Jewish Federation of San Antonio

Jewish Federation of San Antonio Strengthening Jewish communities here, everywhere, always.

When our city was presented with the opportunity to host Ye, we had a choice. We faced a choice between our values and f...
06/23/2026

When our city was presented with the opportunity to host Ye, we had a choice. We faced a choice between our values and financial gain. Communities across the United States and around the world have found ways to say "no" to a public figure whose repeated promotion of antisemitism, racism, and hate has caused real harm. San Antonio had that same opportunity, and we believe the wrong choice was made.

While it appears unlikely that this decision will be reversed, this moment cannot simply end with the concert moving forward. The City and the Alamodome must undertake a serious review of the policies, procedures, and standards that allowed a publicly funded venue to book a performer who has repeatedly profited from hate speech and division. We believe in free speech and diversity in opinion; however the city should have a policy that balances those rights with a need to limit access for haters and antisemites to our publicly funded venues. Our community deserves transparency and accountability, and we must ensure that this situation does not happen again.

More than 80 years after the Holocaust, the responsibility to remember—and to act when confronted with hatred—remains ur...
06/22/2026

More than 80 years after the Holocaust, the responsibility to remember—and to act when confronted with hatred—remains urgent. The organized Jewish Community of San Antonio unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms and rejects the repeated antisemitic statements, symbols, and conduct promoted by Ye (formerly known as Kanye West).

Over several years, Ye has repeatedly targeted Jewish people with hateful rhetoric, released a song titled “Heil Hitler,” and marketed merchandise bearing a Sw****ka. These actions are not isolated controversies or regrettable missteps. They reflect a sustained pattern of conduct that trivializes and glorifies the ideology responsible for the murder of six million Jews and millions of other victims of N**i persecution.

Ye has since issued a public apology, attributing his conduct in part to bipolar disorder and a brain injury. While we do not dismiss the possibility that mental illness and injury are relevant contexts, the recurrence of this conduct over many years, including after previous apologies, requires that his actions—not his words alone—be the measure of accountability.

Because of these realities, we respectfully urge the City of San Antonio and the management of the Alamodome to decline the use of this publicly owned venue for Ye's scheduled July 4 performance, and to review its policies and procedures that led to this decision.

This request is not a call for censorship. We hold free speech among our most fundamental values, not despite our history, but because of it. Ye has the same constitutional rights as every other American. He is free to speak, and private venues are free to host him. The question before the City is not whether Ye may perform somewhere. It is whether public resources and a publicly owned facility should be used to host and elevate someone whose public conduct has been marked by repeated hate speech.
The issue is one of stewardship. Taxpayer-supported facilities belong to the people of San Antonio, and public institutions must decide what they choose to elevate through the use of public property.

Jewish tradition teaches that people are capable of change. Teshuvah—repentance—requires more than words. It requires acknowledgment of wrongdoing, efforts to repair harm, and sustained actions that demonstrate genuine transformation. Accountability and growth are possible for anyone, but they must be demonstrated through conduct, not merely proclaimed.

San Antonio's values of dignity, inclusion, and respect are best reflected when public institutions refuse to lend public resources to those who repeatedly promote antisemitism and hate.

Signed,
Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Community Relations Council
Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio
Alamo Brandeis B’nai B’rith Lodge
Barshop Jewish Community Center
Chabad of Boerne
Chabad Center for Jewish Life and Learning
Chabad Downtown San Antonio
Chinese American Citizens Alliance of San Antonio
Congregation Agudas Achim
Congregation Beth Am
Congregation Shalom
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community
Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Antonio
Hillel San Antonio
Israeli Chabad of San Antonio
Jewish Family Service of San Antonio
Jewish War Veterans of San Antonio
National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio
San Antonio Jewish Senior Services
Temple Beth-El

Join us: https://ow.ly/8C3C50ZfnJk

Happy Father's Day and first day of summer! Thank you to the fathers who teach tradition at the Shabbat table, who model...
06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day and first day of summer! Thank you to the fathers who teach tradition at the Shabbat table, who model leadership in community, who share Jewish values with the next generation, and make summer memories infused with Jewish joy.

This week, I had the privilege of attending the Partnership2Gether (P2G) Council of Communities meeting in Indianapolis ...
06/19/2026

This week, I had the privilege of attending the Partnership2Gether (P2G) Council of Communities meeting in Indianapolis alongside Lisa Epstein, JFSA’s Director of Community Relations, and Harry Levy, past Chair of Partnership2Gether and current Chair of the Campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community. The gathering brought together representatives from P2G, a program of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio that builds meaningful people-to-people relationships across the global Jewish community.

Our Western Galilee Partnership connects 17 U.S. communities, Israel’s Western Galilee, and Budapest, Hungary. Through educational, cultural, medical, and community initiatives, we strengthen Jewish identity and foster lasting relationships. San Antonio has been a leader in the partnership and our community benefits tremendously from its programs and relationships.

Several important themes emerged from our discussions. Our partners in the Western Galilee continue to endure tremendous stress due to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Children have experienced significant disruptions to their education, businesses are struggling, and daily life is often punctuated by sirens and trips to bomb shelters. They deeply appreciate the outreach, friendship, and support they receive from partnership communities in the United States.

We were also reminded that Jewish Peoplehood is strengthened through personal relationships. The bonds formed among Jews in San Antonio, Budapest, and Israel create connections that transcend geography and reinforce our shared heritage and future. The partnership reminds us that ‘we’re all in this together’ – always have been, always will be.

Partnership2Gether is not simply a Federation program—it is an opportunity for the entire San Antonio Jewish community. We have tremendous potential to broaden local involvement and engagement. Tourism to the Western Galilee has declined dramatically, and our partners need visitors. JFSA intends to send a mission for the Partnership’s 30th Anniversary Celebration in September 2027. Stay tuned to hear more as this program develops.

Get to know our Partnership: Engage in our ongoing programming, such as the Academic Lecture Series, the P2G Book Club, or the Medical Solidarity Mission, If you would like to learn more or get involved, please contact me.

- Craig Berkowitch, Chief Executive Officer

After October 7, Jewish hate ignited in ways few had anticipated. There’s no one approach that will completely dismantle...
06/16/2026

After October 7, Jewish hate ignited in ways few had anticipated. There’s no one approach that will completely dismantle antisemitism, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to use every resource, strategy, and relationship at our disposal to diminish the threat, like our Jewish Community Relations Council and their partnership with local and federal law enforcement. The safety of our community is our top priority.

We’re ready for Game 4 tonight! 🎉 Go Spurs Go!Jewish Family Service of San Antonio
06/10/2026

We’re ready for Game 4 tonight! 🎉 Go Spurs Go!

Jewish Family Service of San Antonio

Thank you so much to the State of Texas and Governor Abbott for recognizing and celebrating Jewish American Heritage Mon...
06/10/2026

Thank you so much to the State of Texas and Governor Abbott for recognizing and celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month! We are so thankful for your support. 💙

Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission

What an amazing Annual Meeting! We had such a great time celebrating our honorees and our J-LEV grads, installing our in...
06/08/2026

What an amazing Annual Meeting! We had such a great time celebrating our honorees and our J-LEV grads, installing our incoming Board of Directors, and hearing from the incredible Rachel Stern of Shalom Austin. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us yesterday afternoon for a great Annual Meeting!

Our Annual Meeting is one of the most important gatherings of the year because it gives us the opportunity to celebrate,...
06/05/2026

Our Annual Meeting is one of the most important gatherings of the year because it gives us the opportunity to celebrate, learn, and demonstrate the strength of our community's unity.

This Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m., we will recognize and thank James Rosenblatt for his outstanding two years of service as Board Chair while welcoming our new officers: Amy Benedikt, M.D., Board Chair; Andy Cohen, Chair-Elect; Laura Ehrenberg-Chesler, VP Philanthropy; Marc Schnall, Secretary; Elaine Kovner, Treasurer; and Joe Patrick, VP Allocations. We will also express our gratitude to departing board members Lauren Stanley, our Immediate Past Board Chair, and Leslie Selig-Byrd for their dedicated service. We will also thank Rabbi Chaim Block for his dedicated service as this year’s clergy representative and welcome Rabbi Jonathan Falco from Temple Beth-El, who will serve on the board this year.

We will celebrate two exceptional young leaders: Hannah Cramer Fisher, recipient of the Joel A. Toubin Community Relations Award, and Noah Barshop, recipient of the Sylvia F. and Harry Sugarman Young Leadership Award. We will also graduate our 2025–2026 J-LEV cohort of outstanding emerging leaders who are helping shape the future of our community.

Finally, we will hear from keynote speaker Rachel Stern, Incoming CEO of Shalom Austin, who will share insights into the highly innovative, unified model that is helping strengthen Jewish life in Austin.

I hope you'll join us as we celebrate our accomplishments, learn together, and reaffirm our shared commitment to our community. Register here for location information: https://ow.ly/8twT50Z85sy

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12500 NW Military Highway
San Antonio, TX
78231

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