JCRC Statements

  • March 20, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Failed Efforts by Anti-Israel Activists to Cancel Sold-Out Matisyahu Concert

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, on the sold-out Matisyahu concert tonight at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.

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  • March 19, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Holocaust Survivor Presentation at Cooper Middle School

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, in response to media reports concerning the presentation delivered by Holocaust survivor Col. Frank Cohn at Cooper Middle School in Fairfax County, VA.

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  • March 12, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Reinstatement of Suspended Montgomery County Teachers

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, in response to Montgomery County Public Schools’ reinstatement of teachers following investigations of antisemitic activity.

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  • March 7, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Failure of MCEA Ceasefire Resolution

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber (executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington) and Guila Franklin Siegel (associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington) in response to today’s Montgomery County Education Association meeting.

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  • March 3, 2024

    JCRC Statement on MCEA Proposed Ceasefire Resolution

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber (executive director) and Guila Franklin Siegel (associate director) of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, in response to the Montgomery County Education Association’s upcoming vote this week on endorsing a ceasefire resolution in Gaza.

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  • February 15, 2024

    JCRC Statement on CAIR’s lawsuit against Montgomery County Public Schools

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, in response to the announcement of CAIR’s lawsuit against the Montgomery County Public Schools.

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  • February 12, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Rescue of Two Israeli Hostages from Hamas Terrorists

    JCRC of Greater Washington

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  • February 3, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Resignation of Montgomery County Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, on the resignation of Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight.

    We thank Dr. McKnight for her distinguished service and her leadership of MCPS as it emerged from the COVID pandemic and confronted a multitude of unprecedented challenges.

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  • January 14, 2024

    JCRC Statement on 100 Days Since the October 7 Massacre

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, marking 100 days since Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel on October 7.

    Today marks 100 days following the worst atrocity committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. October 7 will forever be a date of mourning; the searing pain of that day will always be with us. 

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  • January 12, 2024

    JCRC Statement on Codepink’s “March on Washington for Gaza” Event

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, in response to Codepink’s January 13 “March on Washington for Gaza” 

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  • December 18, 2023

    JCRC Statement on Recent Threats Against Jewish Institutions

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, in response to escalating threats against Jewish institutions throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

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  • December 15, 2023

    JCRC Statement on MCPS Teacher Discipline

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    Over the last three weeks, at least four Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) educators have been placed on administrative leave for sharing antisemitic images and messages on their social media accounts and, in one case, in an MCPS email signature block. It is deeply disturbing to see professionals tasked with educating and nurturing our children endorsing and spreading such hateful messages.

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  • December 6, 2023

    JCRC Statement on Reinstatement of Zainab Chaudry to MD Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Task Force

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, in response to Zainab Chaudry’s reinstatement to the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.

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  • November 30, 2023

    JCRC Statement on “Emergency Protest” Outside the Israeli Embassy

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, in response to the “emergency protest” outside the Israeli embassy sponsored by the American Muslim Task Force for Palestine. 

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  • November 28, 2023

    JCRC Statement on Funds Being Made Available in Maryland for Faith-Based Institutions and Nonprofits

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, on state and local officials in Maryland announcing more than $1.3 million in security grants for faith-based institutions and nonprofits:

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  • November 22, 2023

    JCRC Statement on Deal to Release 50 Hostages

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The following is a statement from Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, in response to the agreement to release dozens of Israeli hostages held in captivity by Hamas since October 7:

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  • November 16, 2023

    JCRC of Greater Washington Condemns Violent Anti-Israel Protest Outside DNC Headquarters

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The JCRC of Greater Washington condemns in the strongest terms possible the violent demonstration that occurred Wednesday evening outside Democratic National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill. We greatly appreciate U.S. Capitol Police for removing the unruly protesters and find it unconscionable that six officers were injured by protesters as they attempted to break up the crowd.

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  • November 8, 2023

    JCRC and ADL Washington Statement on CASA Anti-Israel Social Media Post

    JCRC of Greater Washington

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  • October 11, 2023

    JCRC and ADL DC Demand More from All Local School Districts

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The JCRC of Greater Washington and ADL DC released the following statement today:

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  • August 28, 2023

    Statement on Hate-Motivated Deadly Shooting in Jacksonville This Weekend

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The JCRC of Greater Washington is saddened and outraged that yet another instance of hate-fueled gun violence on Saturday shattered numerous lives in Jacksonville, where the Black community was once again targeted.

    On a day when thousands of people gathered to mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, we saw another mass shooting carried out by a white supremacist whose firearm bore Nazi symbols and who had written manifestoes outlining his hateful ideology.

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  • May 25, 2023

    Statement on Passage of Montgomery County’s Budget That Includes Additional Money for Security Grants

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    The JCRC of Greater Washington is grateful that the Fiscal Year 2024 operating budget approved today by the Montgomery County Council increases security funding for all faith-based nonprofits at risk for hate crimes by $100,000 to a total of $900.000. 

    Obtaining additional security dollars is a top priority for the JCRC given the dramatic increase in antisemitism in recent years. These funds are critical to safeguarding the Jewish community and other minority groups who regularly face threats of violence from extremist individuals and radical organizations.

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  • May 8, 2023

    Virginia Jewish Communities Statement Upon Governor Youngkin’s Signing of IHRA Legislation

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    Following the signing into law today of HB 1606, which adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, Virginia’s Jewish Communities issued the following joint statement:

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  • May 1, 2023

    Statement upon Senator Ben Cardin’s announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2024

    JCRC of Greater Washington

    "For more than 55 years, Ben Cardin has devoted his life to public service to improve the lives of all Marylanders, first in the State House and then on Capitol Hill. He has been an extraordinarily effective leader, legislator, and unapologetic consensus builder who embodies Jewish values.

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  • 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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  • February 28, 2023

    Statement regarding HB1606

    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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