Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Four Chaplains’ death. These men—First Lieutenants Reverend George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Good, Father John P. Washington, and Reverend Clark V. Poling—gave their lives on February 3rd, 1943, aboard the SS Dorchester. When the ship was hit by…
The following statement was released at 5:15pm on January 27, 2023
The imminent release of another video showing a Black man being beaten by agents of our government breaks my heart. Today, after Shabbat begins, our country will—yet again—have access to such a video. From information…
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, women’s right to abortion in the United States has been tenuous. Were it not for a preliminary injunction, abortion would already be illegal after six weeks in Ohio. In all likelihood, abortion will become functionally inaccessible here before long.
I…
For a whole variety of reasons–some good, some bad–people frequently self-segregate. Whether along racial, religious, ethnic, socioeconomic, political, or other lines, we have a tendency to surround ourselves with people who look, act, and believe like ourselves.
The results aren’t al…
At each successive nadir of the “Kanye affair,” community members have asked me if the JCRC would say anything new, and, if so, what. I have oft repeated what has now become a refrain: “Does the world really need another reminder that the Jews disavow antisemitism?” I mean this somew…
In about a week, we will be dedicating a new Hanukkah menorah at City Hall on behalf of the entire Jewish community. I want to take a moment to explain why. After all, it's fair question to ask.
When I think about the menorah we are donating, I think about a student I used to tutor in Hebre…
On Wednesday, November 30, 2022 I testified in favor of House Bill 353, the Testing Your Faith Act, being considered by the Ohio legislature. You can read the prepared testimony below, outlining why this bill is needed, and watch my testimony here.
All people shoulder some burden throughout…
Invitations often make us feel good; I hope those who open one to my upcoming wedding feel that way. Other invitations, less so; Jury duty... need I say more? Meanwhile, some elicit more nuanced responses, like when I learned that Rev. Damon Lynch invited me to engage in conversation about Bl…
As Ecclesiastes says, there is nothing new under the sun. So too with antisemitism: it has existed in one form or another for as long as Jews have. Nevertheless, we are now in uncharted waters when it comes to antisemitism in the United States. The impetus? Kanye West and Kyrie Irving's rece…
In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 15, three young men climbed the fence of Hillel at Miami University and destroyed the Hillel’s sukkah. This act of destruction hurts the entire region's Jewish Community. Whether this was an act of intentional antisemitism o…
Change brings opportunity. I am excited to share that because of the beautiful, anonymous gift of $18 million to our partner agency, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center (HHC), HHC will expand the important work it is doing.
I will be joining the leadership team of HHC as its …
Madeline Anderson, JCRC Hebrew Union College Rabbinic Fellow, here reflects on the Jewish wisdom of behavior and intention, and how the Jewish Community Relations Council leverages these concepts to empower civic action.
In his recent article on the role synagogues play in American democr…
This upcoming Shabbat, July 24, 2021, marks the confluence of two unique dates on the Hebrew calendar: Shabba…
Amidst the rise of antisemitism around the country and right here at home, the Jewish Community Relations Council in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and 45 other Jewish organizations joined in solidarity together against antisemitism. Feeling the need to share space in t…
