Securing a Vibrant Jewish Future and
Championing a Just, Democratic Society
Securing a Vibrant Jewish Future and
Championing a Just, Democratic Society
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Olympia, WA
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Olympia, WA
Each year, the JCRC organizes Lobby Day, bringing Jewish community members from across Washington State to meet with lawmakers and advocate on policies that impact Jewish life.
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle is a network of 36 diverse Jewish organizations and independent leaders, representing tens of thousands of Jews across our region.
We work to secure a vibrant Jewish future locally, in Israel, and around the world, and to champion a just, democratic, and pluralistic society. The JCRC educates and advocates at the local, state, and national levels, and advances Jewish concerns in the public arena. Our work is guided by consensus, Jewish history, and Jewish values.
Our Core Work
The JCRC convenes and mobilizes the Jewish community, educates and advocates on issues of vital concern, and builds strong relationships within and beyond the Jewish community, grounded in Jewish values and consensus.
The JCRC advances its mission through core goals and guiding principles that include:
The JCRC advances its mission through core goals and guiding principles that include:
Building Consensus
across diverse Jewish voices.
Strengthening Relationships
with elected officials, civic leaders, and interfaith partners.
Advocating for Policies
that reflect Jewish history, values, and communal priorities.
Confronting Antisemitism
and ensuring the safety, security, and flourishing of Jews in every setting.
Promoting Civil Discourse
rooted in respect, pluralism, and community alignment.
Educating the Public
about issues impacting Jewish life locally and globally.
Building Consensus
across diverse Jewish voices.
Strengthening Relationships
with elected officials, civic leaders, and interfaith partners.
Advocating for Policies
that reflect Jewish history, values, and communal priorities.
Confronting Antisemitism
and ensuring the safety, security, and flourishing of Jews in every setting.
Promoting Civil Discourse
rooted in respect, pluralism, and community alignment.
Educating the Public
about issues impacting Jewish life locally and globally.
How the JCRC Works
The JCRC operates through a collaborative council structure supported by committees and task forces to engage community leaders, professionals, and partner organizations in ongoing advocacy and relationship-building.
The central deliberative and consensus-building body of the JCRC. The Council discusses, debates, and determines public affairs positions, ensuring representation of the broad Jewish community.
A thought partner and sounding board for the JCRC professional team. The Advisory Board ensures strategic balance, mission alignment, and responsible stewardship across the JCRC’s diverse areas of work.
Intergroup Relations
Focused on building bridges with key non-Jewish communities.
Israel Affairs
Focused on strengthening Israel-America relations and engagement with Israel.
Public Advocacy
Focused on legislative issues and advocacy work with public officials and in the public sphere.
Membership—Focused on the experience of JCRC members, recruitment and retention of leadership, and nominations.
The JCRC convenes a range of specialized task forces to respond to emerging needs and ongoing areas of communal importance.
A network of Jewish professionals focused on combating antisemitism, sharing best practices, and coordinated community response.
Brings together educators and advocates to address challenges facing Jewish students, curriculum policy, and school-based antisemitism.
Supports conversations and strategies related to Jewish student life, academic environments, and campus climate across Washington colleges.
Develops and promotes initiatives that strengthen communication, reduce polarization, and encourage respectful dialogue across the Jewish community and beyond.
How the JCRC Works
The JCRC operates through a collaborative council structure supported by committees and task forces to engage community leaders, professionals, and partner organizations in ongoing advocacy and relationship-building.
The central deliberative and consensus-building body of the JCRC. The Council discusses, debates, and determines public affairs positions, ensuring representation of the broad Jewish community.
A thought partner and sounding board for the JCRC professional team. The Advisory Board ensures strategic balance, mission alignment, and responsible stewardship across the JCRC’s diverse areas of work.
Intergroup Relations
Focused on building bridges with key non-Jewish communities.
Israel Affairs
Focused on strengthening Israel-America relations and engagement with Israel.
Public Advocacy
Focused on legislative issues and advocacy work with public officials and in the public sphere.
Membership—Focused on the experience of JCRC members, recruitment and retention of leadership, and nominations.
The JCRC convenes a range of specialized task forces to respond to emerging needs and ongoing areas of communal importance.
A network of Jewish professionals focused on combating antisemitism, sharing best practices, and coordinated community response.
Brings together educators and advocates to address challenges facing Jewish students, curriculum policy, and school-based antisemitism.
Supports conversations and strategies related to Jewish student life, academic environments, and campus climate across Washington colleges.
Develops and promotes initiatives that strengthen communication, reduce polarization, and encourage respectful dialogue across the Jewish community and beyond.
Our Values
The JCRC’s work is inspired and grounded by shared Jewish values, including:
Pikuach Nefesh (Safeguarding Life)
Tzedek (Justice)
Shalom (Peace & Wholeness)
K’lal Yisrael (Peoplehood & Collective Responsibility)
Chesed (Compassion)
Eilu v’Eilu (Respecting Multiple Truths and Perspectives)
Our Values
The JCRC’s work is inspired and grounded by shared Jewish values, including:
Pikuach Nefesh (Safeguarding Life)
Tzedek (Justice)
Shalom (Peace & Wholeness)
K’lal Yisrael (Peoplehood & Collective Responsibility)
Chesed (Compassion)
Eilu v’Eilu (Respecting Multiple Truths and Perspectives)
JCRC Member Organizations
The JCRC is made up of 36 diverse Jewish organizations representing synagogues, schools,
nonprofits advocacy groups, and social service agencies across Greater Seattle.
Chair
Hannah Lidman
Immediate Past Chair
Audrey Covner
Membership Chair
Will Wright
At-Large Advisory Board Member
Hilary Bernstein
At-Large Advisory Board Member
Miri Tilson
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Pacific Northwest
Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue
Bet Chaverim
Camp Solomon Schechter
Congregation Beth Shalom
Congregation Ezra Bessaroth
Congregation Kol Shalom
Hebrew Free Loan Association of Washington State
Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation
Hillel UW
Holocaust Center for Humanity
J Street Seattle
Jewish Day School
Jewish Family Service
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Kavana Cooperative
Kol Ami: A Center for Jewish Life
Kol HaNeshamah
Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School
Mercaz Seattle
New Israel Fund
Seattle Hadassah
Seattle Jewish Community School
Seattle Hebrew Academy
StandWithUs Northwest
Stroum Jewish Community Center
Temple Beth Am
Temple Beth El
Temple Beth Hatfiloh
Temple Beth Or
Temple B’nai Torah
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
Va’ad HaRabanim of Greater Seattle
Washington Coalition of Rabbis
Washington State Jewish Historical Society
Marla Dunn
Rabbi Levi Farkash
Jonathan Feller
Gavriella Gold
Stuart Kaufman
Bill Mowat
Lila Mowatt
Scott Prange
Sari Weinstein
Meet the team of professionals who lead the JCRC’s day-to-day work and represent the community in the public sphere.
Maxima Patashnik
Director of Jewish Community Relations Council & Government Affairs
maxp@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2248
Rabbi Jason Levine
Jewish Community Relations Council Associate Director
jasonl@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2228
Aliza Mossman
Jewish Community Relations Council Manager
alizam@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2225
The JCRC maintains a transparent, consensus-based portfolio of adopted policies reflecting the positions of the organized Jewish community in Greater Seattle.
The JCRC believes that civil political discourse, as understood through a culturally sensitive lens, is the key to having a knowledgeable electorate. The deterioration of political disagreement into personalized attacks or hostile arguments and sometimes even violence diminishes the electoral process and discourages and alienates potential voters. The JCRC calls on candidates, parties, political organizations, corporations, unions, political action committees, and others engaging in the electoral process to focus on issues and reject campaign strategies that resort to ad hominem, bigoted, antisemitic, or racist attacks, distort records, and/or distract from the pressing issues of the day. The JCRC opposes efforts to undermine confidence in elections, as the electoral process is critical to the health and legitimacy of America’s democratic institutions.
The JCRC supports the vigorous protection of human rights as an integral part of U.S. foreign policy, especially situations involving genocide, mass atrocities, and sweeping population shifts due to displacement by war, violence, and/or climate change. Effective American engagement in this area should prioritize diplomacy, de-escalation, and humanitarian support, be on a multilateral basis when possible, and only unilateral when necessary. Our community must uphold the words “Never Again” and therefore has a moral responsibility to raise awareness about and advocate against genocide and mass atrocities. The JCRC also believes that the international community must respond to today’s unprecedented refugee crisis. The U.S., having a robust refugee resettlement program, should increase annual admissions of refugees while maintaining the rigorous security screenings that are integral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
The JCRC supports a peaceful, secure, Jewish, and democratic State of Israel. The JCRC believes Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right and obligation to defend and protect all of its people from attacks and acts of aggression. The JCRC mourns the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and the enormous suffering and human toll the conflict has had on both societies.
The JCRC values the civil and social equality of all residents of the State of Israel. Israel is a diverse multiethnic and multireligious society; non-Jewish residents of Israel comprise around 20 percent of the population and are engaged in institutions across Israeli society from the Knesset to academia and beyond. The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of Jewish communities in Israel today reflects both our ancestral connection to the land as well as our history of exile and dispersion. Israel’s Declaration of Independence is clear about equal treatment and inclusion for all inhabitants. As in many countries, work remains to strengthen protections, rights, and freedoms for marginalized and underrepresented communities. The JCRC believes it is the responsibility of Israel’s leaders to promote engagement and investment across various segments of the population and ensure equal civil rights and protections under the law, including Israel’s Basic Laws. The participation of all populations in Israeli society contributes to its diverse fabric and strengthens the country’s continued political, social, and economic stability and prosperity.
Note: This policy is not intended to apply to Gaza or the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. Residents of these areas and their rights and experiences as they relate to the government of Israel require additional deliberation and discussion by the JCRC.
The JCRC is committed to building a more just and equitable society, especially as a growing number of middle- and low-income families are facing abject poverty and food insecurity. We strongly support expanding eligibility for the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits and policies that help empower older adults to live healthier, more independent lives free from poverty. We support a robust social safety net that includes important programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). To lift the next generation out of poverty, we also support full funding for child nutrition programs, such as the Summer Feeding Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Food insecurity is one of the most acute hardships that many Americans, including children, face across the country.
Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism
In April 2023, the JCRC signed on to the Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism.
On December 15, 2021, we passed the consensus statement Racial Equity and the Jewish Community. The statement is long and more robust than the other positions the JCRC has adopted. You can read the full statement here.
The JCRC supports access to safe, affordable, legal abortion and reproductive health care. Prohibiting access to abortion is contrary to Jewish law, traditions, and our people’s principal value of protecting life. While there are various rabbinic interpretations of Jewish law, what is consistent is that if pregnancy endangers the mother’s life physically, Jewish law permits, and in most cases, mandates abortion. Therefore, any law that limits abortion may restrict a Jew’s ability to make this personal decision in accordance with their religious beliefs. Our nation must respect—not legislate or criminalize—these decisions. Efforts to limit access to reproductive care have profound implications for religious freedom, personal decision-making, and human dignity—issues that are fundamental to our Jewish community and our democracy in America and that our JCRC is committed to preserving.
The JCRC believes that every American citizen should have the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot. JCRC will advocate for policies that make the process of voting easier and more accessible. We support measures such as: strengthening early voting opportunities, expanding automatic voter registration, ensuring each vote is weighted equally, and scheduling elections and caucuses so they are accessible to all eligible voters.
The JCRC supports Zionism: the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination and sovereignty within their ancestral and religious homeland of Israel. This aspiration was realized with the establishment of the modern State of Israel, founded to be a Jewish and democratic state. Zionists have a wide range of political perspectives on the policies and actions of the Israeli government.
JCRC Member Organizations
The JCRC is made up of 36 diverse Jewish organizations representing synagogues, schools,
nonprofits advocacy groups, and social service agencies across Greater Seattle.
Chair
Hannah Lidman
Immediate Past Chair
Audrey Covner
Membership Chair
Will Wright
At-Large Advisory Board Member
Hilary Bernstein
At-Large Advisory Board Member
Miri Tilson
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Pacific Northwest
Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue
Bet Chaverim
Camp Solomon Schechter
Congregation Beth Shalom
Congregation Ezra Bessaroth
Congregation Kol Shalom
Hebrew Free Loan Association of Washington State
Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation
Hillel UW
Holocaust Center for Humanity
J Street Seattle
Jewish Day School
Jewish Family Service
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Kavana Cooperative
Kol Ami: A Center for Jewish Life
Kol HaNeshamah
Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School
Mercaz Seattle
New Israel Fund
Seattle Hadassah
Seattle Jewish Community School
Seattle Hebrew Academy
StandWithUs Northwest
Stroum Jewish Community Center
Temple Beth Am
Temple Beth El
Temple Beth Hatfiloh
Temple Beth Or
Temple B’nai Torah
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
Va’ad HaRabanim of Greater Seattle
Washington Coalition of Rabbis
Washington State Jewish Historical Society
Marla Dunn
Rabbi Levi Farkash
Jonathan Feller
Gavriella Gold
Stuart Kaufman
Bill Mowat
Lila Mowatt
Scott Prange
Sari Weinstein
Meet the team of professionals who lead the JCRC’s day-to-day work and represent the community in the public sphere.
Maxima Patashnik
Director of Jewish Community Relations Council & Government Affairs
maxp@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2248
Rabbi Jason Levine
Jewish Community Relations Council Associate Director
jasonl@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2228
Aliza Mossman
Jewish Community Relations Council Manager
alizam@jewishinseattle.org | 206-774-2225
The JCRC maintains a transparent, consensus-based portfolio of adopted policies reflecting the positions of the organized Jewish community in Greater Seattle.
The JCRC believes that civil political discourse, as understood through a culturally sensitive lens, is the key to having a knowledgeable electorate. The deterioration of political disagreement into personalized attacks or hostile arguments and sometimes even violence diminishes the electoral process and discourages and alienates potential voters. The JCRC calls on candidates, parties, political organizations, corporations, unions, political action committees, and others engaging in the electoral process to focus on issues and reject campaign strategies that resort to ad hominem, bigoted, antisemitic, or racist attacks, distort records, and/or distract from the pressing issues of the day. The JCRC opposes efforts to undermine confidence in elections, as the electoral process is critical to the health and legitimacy of America’s democratic institutions.
The JCRC supports the vigorous protection of human rights as an integral part of U.S. foreign policy, especially situations involving genocide, mass atrocities, and sweeping population shifts due to displacement by war, violence, and/or climate change. Effective American engagement in this area should prioritize diplomacy, de-escalation, and humanitarian support, be on a multilateral basis when possible, and only unilateral when necessary. Our community must uphold the words “Never Again” and therefore has a moral responsibility to raise awareness about and advocate against genocide and mass atrocities. The JCRC also believes that the international community must respond to today’s unprecedented refugee crisis. The U.S., having a robust refugee resettlement program, should increase annual admissions of refugees while maintaining the rigorous security screenings that are integral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
The JCRC supports a peaceful, secure, Jewish, and democratic State of Israel. The JCRC believes Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right and obligation to defend and protect all of its people from attacks and acts of aggression. The JCRC mourns the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and the enormous suffering and human toll the conflict has had on both societies.
The JCRC values the civil and social equality of all residents of the State of Israel. Israel is a diverse multiethnic and multireligious society; non-Jewish residents of Israel comprise around 20 percent of the population and are engaged in institutions across Israeli society from the Knesset to academia and beyond. The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of Jewish communities in Israel today reflects both our ancestral connection to the land as well as our history of exile and dispersion. Israel’s Declaration of Independence is clear about equal treatment and inclusion for all inhabitants. As in many countries, work remains to strengthen protections, rights, and freedoms for marginalized and underrepresented communities. The JCRC believes it is the responsibility of Israel’s leaders to promote engagement and investment across various segments of the population and ensure equal civil rights and protections under the law, including Israel’s Basic Laws. The participation of all populations in Israeli society contributes to its diverse fabric and strengthens the country’s continued political, social, and economic stability and prosperity.
Note: This policy is not intended to apply to Gaza or the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. Residents of these areas and their rights and experiences as they relate to the government of Israel require additional deliberation and discussion by the JCRC.
The JCRC is committed to building a more just and equitable society, especially as a growing number of middle- and low-income families are facing abject poverty and food insecurity. We strongly support expanding eligibility for the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits and policies that help empower older adults to live healthier, more independent lives free from poverty. We support a robust social safety net that includes important programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). To lift the next generation out of poverty, we also support full funding for child nutrition programs, such as the Summer Feeding Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Food insecurity is one of the most acute hardships that many Americans, including children, face across the country.
Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism
In April 2023, the JCRC signed on to the Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism.
On December 15, 2021, we passed the consensus statement Racial Equity and the Jewish Community. The statement is long and more robust than the other positions the JCRC has adopted. You can read the full statement here.
The JCRC supports access to safe, affordable, legal abortion and reproductive health care. Prohibiting access to abortion is contrary to Jewish law, traditions, and our people’s principal value of protecting life. While there are various rabbinic interpretations of Jewish law, what is consistent is that if pregnancy endangers the mother’s life physically, Jewish law permits, and in most cases, mandates abortion. Therefore, any law that limits abortion may restrict a Jew’s ability to make this personal decision in accordance with their religious beliefs. Our nation must respect—not legislate or criminalize—these decisions. Efforts to limit access to reproductive care have profound implications for religious freedom, personal decision-making, and human dignity—issues that are fundamental to our Jewish community and our democracy in America and that our JCRC is committed to preserving.
The JCRC believes that every American citizen should have the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot. JCRC will advocate for policies that make the process of voting easier and more accessible. We support measures such as: strengthening early voting opportunities, expanding automatic voter registration, ensuring each vote is weighted equally, and scheduling elections and caucuses so they are accessible to all eligible voters.
The JCRC supports Zionism: the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination and sovereignty within their ancestral and religious homeland of Israel. This aspiration was realized with the establishment of the modern State of Israel, founded to be a Jewish and democratic state. Zionists have a wide range of political perspectives on the policies and actions of the Israeli government.
Each year, Lobby Day brings Jewish community members from across Washington State to meet with lawmakers and advocate for issues that impact Jewish life. This is a unique chance for our diverse community to come together to live our values and push for meaningful change.
The survey results help us create a unified Jewish advocacy agenda on behalf of the community, and we are excited to roll up our sleeves and prepare for the legislative season ahead.
Last month, Rabbi Jason Levine, Associate Director of the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), joined regional faith leaders at the Interfaith Countering Hate Summit in Boise to strengthen these alliances and bring new strategies home to our community.
We were honored to welcome Amy Spitalnik, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, who spoke powerfully about the national landscape of antisemitism, the interconnection between Jewish safety and democracy, and why the work of JCRCs is so critical at this moment.
The JCRC’s core work includes:
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) brings together and mobilizes the Jewish community on critical issues—amplifying our collective voice. We foster meaningful relationships among diverse ethnic, racial, religious, and interest groups, building coalitions based on mutual areas of concern. The JCRC educates and advocates at the local, state, and national levels to advance Jewish concerns in the public arena. JCRC is a trusted resource for our community, political, and faith-based partners, providing nuanced insights and support on sensitive community and government relations matters.
We work both behind the scenes and on the front lines. The JCRC’s policy positions are formed based on consensus and civility, reflecting and with respect for our community’s diversity.
The JCRC comprises a Community Council, Advisory Board, and four standing committees. The Community Council is the central, deliberative, consensus-building body of the JCRC. The Advisory Board provides strategic direction and oversight of JCRC operations and can act as a decision-making body when the Council cannot meet.
The four standing committees inform and drive the work of the JCRC. The committees include Public Advocacy, Israel Affairs, Intergroup Relations, and Membership.
Chair
Hannah Lidman
Immediate Past Chair
Audrey Covner
Membership Chair
Will Wright
At-Large Advisory Board Member
Hilary Bernstein
Miri Tilson
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Pacific Northwest
Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue
Bet Chaverim
Camp Solomon Schechter
Congregation Beth Shalom
Congregation Ezra Bessaroth
Congregation Kol Shalom
Hebrew Free Loan Association of Washington State
Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation
Hillel UW
Holocaust Center for Humanity
J Street Seattle
Jewish Day School
Jewish Family Service
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Kavana Cooperative
Kol Ami: A Center for Jewish Life
Kol HaNeshamah
Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School
Mercaz Seattle
New Israel Fund
Seattle Hadassah
Seattle Jewish Community School
Seattle Hebrew Academy
StandWithUs Northwest
Stroum Jewish Community Center
Temple Beth Am
Temple Beth El
Temple Beth Hatfiloh
Temple Beth Or
Temple B’nai Torah
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
Va’ad HaRabanim of Greater Seattle
Washington Coalition of Rabbis
Washington State Jewish Historical Society
Maxima Patashnik
Director of Jewish Community Relations Council & Government Affairs
maxp@jewishinseattle.org
206.774.2248
Rabbi Jason Levine
Jewish Community Relations Council Associate Director
jasonl@jewishinseattle.org
206.774.2228
Aliza Mossman
Jewish Community Relations Council Manager
alizam@jewishinseattle.org
206.774.2225
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Seattle (JCRC) leverages the strength and heart of Puget Sound’s diverse Jewish community to secure a vibrant Jewish future locally, in Israel, and around the world, and to champion a just, democratic, and pluralistic society.
The JCRC convenes and mobilizes our community, educates and advocates on issues of vital concern based on Jewish values, consensus and respect for our diversity, and builds bridges within and beyond the Jewish community focused on core issues including:
In pursuing its mission, the JCRC is committed to:
B’Tselem Elokim | Value the Humanity in Each Person
We protect the life and dignity of every person, and work to ensure dignity and justice for all people irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability.
Lo Ta’amod Al Dam Rey’echa | Do Not Stand Idly By
“In a free society, only some may be guilty but all are responsible.” (Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel). Each time we stand up for an ideal, or act to improve the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves, voicing the Jewish community’s concern on critical issues in the public sphere, we demonstrate a commitment to solidarity with others.
“Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof” | “Justice, justice, you shall pursue.”
One of the most central tenets of Judaism is to pursue justice. More than merely respecting or following justice, we must actively pursue it. The repetition of the word “justice” emphasizes the centrality of this value in our religious consciousness and behavior, both traditionally and today.
Tikkun Olam | Repair of the World
We work to improve the world, one relationship at a time. Many experiences in life threaten to break us. But such experiences also make us more whole as human beings. They expand our range of consciousness and compassion. They enlarge our capacity for inclusion. They make us stronger and help us reach out to others with greater empathy and concern.
Elu V’Elu | Openness to Multiple Perspectives
The Jewish approach includes recognizing that there are multiple sides of an issue, being open to hearing views that are not our own, and grappling with complexity.
Im Ayn Ani Li, Mi Li? U’She’ani Le’atzmi Mah Ani? Ve’im Lo Achshav, AyMatai? | If I Am Not For Myself, Who Will Be For Me? If I Am Only For Myself, What Am I? And If Not Now, When?
We advocate for Jewish community interests while collaborating with other faith, ethnic, and emerging communities who share our goals.
Darchei Shalom | Paths of Peace
We keep peace with our neighbors by building strong relationships, promoting mutual respect, and fostering understanding.
Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh La Zeh | All in the House of Israel are Responsible for One Another
We mobilize the community when Jews anywhere are in need of our support. We are many Jewish communities bound together by shared values, history, religion, and culture.
Elections
The JCRC believes that civil political discourse, as understood through a culturally sensitive lens, is the key to having a knowledgeable electorate. The deterioration of political disagreement into personalized attacks or hostile arguments and sometimes even violence diminishes the electoral process and discourages and alienates potential voters. The JCRC calls on candidates, parties, political organizations, corporations, unions, political action committees, and others engaging in the electoral process to focus on issues and reject campaign strategies that resort to ad hominem, bigoted, antisemitic, or racist attacks, distort records, and/or distract from the pressing issues of the day. The JCRC opposes efforts to undermine confidence in elections, as the electoral process is critical to the health and legitimacy of America’s democratic institutions.
Humanitarian Crises and Refugees
The JCRC supports the vigorous protection of human rights as an integral part of U.S. foreign policy, especially situations involving genocide, mass atrocities, and sweeping population shifts due to displacement by war, violence, and/or climate change. Effective American engagement in this area should prioritize diplomacy, de-escalation, and humanitarian support, be on a multilateral basis when possible, and only unilateral when necessary. Our community must uphold the words “Never Again” and therefore has a moral responsibility to raise awareness about and advocate against genocide and mass atrocities. The JCRC also believes that the international community must respond to today’s unprecedented refugee crisis. The U.S., having a robust refugee resettlement program, should increase annual admissions of refugees while maintaining the rigorous security screenings that are integral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Israel’s Right to Defend Itself
The JCRC supports a peaceful, secure, Jewish, and democratic State of Israel. The JCRC believes Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right and obligation to defend and protect all of its people from attacks and acts of aggression. The JCRC mourns the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and the enormous suffering and human toll the conflict has had on both societies.
Minority Rights in Israel
The JCRC values the civil and social equality of all residents of the State of Israel. Israel is a diverse multiethnic and multireligious society; non-Jewish residents of Israel comprise around 20 percent of the population and are engaged in institutions across Israeli society from the Knesset to academia and beyond. The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of Jewish communities in Israel today reflects both our ancestral connection to the land as well as our history of exile and dispersion. Israel’s Declaration of Independence is clear about equal treatment and inclusion for all inhabitants. As in many countries, work remains to strengthen protections, rights, and freedoms for marginalized and underrepresented communities. The JCRC believes it is the responsibility of Israel’s leaders to promote engagement and investment across various segments of the population and ensure equal civil rights and protections under the law, including Israel’s Basic Laws. The participation of all populations in Israeli society contributes to its diverse fabric and strengthens the country’s continued political, social, and economic stability and prosperity.
Note: This policy is not intended to apply to Gaza or the West Bank/Judea and Samaria. Residents of these areas and their rights and experiences as they relate to the government of Israel require additional deliberation and discussion by the JCRC.
Poverty and Food Insecurity
The JCRC is committed to building a more just and equitable society, especially as a growing number of middle- and low-income families are facing abject poverty and food insecurity. We strongly support expanding eligibility for the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits and policies that help empower older adults to live healthier, more independent lives free from poverty. We support a robust social safety net that includes important programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). To lift the next generation out of poverty, we also support full funding for child nutrition programs, such as the Summer Feeding Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Food insecurity is one of the most acute hardships that many Americans, including children, face across the country.
Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism
In April 2023, the JCRC signed on to the Puget Sound Jewish Community Statement on Antisemitism.
Racial Equity and the Jewish Community
On December 15, 2021, we passed the consensus statement Racial Equity and the Jewish Community. The statement is long and more robust than the other positions the JCRC has adopted. You can read the full statement here.
Reproductive Rights
The JCRC supports access to safe, affordable, legal abortion and reproductive health care. Prohibiting access to abortion is contrary to Jewish law, traditions, and our people’s principal value of protecting life. While there are various rabbinic interpretations of Jewish law, what is consistent is that if pregnancy endangers the mother’s life physically, Jewish law permits, and in most cases, mandates abortion. Therefore, any law that limits abortion may restrict a Jew’s ability to make this personal decision in accordance with their religious beliefs. Our nation must respect—not legislate or criminalize—these decisions. Efforts to limit access to reproductive care have profound implications for religious freedom, personal decision-making, and human dignity—issues that are fundamental to our Jewish community and our democracy in America and that our JCRC is committed to preserving.
Voting Rights
The JCRC believes that every American citizen should have the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot. JCRC will advocate for policies that make the process of voting easier and more accessible. We support measures such as: strengthening early voting opportunities, expanding automatic voter registration, ensuring each vote is weighted equally, and scheduling elections and caucuses so they are accessible to all eligible voters.
Zionism
The JCRC supports Zionism: the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination and sovereignty within their ancestral and religious homeland of Israel. This aspiration was realized with the establishment of the modern State of Israel, founded to be a Jewish and democratic state. Zionists have a wide range of political perspectives on the policies and actions of the Israeli government.
What is a JCRC?
A Jewish Community Relations Council is a network of organizations and individual leaders supporting and advocating for the organized Jewish community. Our JCRC represents the organized Jewish community to the broader community, advances core Jewish interests by building bridges and relationships with ethnic and religious leaders, public officials, labor, LGBTQ, and other community leaders, media, and school officials, and educates and advocates on issues of concern from a consensus view.
Are there JCRCs in other communities?
There are about 120 JCRCs in the country that are networked through the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). No JCRC is bound by what another JCRC does, but all have a similar mission and mandate—to protect the interests of the Jewish community by enhancing understanding of and support for our community and its concerns within the broader community and by finding common cause with other communities. Of the 120 or so JCRCs, approximately 105 are departments or committees of their local Federation and the remainder are independent 501(c)(3) organizations, retaining a close partnership with their Federation.
When and why were JCRCs originally formed?
Jewish community relations has been practiced since the moment Jews stepped into the Diaspora—Joseph in Egypt, Esther in Shushan. The formal field was created in 1944 near the end of the Holocaust when the Federation movement determined that one of the fatal flaws in the American Jewish response to the Holocaust was the lack of a united voice on the paramount issues of the day. To remedy that flaw, it was determined that umbrella bodies (JCRCs) should be established to try to develop consensus and then speak with a much stronger voice in representing the Jewish community to the broader community.
What are some of the issues JCRCs are known for?
JCRCs have played a leadership role on many issues over the decades. They were in the forefront of the Soviet Jewry advocacy movement, played a vital role in fighting for civil rights, have addressed antisemitism, bigotry and racism, have been very visible on immigration issues, and are actively engaged in support of strong Israel-America relations, especially in the battle against the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement in the United States. Typically, JCRCs also are heavily involved in interfaith and inter-ethnic relations as well as supporting Federations in their government affairs efforts.
Who is part of the JCRC?
The JCRC comprises a broad array of community organizations and individual leaders representing diverse constituencies within Puget Sound’s Jewish community. It has a Council composed of representatives of member organizations and at-large representatives that meets four times per year and an Advisory Board, whose members also serve on the Council, that meets more frequently. The Council serves as the JCRC’s central deliberative, consensus building body on public affairs issues by bringing together and mobilizing our community. The Advisory Board ensures the JCRC is fulfilling its mission collaboratively with the Federation, coordinates the work of the standing committees, and provides support to the professional team.
What is the relationship between the Federation and the JCRC?
The JCRC is the public affairs and external relations branch of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. The Federation is both a member of and wholly responsible for the JCRC. In response to local need and national and local trends, the Federation re-created the JCRC in 2020 after a 30-year hiatus. The Federation is among the many voices included in the JCRC. At the same time, it is only through the Federation’s funding, staffing, and support that the JCRC exists. The Federation is therefore responsible for the JCRC’s actions and must be mindful of how these actions impact the work of the Federation as a whole, recognizing that at times the JCRC’s necessary work with other communities will inevitably cause some criticism.
JCRC successes benefit the Federation and the JCRC, while the Federation bears much of the brunt of criticism or pushback against JCRC decisions. The JCRC is structured with this delicate balance in mind. The Federation has a representative on the JCRC Advisory Board and multiple representatives on the JCRC Council to ensure that the Federation’s voice and perspective are incorporated in JCRC leadership and because the Federation has a vital stake in the relationship between the Jewish and broader communities. At the same time, the Federation does not have so many votes as to overwhelm the will of the community institutions and representatives.
Who gets to be an institutional or at-large member of the JCRC?
The operating procedures set specific criteria for consideration of member organizations whose applications go to the JCRC Advisory Board for review. If the Advisory Board approves a request for institutional membership, it is then submitted to the Council. The Council comprises over 30 community organizations and 20 individual leaders representing diverse constituencies within Puget Sound’s Jewish community. All members are expected to fulfill the requirements of membership, including, but not limited to, supporting the mission and core goals and principles of the JCRC that amplify the mission.
Does a JCRC have a unique role that distinguishes it from other organizations?
While there are several important Jewish advocacy organizations in the Seattle area, JCRC has a unique set of functions. They include:
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