FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2021
Media Contact
Adam Peck; [email protected]; 202-531-6408
JCC Movement Partners with Shine A Light to Combat the Dangerous Spread of Antisemitism Across North America
Eight local JCCs are recipients of targeted micro-grants to engage with their communities around ways to identify and combat antisemitism
New York, NY — Last month, a coalition of more than 60 Jewish and non-Jewish organizations across the United States and Canada launched Shine A Light, a new initiative highlighting the dangers of antisemitisim through education, community partnerships, workplace engagement, advocacy, and media outreach.
JCC Association of North America is a leading member of this coalition and today announced that eight local Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) across the United States are recipients of micro-grants to design and implement Shine A Light programming in their own communities.
Bryan Glazer Family JCC in Tampa, Florida; JCC Chicago in Illinois; JCC of Greater Baltimore in Maryland; Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania; Lawrence Family JCC on the Jacobs Family Campus in La Jolla, California; Marcus JCC of Atlanta in Georgia; Mayerson JCC of Cincinnati in Ohio; and Jewish Community Alliance in Jacksonville, Florida are each receiving micro-grants to help spread Shine A Light’s mission to identify and combat antisemitism.
Shine A Light and related community programs use the familiar and powerful story of Hanukkah to dispel the hate and darkness associated with antisemitism, in partnership with corporations like AllianceBernstein and American Eagle Outfitters, professional sports franchises like the NFL and NBA, and media companies like iHeartMedia and YouTube.
Mark S. Young, director of JCC Association’s signature program JReponse®, which convenes, trains, and deploys JCC professionals in the aftermath of crisis in JCC communities, is leading the JCC Movement’s participation in Shine A Light activities.
In 2020, more than half of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the United States tracked by the FBI were targeted against Jews, who make up less than 2% of the population. One in four American Jews report being targets of antisemitism over the past year, and roughly 40% of all American Jews say they have changed their behaviors to avoid being identified as Jewish or for their own safety.
JCCs across the country are keenly aware of the lasting and deleterious impacts of antisemitism on entire communities and in recent years have experienced increasing acts of hate. They continue to seek meaningful ways to combat all forms of antisemitism—locally and from coast to coast. Each week, 1.5 million people visit the more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs) in person and online, including half a million friends and neighbors from beyond the Jewish community who choose JCCs for programs, activities, and events. These figures position the JCC Movement as the continent’s largest platform for both Jewish engagement and Jewish community relations.
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About JCC Association of North America
JCC Association of North America leads and connects the JCC Movement, advancing and enriching North American Jewish life. With 1.5 million weekly in-person and online visitors to more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs), including half a million friends and neighbors from beyond the Jewish community, the JCC Movement is the continent’s largest platform for both Jewish engagement and Jewish community relations. As the convening organization of this dynamic network, JCC Association partners with JCCs to bring together the collective power and knowledge of the entire JCC Movement, including 12,000 full-time and 41,000 part-time and seasonal professionals. By supporting them, together we enhance and strengthen Jewish life throughout North America. Learn more at JCCA.org or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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