yaverbaum, Executive Assistant
Former Executive Directors Albert D. Chernin Isaiah Minkoff, z”l Hon. Hannah Rosenthal Dr. Lawrence Rubin
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MEMBER AGENCIES
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MEMBER AGENCIES National Member Agencies American Jewish Committee American Jewish Congress Anti-Defamation League B’nai B’rith International Hadassah Jewish Labor Committee Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Jewish War Veterans National Council of Jewish Women ORT America Union for Reform Judaism Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
Member Communities Akron Albany Allentown/Lehigh Valley Ann Arbor Atlanta Atlantic and Cape May Counties Augusta Austin Baltimore Baton Rouge Birmingham Boston Bridgeport Broome County Broward County Buffalo Canton Central Kentucky Central New Jersey Charleston, SC Charlotte Chattanooga Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Clifton-Passaic Collier County Columbia, SC Columbus, OH
Connecticut Cumberland County Dallas Danbury Dayton Delaware Denver Des Moines Detroit Dutchess County Eastern Connecticut El Paso Elmira Erie Flint Fort Worth Greensboro Harrisburg Hartford Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Knoxville Las Vegas Lee & Charlotte Counties Long Beach Los Angeles Louisville Madison Memphis MetroWest Miami Middlesex County Milwaukee Minnesota and the Dakotas Monmouth County Nashville New Bedford New Haven New Mexico New Orleans New York Northern New Jersey North Shore Oklahoma City Omaha Orange County, NY
Orlando Palm Beach County Palm Springs Peoria Philadelphia Phoenix Pinellas County Pittsburgh Portland, ME Portland, OR Princeton, Mercer, Bucks Counties Raleigh, NC Rhode Island Richmond Rochester Sacramento San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Santa Barbara Sarasota Savannah Scranton Seattle Shreveport Silicon Valley South Bend South Palm Beach County Southern New Jersey Springfield, IL Springfield, MA St. Louis Stamford Syracuse Tampa Tidewater Toledo Tucson Tulsa Virginia Peninsula Washington, D.C. Westchester, NY Western Connecticut Wichita Wilkes-Barre Worcester York Youngstown
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JCPA NEW YORK OFFICE 116 East 27th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10016 (212) 684-6950
JEWISH COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS WASHINGTON OFFICE 1775 K Street NW, Suite 320 Washington, D.C. 20006 (202) 212-6036 www.jewishpublicaffairs.org contactus@thejcpa.org
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