Getting to Know your Jewish & Elected Leaders

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth taking a look at a brief video which Representative Greg Landsman posted on his social media accounts earlier this week. In it, he supports a house resolution (HR 382) which calls for elected officials and faith leaders to condemn antisemitism and get more involved in educating the public about the Jewish community. He states: “As a member of the Jewish community, this is deeply personal to me and my family. Like all parents, I want my children to be safe no matter where they go. I also want them and their culture, their Jewishness, to be understood and appreciated by others.”

It is a privilege and a blessing to have a local Jewish Cincinnatian and former JCRC board member step up in this way and speak so eloquently. And we are amply privileged: not only do we have Rep. Landsman in DC, but we also have City Council Member Mark Jeffreys in Cincinnati and Ohio Representative Dani Isaacsohn in Columbus, all showcasing what it means to be Jewish civic leaders. That we have elected officials from our Jewish community at the local, state, and federal levels—all at the same time—underscores just how organized and impactful we are here in Cincinnati.

On June 29th, we plan to seize the moment by co-hosting, with AJC Cincinnati, a town hall called Jewish & Elected. It’ll be in the Amberley room of the JCC and will allow all three of these outstanding leaders to discuss their priorities and experiences as members of the Jewish community who are also elected officials. Of course, we still need to get through the annual meeting next week (on Tuesday night—get registered now if you’re not already!) Nevertheless, just a couple of weeks after that, we’ll keep the ball rolling, showing off the incredible talent our Jewish community has. Registration will open soon, and I hope we’ll see you there!