Dear Friend,

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting Cincinnati to spend time with Jewish community leaders who are doing the critical work of building bridges, confronting antisemitism and hate, and protecting our democracy—and to address congregants of Cincinnati’s historic Wise Temple for Shabbat services and their “Dinner and Dialogue” series.

I spoke with Cincy Jewfolk about my visit, and about JCPA’s work creating space for the “complicated middle”: Rejecting voices from the extremes at both ends of the political spectrum, and leaning into allyship and coalition-building, even when it’s hard. Because Jewish safety is inextricably linked with an inclusive democracy in which everyone’s fundamental rights are protected.

The commitment to bridging divides and standing in solidarity with others that I saw in Cincinnati is exactly the kind of leadership we need at this critical moment, and reflects the very best of what we at JCPA work to support and amplify across the country.

Today’s newsletter digs into JCPA’s work over the past month—from public advocacy and national press to on-the-ground coalition-building and action in communities across the country. Thank you for standing with us in this fight.

With gratitude,

Amy Spitalnick
CEO
Jewish Council for Public Affairs

JCPA in the News

LISTEN | JCPA CEO Amy Spitalnick joined Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer’s Identity/Crisis podcast to discuss the response from Jewish communities, the general public, and the U.S. government to attacks in Washington, D.C. and Boulder, CO—and how we can address the rise of antisemitism without encroaching on civil liberties.

READ | JCPA was proud to work with our partners at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights on a joint statement from 60 civil rights organizations in response to the antisemitic attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado. In it, signatories affirmed: “We cannot simply call out this hate. All of us who support civil and human rights have an obligation to collectively act to address the horrific rise in antisemitism and the broader rise in hate plaguing our country, which leaves all of our communities vulnerable. Jews and all of our communities deserve to live free from hate. We unequivocally unite against this rising antisemitism.”

WATCH | JCPA CEO Amy Spitalnick joined MSNBC to discuss the antisemitic attack targeting an event in support of the Israeli hostages in Boulder, CO—the result of increasingly normalized and mainstreamed antisemitism that threatens not just Jews, but all communities, and the very fabric of our democracy.

READ | After President Trump used the antisemitic term “Shylocks” to describe certain bankers, JCPA CEO Amy Spitalnick said: “Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which President Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories—and it’s deeply dangerous.” Our comments drew coverage from numerous outlets including CNN, MSNBC, Rolling Stone, ABC News, People, and more.

READ | JCPA proudly joined six major Congressional Caucuses and leading civil rights and advocacy organizations in endorsing a new joint resolution affirming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are fundamental to the American Dream and to our national prosperity, safety, and advocacy.

From Our Action Networks

Tell Congress: Protect Our Communities From Hate

In response to a surge in attacks on Jewish institutions and communities, JCPA has called on Congress to increase funding and availability of Nonprofit Security Grants to $1 billion to ensure nonprofit institutions, including Jewish institutions, enhance their physical security and cybersecurity to protect against targeted violence. However, we can’t simply barricade our way out of this crisis – we must also support programs that address the root causes of hate crimes.

The administration is undermining critical hate crime prevention programs that keep our communities safe—either by refusing to spend money already appropriated by Congress, or by cutting off future funding altogether.

Join JCPA in calling on Congress to protect our communities by fully funding the following critical programs:

• The Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, which addresses incomplete and inaccurate hate crime reporting
• The Community Relations Service (CRS), which facilitates dialogue, mediation, and trainings to help communities independently prevent and resolve conflict
• The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Grants Program, which funds and provides technical assistance to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute hate crimes
• The Community-based Approaches to Advancing Justice Grants, which support community-based approaches to preventing hate crimes through conflict resolution and community empowerment and education

Field Notes

Last month, JCPA hosted nearly 150 Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and other community relations professionals and lay leaders at the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. for our 2025 Summit on Coalition- and Bridge-Building.

Watch the Summit’s plenary sessions here – including our opening plenary featuring Mark Hetfield, President and CEO of HIAS, Ilana Kaufman, CEO of the Jews of Color Initiative, and Oren Segal, Senior Vice President of Counter-Extremism and Intelligence at ADL, in conversation moderated by Rabbi Shira Stutman:

Over two days of learning, strategizing, and advocacy, we affirmed that Jewish safety is central to the fight for a just, inclusive, and pluralistic society—just as a just, inclusive, and pluralistic society is necessary for our own safety.

From inspiring plenaries to rigorous workshops to direct advocacy on Capitol Hill, our community relations network came home ready to lead—to build coalitions, challenge hate, and strengthen the fabric of our democracy.

Our friends at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s Jewish Community Relations Council shared their reflections on JCPA’s Summit in this blog post:

JCPA frequently partners with local JCRCs, federations, congregations, and others to bring these conversations to communities across the country. Don’t hesitate to reach us here if you’d like to explore an event in your community.