Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis (JCRC)

11/06/2026

JCRC’s Year End Appeal is Here!

Click this link to donate today!
https://jcrcstl.org/donate/

Click this link to view our full email appeal!
https://conta.cc/3W5rFp9


For almost 90 years, the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis has convened the broadest range of perspectives in the Jewish community - and is one of the best known civic and faith-based partners in the St. Louis region.

Together, we are building alliances for a more just and safer community - for all.

At JCRC, we believe that pluralism matters and that the time-tested way to counter antisemitism is with respectful dialogue and coalition building. 

JCRC stands strong for the Jewish community and shows up for other communities in their time of need. Finding common ground, building bridges, and cultivating long standing relationships that have stood the test of time …
That is JCRC. 

Programs like Student to Student, the Aurelia Konrad Interfaith Seder, and our Rekindle Black-Jewish Fellowship - turn strangers into neighbors, and neighbors into allies. Our work makes the entire community stronger, allows us to face adversity together, and charts the course for a better future for the Jewish community - and all of St. Louis.

This year, please consider giving directly to JCRC with dollars you set aside for your Jewish community giving.

If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) - please designate JCRC as a recipient this year.

Please also consider creating an Endowment or Legacy Gift to help sustain the work of JCRC.

With Your Support - we can continue the programs, advocacy, and coalition building that have positioned JCRC as a leader in the Jewish community's public affairs, civic engagement, and interfaith relations work.

With Your Support - we can continue convening the broadest coalition of Jewish voices in the region.

With Your Support - we can continue to run vital programs like Student to Student, where we train over 100 student leaders a year to challenge prejudice one classroom at a time - in over 45 St. Louis area schools a year.

Your contributions DO make a difference and help us broaden our impact in the wider community.

Please consider making a gift or our annual campaign today!

And NEW THIS YEAR AT JCRC!

$25,000
MATCHING GRANT OPPORTUNITY $$

The first $25,000 that comes into the annual campaign through our Year End Appeal will be MATCHED!

GIVE TODAY and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

https://jcrcstl.org/donate/

10/27/2026

Though the Jewish community is hyper focused on the Israeli elections today - along with many in the political world globally - we knew the results would likely not reveal a clear outcome - today.

But today is also another significant marker in Jewish history. Today is also the anniversary of the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh.

We mark the day as a horrific tragedy where Jews were gunned downed in a synagogue because of a political opinion someone held about the Jewish community.

We also mark the moment in time because of the outpouring of support we received from interfaith and civic partners from so many different communities.

We pray for a time when political positions and opinions no longer threaten the lives of people who have nothing to do with those positions.

Hate is a universal tool people use to divide rather than unite. Challenging all forms of prejudice and hate is the proven way to impact the hate that is most directed at you.

10/27/2026

For partners and friends looking for the latest on the Israeli elections - this brief update is a very decent summary of the current information as we know it.

As an organization, JCRC will stand in support of the democratic process taking in place in Israel right now. Israel has a parliamentary system that is often hard to navigate and to understand. Yet it is still an exception to other governments in the Middle East who do not hold elections.

We will also celebrate the record voter turnout and the unprecedented results for Arab parties. Arab/Palestinian participation in Israeli elections is something we believe not many know about - and happens distinct from elections in the West Bank territory and Gaza. Please always feel free to reach out to JCRC with questions about why that is or anything else that relates to these elections.

Here's the latest …

• No clear winner: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, appear short of outright victory, exit polls indicate. After the highest turnout since 1999, Eisenkot’s bloc has a slight edge but is short of a clear path to power, the polls show.

• A blow for Netanyahu: The PM’s bloc is projected to collapse from 68 seats in the previous Knesset to 50 seats, according to Israel’s Channel 12 News. Eisenkot’s bloc is projected to secure 52 seats. Arab parties are celebrating after the polls suggested they will have record representation.

• What’s next: Final results are expected over the next 48 hours, but it could take days or even weeks for coalition building to take place. Deadlock, a minority government, a unity government – or even another election – are all possible.

In the past one outcome was a power-sharing agreement where the two top coalitions rotated power.

The top coalition will be given the first chance to form a government with enough members to govern.

Due to recent experiments, the power rotation is an unlikely outcome - as is a “minority” government (less than 61 seats) because of its instability.

More to come … stay tuned!

https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/27/world/live-news/israel-elections-live-results-latest-votes-intl?cid=ios_app

10/21/2026

So glad to be at Sababa this year! What a great turnout and what a great event!

Thanks to The J - St. Louis, and Jewish Federation of St. Louis for organizing - and for arranging such great weather!!

Pics from the day and images of the programs and advocacy efforts we promoted!

And thanks to the over 100 people who took the time to fill out postcards on the issues our community most cares about!

10/20/2026

Our third cohort of Rekindle - our black/Jewish fellowship - is now entering the heart of their work.

After the second week, even more sharing happens and conversations get deeper.

We wanted to make sure we helped the wider St. Louis community connect this work to the national movement to increase the connectivity between our two communities.

This summer, St. Louis was represented at a national convening of Black and Jewish clergy that was groundbreaking in many ways - but also part of a national conversation between JCRC’s, The National Urban League, NAACP chapters, and many, many other community partners. (See article in comments).

JCRC is proud to be a part of this work on a local and national level.

And thanks to our funding partners at the Newmark Institute, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, our wider Rekindle alumni and partner network will only continue to grow from here on out!

10/16/2026

Are you coming to SABABA? St. Louis' Jewish Arts and Culture Festival?

🗓️Sunday, October 18
⏰11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍Downtown Clayton

Come enjoy a day filled with music, delicious food, art, family fun, and community! Sababa is open to everyone and is a celebration of Jewish art, creativity, and community. And FOOD!!!

JCRC will be there so come on down, bring your family and friends, and experience all that Sababa has to offer! Swing by the JCRC table for snacks, swag, and ADVOCACY!

🍪 OREOS!! - a giveaway we provide at every Student to Student Presentation! (Did you know you've likely already eaten Kosher food!) Grab an Oreo pack and see if your kids can find the Kosher symbol!

🥜 BAMBA - a "taste of Israel” on behalf of JCRC! (You may have already gotten one at the fabulous Lior Raz event this week.)

📣 And ADVOCACY! Come and fill out cards to be sent to our State and Federal Legislators on:

⛪ MO Non Profit Security Grant Funding!
✡️ Federal Legislation to Combat Antisemitism!
⚕️ Restoring Federal Funding to SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare.

✅ Also brush up on the upcoming ballot initiatives and make your plans to VOTE this NOVEMBER 3rd!!

Yes ALL THIS AND MORE AT .... SABABA!
THIS SUNDAY 11-5pm in Downtown Clayton!

10/15/2026

This week JCRC officially kicked off our Rekindle St. Louis Cohort III - and what a powerful beginning it was!

Black and Jewish leaders engaged in thoughtful dialogue, meaningful storytelling, and a willingness to listen across differences. Our participants began the important work of building relationships rooted in empathy, understanding, and allyship.

At JCRC we know that building bridges begins with the courage to connect. ❤️

And at the heart of our work through Rekindle is a simple but transformative belief: We don’t have to share the same experiences to recognize our shared humanity.

This was only our first session, but the foundation for something extraordinary is already taking shape. Here’s to the conversations ahead, the relationships yet to be built, and the collective impact we can create together as we practice allyship and carry those habbits forward into our communities.

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A special thank you to our incredible moderators, Jeremy and Isaac, whose thoughtful facilitation helped create an environment where participants felt empowered to share, listen, and engage with intention.

And congratulations to our Rekindle St. Louis Program Director, Raquel Leverson, on launching her first cohort in this leadership role! Her dedication to cultivating meaningful connections and strengthening Black-Jewish relationships will continues to move this important work forward for Rekindle St. Louis and for our ongoing JCRC civic engagement initiatives.

10/14/2026

Recent FBI statistics on hate crimes simply don’t tell the full story. Any implications that hate on social media and in our society today is lessening simply misses the mark.

Read the statement below, supported by a broad coalition of interfaith and civic partners including our friends and colleagues at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs

(RNS) — In a statement shared exclusively with RNS, 35 organizations wrote that the decline in hate crimes registered by the FBI isn’t 'synonymous with safety.'

10/13/2026

Please review this important and in-depth report that outlines a total $469 million shortfall between USDA’s estimates for state costs compared to what the actual need is - what will actually be spent.

Advocating for increased funding for SNAP and Medicaid is more important now than ever!

The SNAP crisis is here. On October 1, the federal government handed states and counties a bill that many of them cannot afford. Hungry families are already paying for it.

More than five million people have lost SNAP, including about 2 million children, and that number could keep climbing.

Some states may soon face an impossible choice: raise taxes, pull money from other services, or drop SNAP altogether.

We went through all 50 states, one budget at a time. The math does not add up.

See where your state stands in our new report: https://mazon.org/news/the-snap-crisis-is-here-and-states-are-forced-to-pay-millions/

10/13/2026

An Introduction to Ethiopian Jewry

Begins October 19th @ 6:00pm ct

A great opportunity for any of our partners to learn more about this fascinating and lesser known aspect of global Jewish culture and history - as well as modern Israeli history.

6 weeks. 3,000 years of history. One incredible journey.

Uncover the rich history, traditions, and culture of the Ethiopian Jewish community with Professor Steven Kaplan, one of the world’s top authorities on Beta Israel.

Whether you're looking to deepen your Jewish knowledge or explore ancient history, this live online course will take a deep dive into an extraordinary true story of resilience, faith, and identity.

https://my-jewish-learning.teachable.com/p/ethiopian-jews-class?fbclid=IwdGRjcAU7VtpleHRuA2FlbQEwAHBkb2YBZmRpZBZRA-qHyzwntvIfJcDqCC7HEnF1noV7YWRpZAGrOR75GX_Yc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHr6T0dPXUoOlyv84zpExoDpXJz9MinOqKnEvcf7_ATnnwQQo5wOz2bpsmwkC_aem_q7p1zaUYih1pdqODJU8bCw&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=fb&utm_id=120252620102320136&utm_content=120252620102310136&utm_term=120252620102300136&utm_campaign=120252620102320136