We are excited to share with you highlights of recent programming and activities of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.
 
Among other things, the JCRC has been working to educate local youth about Israel, convene Jewish leadership to speak out against anti-Semitism and white supremacy, and continue to make an impact in our greater community.
 
As we enter 2018, we are preparing for our 6th Annual JCRC Interfaith Seder to be held on March 22. We hope to see you there!

If you have any comments about this issue, please email us .
 
Sincerely,
Winter 2017-18 Edition:
JCRC Hosts Community Teen Havdalah
JCRC Hosts Allen ISD Meeting
JCRC Hosts Interfaith Lunch with Israeli Consul General 
JCRC Hosts Israeli-Arab Leader, and more...
JCRC Hosts Community Teen Havdalah
In December, more than 150 teens gathered at the Aaron Family JCC for the first-ever Community Teen Havdalah hosted by the JCRC. The program began with a Havdalah service and singing led by the beloved-by-teens music team of Eric and Happie (Eric Hunker and Happie Hoffman), followed by an Israel education and advocacy training led by professional Israel advocates. The program, titled Israel on Campus: A Reality Check, is an... Read More
JCRC Convenes Dallas Jewish Leadership to Craft Communal Statement on Anti-Semitism and Hatred
In September, in response to numerous community member requests, the JCRC convened leadership from a number of Jewish organizations and the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas to discuss the desire for a unified “Jewish communal statement” in response to anti-Semitic and racist statements and actions coming out of the incident in Charlottesville and afterwards in 2017. A message and image of hope, health, happiness, and peace was created and disseminated to all organizations in our Jewish community to send out to their constituencies, and also to post on social media, as part of their 5778 Rosh Hashanah message.
JCRC Hosts Rabbis Meeting and Interfaith Lunch with Israeli Consul General
In October, the JCRC organized a meeting between the new Israeli Consul General, Gilad Katz, and the Rabbis Association of Greater Dallas (RAGD) for a dialogue and discussion on issues important to the RAGD. Following this meeting, an interfaith lunch was held with the Consul General, Rabbis, and non-Jewish clergy including Bishop Edward Burns of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Erik Gronberg of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELVA), Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area, and Revered Dr. Janet DeVries, General Presbyter. Read more...
JCRC Hosts Allen ISD Meeting for
Parents of Jewish Children
In November, the JCRC hosted a meeting for more than twenty parents of Jewish children in Allen ISD schools. The program featured remarks from the Allen ISD Superintendent, Dr. Scott Niven, and the President of the Allen ISD Board of Trustees, Louise Master. Parents were extremely appreciative for the opportunity to express their concerns and dialogue with ISD leadership on issues such as scheduling homecoming on Yom Kippur (as happened this year). As part of the JCRC public affairs work, the JCRC hosts meetings for parents of Jewish children in various school districts to help connect Jewish families to ISD leadership, as well as to provide resources to help children be successful and Jewish in the public school system.
JCRC co-Hosts Community Town Hall as Part of
Anti-Poverty Coalition
As a founder and steering committee member of the Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas (APC), the JCRC helped organize an event for more than 200 stakeholders, community leaders and members to come together and receive a progress report from Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax on the City’s work and how it has adjusted the City’s priorities and budget to better support efforts to improve the human capitol in our community. Dallas City Manager, T.C. Broadnax, spoke about what has been accomplished since he joined the City of Dallas a year ago, and what he has planned moving forward. His remarks were followed by a panel-led community conversation, moderated by JCRC Executive Director Anita Zusman Eddy, on tackling poverty through a focus on workforce development, financial stability and equity. Read More...
JCRC Hosts Prominent Israeli-Arab Leader
In October, the JCRC hosted Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, founder of INJAZ Center for the Professionalization of Local Arab Government in Israel and one of the first Arab Fellows at Israel’s Hartman Center in Israel. In partnership with Hillel, the JCRC arranged for Ghaida to speak to Jewish college students at the University of Texas at Dallas, as well as the University of North Texas. As part of the Combatting BDS Initiative, which the JCRC staffs, educational trainings and programs are offered to help our future and current college students effectively defeat or weaken potential campus-based BDS efforts. Read More...
JCRC Education Initiative
Community Service Projects
The JCRC Education Initiative Task Force, chaired by Debra Levy Fritts, aims to educate about poverty in Dallas, engage the Jewish community as a stakeholder, and promote high quality early childhood education as an important solution to multi-generational poverty. In November, JCRC volunteers read to students at Walnut Hill Elementary as part of the JCRC Education Initiative. In December, JCRC volunteers came together to assemble early education parent-engagement kits for parents and children in the greater Dallas area.
JCRC Partners with AJC Dallas
The JCRC has partnered with AJC Dallas to host several recent events. On October 16, the JCRC and AJC Dallas co-hosted AJC Director of Political Outreach Julie Fishman Rayman for a community briefing on the status of pending legislation pertinent to the American Jewish community. On October 24, the JCRC and AJC Dallas hosted the new Israeli Consul General, Gilad Katz, in Dallas for a Community Town Hall meeting. The Consul General spoke about the current trends and importance of relations between the State of Israel and diaspora Jewry. Also, JCRC Chair Melanie Rubin served on a speaking panel at an AJC Jewish-Latino Advocacy Workshop.
Joint JCRC-YAD Community Service Project
On October 15, participants of the Jewish Federation Young Adults Division (YAD) Leadership Engagement and Development Series came together to volunteer at the Catholic Charities Brady Center to serve lunch to homeless individuals living in South Dallas. Through this effort, YAD members learned about the work of the JCRC by participating as interfaith relationship builders and social action advocates.
Upcoming Events and Programs
SAVE THE DATE! March 22, 2018 for the 6 th Annual JCRC Interfaith Seder 
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Congregation Shearith Israel
Check-in 6 pm ~ Potter's House Mass Choir Performance 6:15 pm ~ 6:30 pm Seder
Thank you to our 2018 Federation Sponsors  
Presenting Sponsors
 
ONE Night
BB&T
  
Pacesetter Series
Bank of America

The Pacesetter Event
Marsh & McLennan Agency/
Dan and Stuart Prescott and
Kevin Pailet Families

Super Sunday/Good Deeds Day
Park Place Dealerships
   
Annual Meeting
IMA | WALDMAN

JCRC Interfaith Seder
Texas Jewish Post


Corporate Sponsors 
 
Diamond Sponsor
Kahn Mechanical Contractors

Gold Sponsor
Texas Jewish Post

Silver Sponsor
Weitzman
Bronze Sponsor
Jim Beaman, Southwest Bank Mortgage
Fox Rothschild LLP
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas/
Texas Health Resources Foundation
Weaver
Thank You to our 2018 Federation Underwriters *
The YAD Event
Leo and Rhea Fay Fruhman Foundation/Beverly and Joe Goldman


* Major donors who help to offset the costs of Federation events
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