Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Guest Post: Incoming President Michelle Kohn’s Remarks at JCRC Annual Meeting
At JCRC’s 76th annual meeting (June 8), incoming president Michelle Kohn spoke so movingly of her life and what she hopes for JCRC that I asked her if I could share it here. —Sarah
Photos of the event are here.
The American Israelite gave us front-page coverage of the annual meeting here.
I am honored to have been selected as the President of the JCRC. As a Jewish Cincinnatian, I am proud of JCRC’s rich history fighting for the Jewish community while trying to build a just community for all. I am privileged to lead the JCRC and recognize that this is a critical time for the Jewish people as we confront challenges such as rising antisemitism and face the threat of a nuclear Iran.
In thinking about what brought me to this moment of serving the JCRC, two stories come to mind. When I was 12 years old, I had the privilege of participating in the March for Soviet Jewry in Washington D.C. in 1987. I didn’t know then that Cincinnati’s JCRC led local efforts to help persecuted Jews emigrate from Russia nor did I truly grasp the perilous situation of Soviet Jewry. Then 18 years later, I was fortunate to spend Passover in the former Soviet Union leading seders for the remaining members of the Jewish community. At one of the seders, two elderly Jewish women broke out in a Russian song only to start crying moments later. As their tears dried, the translators shared that the song meant, “you know Jewish eyes from their tears.”
These experiences at such formative periods in my life made me understand what it means to be connected to a global Jewish community and to understand the reality of antisemitism. Sadly, after so many painful chapters in our history, antisemitism still exists—both in Cincinnati and throughout the world. Cincinnati’s JCRC has played a leading role in responding to antisemitism both at home and abroad and will continue to do so.
The second personal story that connects me with our work, is about my dual American/Israeli citizenship. I made aliyah (immigrated) to Israel in July 2000, a time when everyone thought a peace deal was in reach. However, one month later, the Intifada (uprising) erupted and brought with it a new reality of almost daily terror attacks. Living in Israel over the next six years, witnessing the withdrawal from Gaza and rocket attacks that continue to this day, helped me understand the extraordinary challenge facing Israel: Israel desperately wants to make peace with its neighbors, while residing in a neighborhood with leaders calling for its destruction. 
Living both in Israel and Cincinnati also gave me an understanding of the incredible contribution Israel is making to the world. In this realm, I hope to draw from my experience leading Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Israel partnership, a connection that has brought global recognition to Cincinnati. Through growing business connections, it’s possible to both create jobs for Cincinnatians and further advance Cincinnati’s position as a global center for research and technology.
Locally, we are fortunate to live in a city with a strong interfaith network; that is also at the core of the JCRC. As a JCRC board member, I have been privileged to participate in various projects alongside Cincinnatians of many faiths and backgrounds. These experiences have shown me that we have much in common and all share the desire to make our city the best home possible for our families as well as help the vulnerable in our community. In this role, I, together with our strong leadership, am eager to work alongside others in our community to achieve this goal.
As JCRC enters its 77th year, we continue to take inspiration from past achievements, advancing JCRC’s historic yet still relevant mission, while remaining flexible enough to best approach the issues of our day. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Jewish community in such a meaningful way.
