Jewish Community Relations Council: Minnesota & the Dakotas

Thank you for visiting our web site.  Here you will find the information we send out when introducing ourselves.  This information includes a letter of introduction, our brochure and lists of testimonials from audience members.  These presentations are done by a dedicated and compassionate group of volunteers from the JCRC.  For over 5 years we have been engaged in this work of education and bridge building.

Letter to Interested Organizations:

Dear Friend,

The war in the Middle East captures our attention daily on the news.  For many people who hope for a better future, it is difficult to see how this can be achieved.  Deep concern about the ongoing violence and a vision for peace has inspired the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) to reach out to our community with educational programming.

Over the past five years we have taken this program, entitled “Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict: the Challenge of Peace”, to venues all over the Twin Cities.  We have been warmly received by people of all faiths who want to hear the perspective of Jewish Minnesotans.  During these troubling times, when hope is hard to sustain, we believe that our communities of faith have much to offer each other. Our community education program is available to anyone who wishes to learn how to put the nightly news in context.  Our goals include discussion of what it might take to create a better life for everyone in the region.

In addition to our original PowerPoint program, which explains the history of the situation from the beginnings of Jewish and Arab life in the region, we are now offering a second presentation, “Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Beyond the Headlines ”.  This presentation focuses on recent and current events, and leaves more room for questions.  JCRC volunteers are available to come to your place of meeting and present the program that best fits your needs. The presentations are free of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted, and the length of our presentations is flexible in order to accommodate your time.  We have a group of volunteers with flexible availability at all times of the week.  Please contact us to discuss scheduling requests.

In these dark times we hope to build bridges of connection in our community.  We hope you receive this invitation in the spirit it is intended and that we can come together to learn, to share, and to understand.

For more information or to invite us to your venues, please contact Holly Brod Farber or Sally Abrams at the JCRC at (612) 338-7816 or Holly@MinnDakJCRC.org. We look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,

Holly Brod Farber and Sally Abrams