Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Open Letter to Our Senators and Representatives on Election
Since the election, the Jewish Community Relations Council has engaged in conversations with dozens of community members, local interfaith leaders, and national organizations regarding concern about the implications for the Jewish community. We held a pre-election forum and a post-election forum that were open to our entire community to learn and engage in civil dialogue that has become urgently needed. We have heard many concerns about the election and its aftermath. These concerns have focused on the hateful rhetoric that has spiked before and since the election as well as about some of the administration appointments. In addition, we heard from individuals concerned about violence from those who had grievances about the results of the election. The JCRC Board is sensitive to and shares many of these concerns.
We expect that there will be many times in the near future when JCRC will be called upon to make public statements. The JCRC Board decided that our initial statement should be a letter to our elected officials asking them to join us in standing up to reject hate and bigotry of all kinds.
This will not be the last word, as the JCRC will be here to play an active role for the long-term, as it has for nearly a century. We also recognize there is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety right now and our community needs to be prepared for many unknowns, understanding that there are a variety of perspectives on how we address the issues that may arise. We appreciate the ongoing dialogue and invite you to continue to engage with us now and in the future.
—Sarah Weiss, Executive Director, JCRC, sweiss@jfedcin.org
An Open Letter to Our Senators and Representatives:
The Jewish Community Relations Council, the public affairs arm of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, congratulates you on your recent election and looks forward to being a resource to you. We appreciate your commitment to public service and look forward to working with you on key issues that impact our country and our community.
Additionally, we are writing to express our community’s deep concern for the rising number of acts of hate and violence seen since the election. The Southern Poverty Law Center claims to have received reports of more than 700 hate incidents in the last two weeks, which is more than they usually receive over the course of several months. At the same time, we reject the few who have resorted to violence in airing their grievances over the president-elect. As Jews, we stand firmly against hate and violence in any form and will work to confront it.
We reach out to you as our elected officials asking that you remain vigilant in these times and call on you to stand with us against hate of any kind, including hate that arises through affiliation with groups that propagate hate. Many in our community have voiced concern about Stephen Bannon’s appointment and the risk that the inflammatory nature of articles published by the Breitbart News Network could carry over into his new leadership role. In these times of uncertainty, we look to you to work with the incoming administration to distance itself from groups that perpetuate hate or engage in divisive and intolerant rhetoric.
We are encouraged by President-elect Trump’s statement that he seeks “to bind the wounds of division… To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation … for us to come together as one united people,” and we welcome his pledge to be president to every citizen and all Americans, to unify and help our country heal after a divisive election.
Like all groups in the patchwork quilt of the American fabric, Jews have flourished in America because of our democracy’s religious tolerance, freedom, and commitment to valuing differences. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we are cognizant and deeply appreciative of the blessings bestowed upon us by our American citizenship and our country’s democracy. At the same time, the history of the Jewish people has served as a lesson to humanity about the dangers of hatred and intolerance, and we are committed to serving as a voice to speak out against hate and discrimination in all forms and to encourage mutual understanding and respect through human connection.
We deeply value our relationship with you and hope we can work together to remain vigilant during this time of uncertainty, in order to ensure that America lives up to its founding principles for future generations and treats all of its citizens with respect, equality, and dignity. We are committed to bringing people of diverse perspectives together and offering opportunities for learning and engagement in an effort to help to heal and unify the country.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Cincinnati
Michelle Kohn, President
Sarah Weiss, Executive Director
