JCPA is proud to announce that Senate Majority Leader Charles Ellis “Chuck” Schumer, United States Senator for New York, has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the JCPA Albert D. Chernin Award. The award will be presented at the JCPA2021 National Conference on April 26. The Chernin Award, JCPA’s highest honor, is presented annually to an American Jew whose life work best exemplifies the social justice imperatives of Judaism, Jewish history, and protection of the U.S. Bill of Rights.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Schumer went above and beyond to ensure the safety of all Americans. From spearheading The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the Violence Against Women Act, standing against delegitimization of Israel, to introducing the For the People’s Act, we celebrate the achievements of our awardee, whose ideals symbolize the principles embodied by the work of JCPA.

“Senator Schumer, Washington’s highest-ranking Jewish elected official ever, has proven time and time again to not only be a relentless advocate on behalf of the Jewish community but for all people. He has tirelessly worked to create a just and pluralistic America,” said Michael Fromm, JCPA Board Chair.
Past JCPA Chernin Award recipients include Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senator Ronald Wyden, Rabbi David Saperstein, Professor Lawrence Tribe, and Senator Barbara Boxer. The Award is named for Albert Chernin, Executive Vice Chair of JCPA from 1975-1990. Chernin’s leadership created a far-reaching impact on American policy in the areas of church-state, civil rights, immigration, Israel, and Soviet Jewry.

This year’s conference marks the 77th Anniversary of JCPA, the national hub of the community relations network, representing 125 local Jewish community relations councils and 16 national Jewish agencies.