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October 2024

Welcome to Gesher (‘Bridge’ in Hebrew) – JCRC's monthly impact newsletter to keep you informed on our work and the challenges and opportunities before our community.

Advocacy Alert

Location Changed: Walk for the Hostages

Sunday, October 13, 10:30 AM, St. Louis Park ROC, 3700 Monterey Drive

Organized by Run For Their Lives to mark one year of captivity.

JCRC will be assisting security.

View flyer

Trending Now

One big thing we're focused on

photo: Darrell Owens Photography

Dear Jewish Community Relations Council,

Whether you joined us from home or in the sanctuary, your presence was felt as we united in mourning, hope, and resilience. We echo the opening words of Rabbi Weininger, "Thank you for choosing to bring your shattered heart right here tonight, and to link it across thousands of miles to our beloved Eretz Yisrael (land of Israel). In this new year, we pray that through the cracks in our hearts, Or Hadash Al Tziyon Ta'ir - our gathering will cause a new light to shine in Zion."

Watch recording

View prayers recited

View photos and media coverage

We thank Adath Security and Minnetonka Police and Fire department for partnering with JCRC security to provide 35 personnel on site and multiple technologies to welcome all while ensuring the commemoration was safe. Thank you to JCRC board members and community volunteers who ensured that everyone, including the many elected officials and candidates in attendance, were warmly welcomed to the commemoration.

The community wide commemoration was organized and sponsored by JCRC, Minnesota Rabbinical Association, Minnesota Cantor’s Association, Minneapolis and St. Paul Jewish Federations, TC Jewfolk, and hosted by Adath Jeshurun Congregation.

Am Yisrael Chai

Bring Them Home Now

Upcoming Events

Save the Date: Africa Night to Honor Israel

Sunday, October 27, 5:00 PM, Ebenezer Community Church Brooklyn Park

Join in solidarity with Israel and emphasize the love and connection from the African communities.

Building Bridges

Recent impact highlights from JCRC

September 18, 2024 Annual Meeting

Thank you to all who joined us as we installed our new President of the Board of Directors, Jacy Grais, and thanked our outgoing President Jon Parritz for his steadfast leadership.

View recording including briefing from Ambassador Dennis Ross

Advocacy

Harnessing the passion of community volunteers

JCRC welcomes Sarah Rodriguez to our staff with a newly created position as our Engagement and Data Manager.

Sarah is a mother of two children Hannah (5) and Jose (1). Before joining JCRC, she previously worked as a classroom teacher and in community engagement with public media. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, visiting museums, and trying out new breweries.

Under Sarah’s leadership, JCRC will better recruit and support our many JCRC volunteers in the areas of education, advocacy, and building awareness of our work.

I want to volunteer

Education

JCRC consulting for the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

We are proud to announce that JCRC and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History will be partnering as part of the museum’s national effort to lead in the teaching of American Jewish history in schools. We will collaborate on developing an educational curriculum for public school students about the history, culture, religion, and values of the Jewish people for primary and secondary school students.

Learn more (video)

Education

Hopkins schools committed to antisemitism education

Through our engagement with Hopkins public schools we have already trained school leadership, non-licensed staff, and Hopkins High School teachers on Jewish identity and antisemitism. We are scheduled to offer this training to staff at every school in the district from elementary to high school. Superintendent Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed and Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Stanley Brown attended the community October 7 Commemoration.

Browse our educational opportunities for teachers

Security

New addition to the fleet

We have added a third vehicle to our security patrol initiative. The vehicle is a pickup truck which allows us to safely tow our camera trailers and other trailers we use for example to transport metal detectors to the October 7 Commemoration.

JCRC Staff Column

Lessons from the Silk Road

Steve Hunegs

Executive Director

On a recent visit to London, my wife and I decided to tour the British Museum’s special exhibit: Silk Roads, which “unravels how the journeys of people, objects and ideas that formed the Silk Roads shaped culture and histories.” (The events and artifacts of the exhibit cover the years 500 to 1000 CE).

One document on display transfixed me.