JCRC Board Binder FY21

Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Vision and Mission
The JCRC of Greater Seattle leverages the strength and heart of Puget Sound’s diverse Jewish
community to secure a vibrant Jewish future locally, in Israel, and around the world and to
champion a just, democratic, and pluralistic society.
The JCRC convenes and mobilizes our community, educates and advocates on issues of vital
concern based on Jewish values, consensus and respect for our diversity, and builds bridges
within and beyond the Jewish community focused on core issues including:
● Combating antisemitism, bigotry, and racism
● Supporting a peaceful, secure, Jewish, and democratic state of Israel
● Fostering positive and meaningful relations with other communities and public officials
● Strengthening our Jewish communities through building cohesion and civil discourse
Core Goals and Principles
In pursuing its mission, the JCRC is committed to:
- Building and sustaining a JCRC membership of actively engaged and diverse Jewish
institutions committed to JCRC’s mission, core issues, and processes while each
maintains its own distinct organizational mandate and identity
- Striving to achieve consensus, with general agreement but not necessarily unanimity, on
key issues while demonstrating respect for dissenting opinions
- Modeling civil discourse for the Jewish community by ensuring that its own
deliberations, including on complex issues, are lifted by a common commitment to
civility even in the face of disagreement
- Convening and mobilizing our community on the full range of issues of vital concern to
our community based on a shared commitment to strategic activism
- Affirming the link between the health of key democratic institutions in American society
and our well-being as Jews
- Reaching out to develop strong relationships with key ethnic, religious and community
groups and individual ethnic and religious leaders, public officials, media, law
enforcement officials, school administrators, and leaders of other key community
constituencies including the LGBTQ and labor communities
- Partnering with Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, with respect for diverse
backgrounds, traditions, beliefs and experiences, to achieve common goals and build a
more cohesive community
- Educating about Jews’ deep religious and historical connection with the land of Israel
and advocating about the importance of preserving Israel as a Jewish and democratic
state, committed to equal opportunity for all its citizens, and the pursuit of peace
among all its neighbors
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