Linking you to creating a more civil and caring community in WNY

Powered by the Buffalo Jewish Federation

Co-Chairs: Adam Fogel and Harvey Sanders

Senior Director: Mara Koven-Gelman

Rabbinic Advisor: Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein

Manager: Rachel Beerman

Intern: Sam Lukin Johnson

Our work falls into three broad areas:

• Social Justice
• Addressing Hate and Discrimination
• Building Relationships with Ethnic, Faith, and Cultural Communities

Advocate

Leadership Briefing Highlights Allyship and Addressing Antisemitism

Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa, Senator George Barello, Jarret Izzo, Susan Grelick

JCRC co-chair Adam Fogel, Cantor Irwin Gelman, Senator Tim Kennedy

Pastor Craig Pridgen, City of Buffalo Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope, League of Women Voters Buffalo Niagara Voter Services Chair Barbara Gunderson

NAACP Buffalo Branch President Rev. Mark Blue, UB Dean of Students Tomas Aguirre

Federation President Marjorie Bryen, JCRC co-chair emerita Deborah Goldman, Nancy Brock

Samantha White, JCRC co-chair Harvey Sanders, Assemblymember Karen McMahon, HERO Director Lauren Bloomberg

Buffalo Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) hosted a Leadership Briefing on February 9 at Temple Beth Zion to discuss how the community can work together in the fight against antisemitism and hate. Leaders from across WNY learned more about Buffalo Jewish Federation, the challenges currently facing Jewish Buffalo, how the community mobilized in the wake of October 7, and how Jewish Buffalo is in community with others to help build a more civil and caring society for all.

Educate

Israeli and Palestinian Peacemakers Speak in Buffalo

Roots speaking at Northland Workforce Training Center to area high school students.

Roots presenters at Westminster Presbyterian Church

Roots/Shorashim/Judur (meaning “roots” in English, Hebrew, and Arabic,) an Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation grassroots group visited Buffalo on March 3-4.

(Israeli) Roots Co-founder Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and (Palestinian) Member Noor Awad embarked on their North American tour speaking at over 40 US venues including Buffalo NY.

Rabbi Schlesinger and Mr. Awad have met virtually with international audiences since the Oct. 7 deadly attack. “Roots is surviving a horrific period of violence that Palestinians and Israelis are now experiencing, and continues its work of reducing hate and resentment, creating mutual understanding and recognition, and preparing the human hearts on both sides for true reconciliation,” said Rabbi Schlesinger.

Roots engages in crucial people-to-people work towards a future peace settlement that guarantees dignity, freedom, equality, human rights, security, and the opportunity for mutual flourishing for both sides in the Land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

A free Buffalo community-wide event was held on Sunday March 3 at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Roots also met with area high school student leaders to discuss parallel issues of racism, antisemitism/islamophobia/hate/bias, and how the teachings of civil discourse can be used for good in Greater Buffalo.

The Roots’ visit was organized by a group of civic leaders who visited with them in- person in Israel in 2023. The Roots visit was sponsored by Trocaire College, Westminster Presbyterian Church, National Federation for Just Communities, Jewish Family Service of WNY, Northland Workforce Training Center, OLV Charities, and Buffalo Jewish Federation/Jewish Community Relations Council. Baird Foundation was also a sponsor. 

Jewish Community Center Leadership Participates in J.E.D.I. Training

Over the course of three sessions this past fall and winter, Dr. Amy Shuman and Rachel Beerman led Jewish Community Center leadership through the Jewish Equity Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) training. The J.E.D.I. course was created under the leadership of Jewish Federations of North America by leading experts around the country. Over the span of three sessions, participants explored many topics including issues of identity and implicit bias, the civil rights movement, housing segregation in Buffalo, and how to build a more inclusive community recognizing the racial diversity within both the Jewish community, and the larger Buffalo community. 

Meeting Up in the Community

Rachel Beerman, Corey Auerbach, Monica Neuwirt, Rebekah Malone, Terry Beerman and Deborah Goldman

In December, JCRC hosted its 2nd book club. We had a great discussion about Half American: The Epic Story of Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Aboard by Matthew F. Delmont. Members of the Jewish community also gathered for a community meet up at Ujima Theater to see the thought-provoking play 12 Mo’ Angry Men, written and directed by Buffalo native TaNisha Fordam.

Corey Auerbach

Lana Benatovich

Sharla Bleichfeld

Marjorie Bryen

Dr. Ann Marie Carosella

Dr. Molly Carr

Deborah Goldman

Susan Grelick

Shelly Yellen