Shabbat Shalom

November 17, 2023

This week we entered the month of Kislev, during which many of us will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. It is difficult to reconcile the sadness and heaviness we feel right now with these holidays of family, togetherness, and joy.

 

We are reeling from the horror of the attacks on October 7th, and from increased antisemitism worldwide. We grieve for Israel’s fallen and wounded. We grieve for our families and friends in harm’s way, and we pray for the safety of those serving in the IDF, and for the hostages who have still not been returned home. We also feel deeply the pain of thousands of innocent people – Palestinian and Israeli – who have lost their lives, their livelihoods, and their communities due to the conflict.

 

As a member of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Community Center Association, the JCA supports the sovereign, democratic State of Israel. It also supports a two-state solution.

 

Even as we support Israel in its efforts to extinguish Hamas, many in our community not only feel deeply the pain and the weight of war, but also the pain of alienation from others who disagree about specific strategies, political decisions, and tactics. For some, the ferocity of Israel’s response conflicts with deeply held beliefs about Israel’s role as a light among the nations.  As difficult as it is, we recognize that it is in differences of opinion, and in our ability to truly wrestle with our values, that our strength as a people can be found. Indeed, it is in the struggle to maintain our values in the face of adversity that our character must stand firm.

 

We are a small but mighty community, and we draw strength from one another. As an organization that works to build a community in which Jews are safe to live proudly and feel at home, we seek ways to engage sensitively, productively, and respectfully in this time of crisis. There is a diversity of opinions, perspectives, and beliefs in our community, but the Jewish values that drive our commitments can help us bridge any divide. Our differences will never be greater than the power of what we share.

 

No matter how we kindle our lights this year, we know that standing together, we shine more brightly than any darkness.

 

Molly Curren Rowles, Executive Director

Stuart Piltch, JCA Board President


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May 30, 2025
The JCA's Jewish Community Relations Council, Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services, and Program Committees are recruiting new members to support the J’s staff in planning, reviewing, and volunteering for events. We are seeking to diversify our committees and would welcome your input and experience. Jewish Community Relations Council Committee: Our newly reconstituted Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) will be focused around a series of working groups: an antisemitism working group to assist in developing plans to proactively address antisemitism statewide, as well as respond to incidents when they happen; an intercultural working group to support outreach to other faith and cultural groups in our area for community-building and dialogue; a social action working group to work in conjunction with KJFS on community social action in line with our values; and, an Israel working group to support Israel-related education and programming If you are interested in participating in these working groups, please email our JCRC Director, Zach Schwartz Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services Committee: Our newly reconstituted Klahr Jewish Family Services (KJFS) committee is also looking for new members. With our refugee work decreasing due to changes in immigration policies, KJFS will be building out new programs to serve our community. This is a chance to get in on the ground floor for planning the next steps to support and care for those in need. If you are interested in joining the KJFS committee, please email our KJFS Director, Margaret Mailander . Program Committee: The Program Committee is recruiting new members to support the JCA’s Program Director in planning, reviewing, and volunteering for events in arts, culture, and well-being. We are seeking to further diversify our committee and are keen to have representation from: the Israeli community; the twenty-something community; the LGBTQ+ community, the Young Jewish Professionals social group, and men (not mutually exclusive!). We would also love to have someone with a marketing background join us. For more information, please contact Program Committee Chair Janet Marstine .
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