Welcome to Gesher! JCRC's new monthly newsletter to highlight our impact and keep you informed on the challenges and opportunities before our community. Whether you're a long-time JCRC supporter or just discovering our work, we are excited to share our passion for building bridges from the Jewish people to the diverse communities across Minnesota and the Dakotas. Thank you for joining us on this journey! | |
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We've been heard: Important update on Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Director search.
Thanks to the outpouring protest from our community, Interim President Jeff Ettinger announced that his office has paused the selection process, will meet with JCRC next week and confirmed that going forward there will be more direct community involvement in the Center Director search process.
Considering these developments, we are asking our community to pause your messages of protest to the Interim President, Provost, and Regents.
Thank you for your incredible efforts in achieving this outcome!
Read full update
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Inform JCRC's advocacy efforts in K-College educational spaces by completing our anonymous community survey for parents, students and educators.
Complete JCRC community survey
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Postponed: What's your story? Listening session on Jewish experiences in education
A new date will be announced shortly
Parents, students, and educators, JCRC wants to hear from you on how it has been to be Jewish in your educational spaces this year. We invite you to complete JCRC's anonymous community survey that will directly inform our advocacy and education work in the coming school year, and invite you to attend our listening session with US Attorney Andy Luger to share your story and/or listen to other experiences (new date to be announced – please continue to complete the JCRC community survey).
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2024 JCRC Annual Event
featuring Haviv Rettig Gur
Annual Event photographed by Darrell Owens Photography
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More than 650 supporters of the JCRC gathered together for the 2024 Annual Event featuring Times of Israel Senior Analyst, Haviv Rettig Gur, one of the highest recorded attendances for JCRC and a testament to the words of JCRC First Vice President, Jacy Rubin Grais, "Many years I have thought that the JCRC was a well kept secret in our community. An incredible organization doing very important work but that not enough people knew about. Over the past eight months that has changed. I have heard story after story from members of the community learning about what JCRC has done and feeling its effects personally whether in their workplace or their child's school."
Thank you to our remarkable community for showing up and contributing your time, energy, and resources to advancing JCRC's mission of building relationships to educate, advocate, and protect our community.
One common theme from each inspiring speaker – including Gov. Tim Walz, community members impacted by antisemitism, and keynote Haviv Rettig Gur – is that JCRC's work telling our story is more essential now than ever.
This work is not possible without your generous support – and there is still time to donate to support JCRC for our 2024 Annual Event.
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Building Bridges
Recent impact highlights from JCRC
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Community Affairs
"JCRC has been nothing short of lifesaving for our family."
Lauren Murphy, Jewish parent: "Thank you JCRC for inviting us to share our story. I am here with my daughter to talk about our recent experiences with severe antisemitism and to express our deep gratitude to JCRC for its unwavering support and advocacy.
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Advocacy
"JCRC empowered me to speak about the antisemitism we are facing at school."
Alex Stewart, MN Hillel Student President: "Since October 7th, there has been a 700% rise in antisemitism on American college campuses. Unfortunately, the University of Minnesota is not immune to the virus of antisemitism infecting campuses across the country.
Continue reading
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Education
"JCRC is helping our school and our Jewish community come out stronger."
Marty Chester, Jewish parent: My wife Haley Schaffer and I have three children. Like students at many high schools since October 7, our kids felt a lot of anxiety at school in navigating their feelings about the attacks and the war, in an environment of peers—and even adults—who don’t have the same level of understanding, or the same personal connection, to what’s happening in Israel.
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Advocacy
"Partnership with JCRC is essential to building relationships and educating colleagues."
Sharon Feinstein-Rosenblum, Jewish employee: I am a granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors. I was born and raised in Israel and moved to the Twin Cities nearly 18 years ago. I am honored to publicly thank JCRC staff and volunteers. Thank you for all your hard work and the countless hours you invest in our community.
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Advocacy
Condemning and combating antisemitism through politics
JCRC's first-ever precinct caucuses trainings, led by immediate past president Judy Cook, board member Julie Idelkope, and JCRC staff, to forward a resolution drafted by the JCRC to condemn and combat antisemitism, could not have been as impactful had it not been for the commitment of all of you who showed up to represent our community, even when it was incredibly challenging and our delegates were confronted by horrific antisemitism.
Jomi Kramer, who went on to become a delegate to the DFL State Convention in Duluth, said, "The only reason I knew how to get involved in this political process was because of the tremendous effort by JCRC to explain that with our help, we could actually take action and create change."
Andrea Hartman, also a delegate to the DFL State Convention, remarked, "While my heart hurts, I choose to continue my activism as a way to honor my ancestors, my Israeli family, the October 7 hostages, and all innocent victims of war. Let's get going! It will take many."
Delegates and alternates to the DFL State Convention received training from Manilan Houle, an experienced organizer and ally to the Jewish community, which prepared them for the DFL State Convention.
Thanks to the advocacy of Jewish community delegates and their allies all of the most stridently anti-Israel resolutions were defeated. However, we are outraged by the decision of a small number of anti-Israel activists to disingenuously amend – at a time when many delegates had left the convention for the day - our resolution against antisemitism. Stripping out language which condemns the denial of Israel’s right to exist is completely at odds with the vast majority of American Jews and Americans more broadly. Clearly, there is much more work to be done.
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Education
Including Jewish studies in new ethnic studies standard
Sally Abrams, long-time educator and JCRC Director of Judaism and Israel Education, is part of a 25-member group tasked with developing a framework for the new Ethnic Studies Standard in the Minnesota Department of Education Social Studies Standards. The JCRC’s goals are to prevent antisemitism from becoming embedded in the framework and to ensure the curriculum, professional development opportunities, and resources address Jewish identity and heritage, along with the challenges we have and continue to face.
The JCRC is aligned with the US President’s National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, which "[calls] on state and local governments to include Jewish studies in ethnic studies and history curricula." Further outlining that, "lessons should include Jewish history, as well as curricula on positive Jewish contributions to America, Jewish diversity, and manifestations of contemporary antisemitism."
Governor Tim Walz spoke at the JCRC Annual Event Sunday, stating "We need to do better on Holocaust education, we need to do better on ethnic studies… we passed the law but who writes the curriculum is going to be really, really important and JCRC being there making sure we're held accountable that this curriculum is correct and how it's being delivered, is done right.”
Laura Zelle, JCRC's outgoing Director of Holocaust Education, serves on the state-mandated Holocaust, Indigenous Genocide and Other Genocide Legislation Working Task Force, established through JCRC-supported legislation last year.
The next Ethnic Studies Working group meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM at the Minnesota Department of Education building, 400 Stinson Blvd NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. The meetings are open to quiet public observation. All are welcome.
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My first time in the driver's seat
Nina Afremov
Development and Annual Event Coordinator
Nina at the 2024 JCRC Annual Event
June 6, 2024 – Sunday, June 2 marked a historic day for JCRC. Our Annual Event brings people together to celebrate our vital organization. This is our first Annual Event since October 7, a solemn day that weighs heavily on our hearts as the war continues on and hostages remain in Gaza.
Contributing to JCRC's mission at a time when the community faces vocal extremism and bigotry has made my first year here markedly more challenging, but all the more meaningful.
Continue reading
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Bridging the Gap
Top additions to our Resource Page for understanding and addressing the Israel-Hamas war
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JCRC in the Media
Media coverage that includes the consensus public affairs voice of the Jewish community
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Featured media highlights | |
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JTA: U of Minnesota Backtracks on Holocaust Center Hire Who Accused Israel of Genocide
TC Jewfolk: U Pauses Hiring of Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Director
Star Tribune: University of Minnesota Pauses Search for Holocaust Center Director Amid Controversy
TC Jewfolk: Controversial Job Offer Leads to Resignations from Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Board
Star Tribune: 'Democrats will learn a lesson': Some Muslims Work to Defeat Biden in Battleground States
MPR: U of M says less than 1% of Endowment Invested in Companies Tied to Israel
PBS: Prairie Plus: Steve Hunegs and Slamabama
TC Jewfolk: Pro-Hamas Graffiti, Vandalism Found At Woodbury Starbucks
TC Jewfolk: Corrective Sticker, Stronger Oversight Planned After SLP Yearbook Gaffe
See all coverage
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JCRC Annual Event Keynote Speaker Haviv Rettig Gur on Who the Folk?! | |
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Haviv Rettig Gur, 2024 JCRC Annual Event keynote speaker was featured ahead of the event on Who the Folk?! Podcast.
Listen
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