Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston

Fighting antisemitism requires urgency — and precision. Read JCRC CEO Jeremy Burton's full statement on federal actions, civil rights, and protecting Jewish students: https://lnkd.in/eFcV5aXs

Grateful for an unforgettable night celebrating the partnerships, leaders, and policy victories that drive our work forward! We honored Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Senator Jason Lewis, Representative Brandy Fluker Oakley, Esq., and the dedicated staffers Mary Anne J. Padien and Mollie Cecconi, all who helped us secure real wins: more than $12 million for communal security, genocide education, job training, and combatting antisemitism. Our legislative impact is fueled by the partnerships we cultivate. We’ve worked alongside these leaders for years on issues of shared concern, and in turn, they are committed to championing the issues that matter most to us at the State House and beyond. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished together — and with your continued support, we know the work ahead will be just as impactful. Jeremy Burton Andrea Silbert Lon Povich

We welcome the recent (and timely) recommendations by the Boston Globe Media Editorial Board for DESE (Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education) to step up and lead the development of a balanced curriculum for teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — an essential resource for our educators. Without it, partisan sources may dominate, leaving our kids with distorted or skewed versions of history. As advocates for accurate historical education, we stand behind this call for a balanced, state-supported curriculum to ensure all students gain a comprehensive understanding of complex issues. The Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism plays a vital role in supporting these efforts. It actively collaborates with DESE to ensure the department has the support it needs to navigate these issues with the nuance and sensitivity they deserve. Read more at https://lnkd.in/egfT5E96

Boston has protected the rights of immigrants for over a decade. Our immigrant community relies on the Boston Trust Act to report crimes to the police without fear of being detained solely based on immigration status. As we await Mayor Wu's testimony tomorrow, we are standing beside her as she stands up for Boston. It is imperative that we put the needs of our community first. Jeremy Burton ACLU of Massachusetts

Sacred spaces — churches, synagogues, and beyond — should always be safe havens. JCRC CEO Jeremy Burton tells the Jewish Journal that we are created in the image of God, “B’tselem Elohim.” We are foundationally called to protect human dignity. We are committed to protecting our immigrant community. These spaces must remain places of refuge and security for all. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eBgAUVwt

Overnight, the bodies of Shlomo Mantzur, Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgarat, and Ohad Yahalomi were returned to Israel. For their families, the agonizing wait for answers has ended with a heavy truth. Shlomo was killed on October 7, his body held in Gaza all this time. Tsachi, Itzik, and Ohad endured Hamas captivity — murdered while hope still lingered. Even in the dead of night, Israelis lined the roads, a quiet, trembling chorus of grief. In Israel, no one returns home alone. May their memories be a blessing.

Shiri. Ariel. Kfir. ??

We continue to support Senator John Velis and his ability to approach the commission’s work with complexity and nuance. Read the full article in Boston Globe Media at https://lnkd.in/evVsiKj5 Jeremy Burton

The haunting video of a terrified Shiri Bibas, swaddling her two redheaded boys in a blanket — then 9 months and 4 — as they were whisked away, ricocheted around the world and is burned into the soul of the Jewish people. Our hearts break for them and for Yarden. How does he begin to heal from such wounds? How will our community? Coffins displayed on a stage, surrounded by rockets and horrible caricatures, as if this cruelty required a theatrical backdrop. What should have been a moment of reverence and mourning was twisted into a spectacle. This entire affair is a chilling reminder of how deep depravity can go. And yet, we find ourselves asking: Where are the voices of those who marched for a ceasefire but did not demand accountability for Hamas? Where are those who demand justice, compassion, and peace? The silence is deafening. Oded Lifshitz’s story only deepens this wound. Oded was a lifelong peace activist who volunteered with Road to Recovery, driving Palestinian children from Gaza to Israeli hospitals. His body has now been returned. His legacy of compassion stands in stark contrast to everything he endured before his eventual death — a reminder of just how deep this cuts. Still, we echo the voices of the families still waiting for their loved one and for the fallen hostages to come home. We will not stop fighting for the return every hostage who isn’t part of the current deal — for those still alive, clinging to survival, desperate to return to their loved ones and to begin healing. And for those we know are deceased — their families deserve the dignity of closure and the basic right to give their loved ones a proper burial. This cannot continue. Not one more day. The second stage of the deal must happen NOW. There is no more time to waste. Not when every passing moment could mean another life lost, another family shattered. Bring them all home — NOW. Today, we mourn the loss of life, decency, and moral clarity. And we hold our loved ones closer, praying for a world where such horrors have no place. #BringThemHomeNow

Our hearts are broken, along with the Bibas family, hearing that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir are potentially among the deceased to be released by Hamas this Thursday. Yarden Bibas was released earlier this month, left with the devastating news that his wife Shiri and two young sons, Ariel (5) and Kfir (2), were still held captive. Now, the world anxiously awaits news of their fate. Kfir was just nine months old when he was kidnapped on October 7, the youngest hostage taken. His horrific story has become a symbol of the unbearable toll this tragedy has taken on innocent lives and families. We stand with the Bibas family and all those still waiting for answers. No family should endure this pain. #bringthemhome