March 24, 2023
Antisemitic incidents spike 261% across Montgomery County, ADL reports
Moco360 Media
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) Associate Director Guila Siegel told MoCo360 that the ADL’s new data “completely validates and tracks” with what her organization has been seeing in its day-to-day work across the state.
March 9, 2023
Statement on Minister Smotrich's Visit
JCRC of Greater Washington
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s upcoming visit to the United States has galvanized opposition across the American political spectrum and the U.S. Jewish community. The hateful views long expressed by Minister Smotrich are abhorrent, are opposed by a majority of Israeli citizens, and run contrary to Jewish values. No public servant should ever condone or incite hatred or hate-motivated violence, and when they do, they will be fiercely condemned by a wide swath of American Jewry.
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March 3, 2023
Children of Holocaust survivors recount parents’ experiences to MCPS students
Moco360 Media
Liss is one of 12 second-generation Holocaust survivors invited into Montgomery County Public Schools to narrate their families’ experiences for students in order to humanize the devastating historical event, thanks to a program sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
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February 28, 2023
JCRC of Greater Washington
The Virginia Jewish Communities thank the General Assembly for their bipartisan work in adopting – by overwhelming majority – the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a guide and tool for training, education, understanding and combatting antisemitism.
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February 22, 2023
JCRC Responds to Dr. McKnight Remarks
JCRC of Greater Washington
The JCRC is gratified that Dr. McKnight’s remarks today about the cascade of recent antisemitic incidents within MCPS included specific measures being taken to ensure greater accountability for perpetrators of these incidents. Students and their parents must know that there will be serious consequences for the propagation of ugly hatred that deeply, tangibly harms our Jewish students, families and employees and those of other marginalized groups.
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February 14, 2023
More fentanyl forums, training at MCPS planned in response to drug overdoses, antisemitic acts
Moco360 Media
The JCRC also brings Holocaust survivors and their descendants into schools to narrate their family’s experiences for students. Winkelman told MoCo360 she’s always amazed by the level of engagement among students when a survivor speaks. “You can hear a pin drop,” she said.
January 24, 2023
Reward offered in antisemitic vandalism incidents in Montgomery Co.
WTOP News
Anyone with information on the two vandalisms can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 866-411-TIPS (8477) or visit the Crime Solvers website.
January 21, 2023
Swastikas drawn this week at three MCPS schools, district announces
Bethesda Magazine
“In collaboration with advocates such as the Jewish Community Relations Council, we will continue our efforts to educate our students about antisemitism,” officials wrote. “Our schools have held and will continue to hold restorative conversations with students and staff, and schools have held community meetings to discuss incidents, but honest and forthright conversations must continue.”
December 18, 2022
Antisemitism casts darkness amid Hanukkah lights
The Washington Post
On Saturday, she and three other Jewish students from Walt Whitman were together at a club activity when they received a schoolwide email about the vandalism at their school.
December 18, 2022
Jewish groups condemn series of antisemitic incidents in Washington, DC area
The Jerusalem Post
“We will continue to stand strong and united in the face of antisemitism and combat it explicitly, and we will ensure that hatred – in any form – never hinders our efforts and ability to build vibrant Jewish life for ourselves and our children.”
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December 17, 2022
Joint response to new antisemitic incidents
JCRC of Greater Washington
The JCRC of Greater Washington, ADL DC, AJC DC, and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington are angered and disgusted by the additional acts of antisemitic graffiti and vandalism in our region this weekend.
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December 17, 2022
Antisemitic graffiti found at Montgomery County’s Whitman High
WTOP News
In response to the most recent graffiti, the Anti-Defamation League of D.C., the American Jewish Committee of D.C., the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington released a joint statement, expressing anger and disgust.
November 15, 2022
Dozens come together to support Jewish community after antisemitic graffiti found on Bethesda trail
WUSA9
November 14, 2022
Antisemitic graffiti found at two locations in Montgomery County
DC News Now
“If society doesn’t show that it is steadfast against bigotry, and against hatred and racism and homophobia and antisemitism, it manifests,” said Ron Halber the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
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November 13, 2022
Montgomery County Council passes antisemitism resolution amid pushback
The Washington Post
“We are living in very, very dangerous times,” said Ron Halber, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, who supported the resolution. “That just highlights the need for a repudiation of antisemitism.”
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November 6, 2022
Montgomery resolution against antisemitsm excluded true debate
The Washington Post
In the article, Ron Halber, the lobbyist putting forward the bill, commented that only individuals who are Jewish should provide feedback on antisemitism definitions.
November 3, 2022
Montgomery County Council unanimously passes antisemitism resolution
Washington Jewish Week
Following the unanimous vote, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington issued a statement thanking the council and noted, “This resolution is overwhelmingly supported by Montgomery County’s diverse Jewish community.”
November 2, 2022
US Jewish leaders respond to early Israeli election results
Cleveland Jewish News
Adam Odesser, director of the Dr. Stuart Lessans Israel Action Center at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, who told JNS that the high turnout among the electorate on Tuesday “shows how Israel is a thriving democracy. The turnout was one of the highest percentages in the past 20 years. And I think we should wait to see what the results show. But no matter who comes up on top, I think we will continue to work with whoever is there, and our connection will continue to be strong.”
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November 1, 2022
JCRC of Greater Washington
The JCRC of Greater Washington thanks the Montgomery County Council for passing a non- binding resolution that affirms using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA ) definition of antisemitism as an educational tool in combating antisemitism in all forms of its manifestations. This resolution is overwhelmingly supported by Montgomery County’s diverse Jewish community.
November 1, 2022
Kids Helping Kids Do What They Love – Building with LEGOs
Identity
The LEGOs were donated by Gaby and Alyssa Hodor, students at Walt Whitman High School, who connected to Identity with the help of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Last year, Gaby and Alyssa co-founded the LEGO Replay club, where Whitman students assemble LEGO kits for distribution to nonprofit organizations across Montgomery County.
November 1, 2022
MD’s Montgomery County Council to consider antisemitism resolutions
Jewish Insider
“We made simple changes,” said Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, which originally advocated for the resolution along with the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee.
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October 22, 2022
Opinions: It’s dangerous to misconstrue the meaning of a widely accepted definition of antisemitism
Bethesda Magazine
Deborah Miller is the director of Maryland government and community relations for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington in North Bethesda.
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July 14, 2022
Faith Community Advisory Group Statement on recent hate incidents
JCRC of Greater Washington
The Faith Community Advisory Group is very disturbed to learn about the incidents impacting St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Parish, North Bethesda United Methodist Church, and Wildwood Baptist Church over the weekend. We strongly condemn these manifestations of intolerance and hate.
July 1, 2022
Jewish community leaders will fight attempts to restrict abortion in Virginia
radio IQ wvtf.png
“As a result of the supreme court’s decision, access to abortion will depend on where you live and which political party controls your state. It has led to increased polarization. It’s setting up battles between states and within states.”
July 1, 2022
Coach Kennedy being allowed to pray at the 50-yard line is not good for Jews
Forward
The recent Supreme Court ruling allowing a coach to pray on the field makes it even harder to advocate for minority-faith students
