Jewish Council for Public Affairs

10/08/2026

As we enter the final weeks of the U.S. midterm elections, JCPA is calling on Democratic and Republican candidates and political leaders to draw a clear line against antisemitism, extremism, and violence across the ideological spectrum.

Candidates and political leaders have a fundamental responsibility to speak clearly, act consistently, and reject rhetoric, tropes, and conspiracy theories that fuel violence and threaten our communities and our democracy.

Read our open letter:

We are writing today, in the final weeks of this election, because our communities are hoping our leaders will stand up to rising hateful rhetoric and actions, no matter where they exist. As candidates and political leaders, you have a responsibility to help ensure all Americans are safe and to make...

10/07/2026

Somehow, it’s been three years since we woke up to a nightmare.

Our CEO reflects on 10/7, all that’s followed, and how we build a different future.

10/07/2026

Three years after October 7 - the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust - we remember and we mourn.

And three years later, it is painfully clear how that day - and everything that has followed - have only reinforced trauma, division, and fear.

These three years must be a reminder: we cannot retreat into simple binaries.
We can mourn the horrific terror of October 7 and the devastating loss of Palestinian life. We can believe both Israelis and Palestinians deserve dignity, safety, freedom, and self-determination.

We can counter antisemitism in all of its forms AND reject Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate, racism, and all bigotry. We can advance both Jewish safety and truly inclusive democracy.

These commitments do not compete with one another. We must reject the false belief that one community’s safety comes at the expense of another, the false choice between protecting Jewish safety and ensuring the rights and safety of all.

That is the only way forward.

10/06/2026

Book bans aren’t just about books — they’re about erasing people, identities, and history.

We’re proud to support Rep. Jamie Raskin and Senator Brian Schatz ’s resolution fighting book bans. As Jews, we know the importance of defending the freedom to read and learn.

https://raskin.house.gov/_cache/files/7/8/781ff090-16eb-43f2-8c98-0b6651e2167c/5B50BE56AC9512A1CBDDDF1C25526B610790BE46ED33B6F076DAC10B84A3B250.2026-09-09-raskin-2026-book-ban-resolution-legco-.pdf

10/06/2026

🌈 As LGBTQ History Month begins, we lift up the stories of q***r, trans, and nonbinary Jews who have shaped both Jewish life and the broader struggle for dignity, equality, and belonging.

Rabbi Stacy Offner: the first openly le***an rabbi hired by a mainstream congregation, breaking barriers in Jewish leadership.

Edie Windsor: whose landmark Supreme Court case struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, paving the way for marriage equality.

Harvey Milk: the first openly gay elected official in California, who drew on his Jewish identity in his fight for LGBTQ rights before his assassination in 1978.

Betty Berzon: a groundbreaking psychotherapist and writer, she was among the first mental health professionals to come out as gay, and she fought tirelessly to remove homosexuality from the DSM.

From early pioneers like Berzon and Milk to leaders like Windsor, and Offner, Jewish LGBTQ leaders have built community, challenged exclusion, and expanded what justice and belonging mean in both Jewish and American life.

In a pluralistic democracy, everyone must be free to live with dignity and without fear. As homophobic and transphobic attacks escalate, we reaffirm: Jewish values demand inclusion, and faith must never be used to justify exclusion.

10/02/2026

Wishing you a joyful Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah — a celebration of Jewish life and community.

As we dance and sing, turning the Torah back to the beginning, we’re reminded of the power of Jewish tradition to sustain and connect us.

At a time of rising antisemitism and broader hate, this holiday is a powerful affirmation of what we’re fighting for: the ability to live openly and safely as Jews, and a democracy where every community can thrive.

May this holiday remind us of our strength, our shared future, and the joy that grounds us. Chag Sameach.

10/02/2026

As we see rising anti-Muslim hate from our political leaders with dangerous — and even deadly — consequences, JCPA joined our partners at Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign to make clear: this must end now.

Jewish and Muslim safety are intertwined — and we all have an obligation to stand up when a community’s freedom, dignity, and equality are under threat.

Read the full letter and add your name:
https://www.shouldertoshouldercampaign.org/2026-open-letter

09/30/2026

During Sukkot, we read Kohelet, a book filled with contradictions, questions, uncertainty, and complexity. Judaism makes room for holding more than one truth at once. So must our public conversations.

We don’t have to accept false choices between Jewish safety and inclusive democracy, fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate, or standing firmly for our values and building bridges across differences.

The answer is both.

09/29/2026

JCPA welcomes Mayor Mamdani’s strategy to combat antisemitism — rooted in the recognition that Jewish safety and inclusive, pluralistic democracy go hand-in-hand.

At a moment of real and rising antisemitism, extremism, and violence across the ideological spectrum, our communities deserve a whole-of-government response.

This strategy is an important step toward that goal. And it should be explicit about *all* the ways antisemitism is manifesting right now across the ideological spectrum.
We look forward to building on this work to help ensure Jewish and all New Yorkers can live with safety, dignity, and freedom.

09/28/2026

Sukkot reminds us to stay at the table.

For seven days, we gather in a temporary space — sharing meals, stories, questions, and conversation.

Not everyone at the table will agree. That’s part of living in community.

JCPA believes that building a stronger democracy means staying engaged across differences, finding common ground where we can, and continuing to build relationships even when the conversation is hard.