What We’ve Been Up To
Yom Hashoah: JCRC partnered with Indiana Civil Rights Commission for the 20th Annual State of Indiana Holocaust Remembrance program at the Indiana Statehouse. This year, JCRC invited representatives from the Black, Disabled, LGBTQ+, Muslim, and Hispanic communities to join us in lighting candles of remembrance, making a powerful addition to
the program. Mayor Hogsett spoke eloquently about the import of remembering, honoring, and using the lessons of the Holocaust to compel us to stand up against hate in all its forms. While our Members of Congress were in DC, and Governor Holcomb was traveling, they each wrote moving letters of support and had their senior staff members read their sentiments on their behalf. Immediately following the program, we conducted our Reading of Names of Holocaust Victims Ceremony in which several dozen members of the community-at-large took time to read names, thereby honoring the lives lived and lost in an incredibly personal and powerful way. You can find a slideshow of pictures from the program on our website here.
Community Engagement & Intergroup Affairs: The NEW JCRC COMMITTEE is up and running! The committee had its first meeting in early May. Members of this committee will help JCRC build bridges between the Jewish community and other faith and ethnic communities, as well as work to amplify the diversity of voices within the Jewish community. If you want to learn more, or if you’re interested in joining the committee, please reach out to JCRC Program & Communication Coordinator, Aaron Welcher.
Engaging Jewish Teens: As the semester comes to a close, JCRC is thrilled to share that the “Student to Student” program has been an overwhelming success! Over a dozen Jewish teens were trained to speak about their lives as Jews, and reached over 100 of their high school peers, breaking down stereotypes and prejudice by putting a “human face” to Judaism – the best antidote to bigotry and intolerance. We are now accepting applications for new participants for the 2018-2019 academic school year. If you know a Jewish high school student who will be entering 11th or 12th grade who might be interested, please have them email JCRC Israel & Antisemitism Education Coordinator, Marla Topiol.
Life & Legacy: Through the leadership of our Jewish Federation, the Indianapolis Jewish community has been participating in the national LIFE & LEGACY initiative, which is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. The goal of LIFE & LEGACY is to engage local Jewish organizations, synagogues, and agencies in a collaborative endeavor that will 
ensure the strength of our collective Jewish community now and in the future. LIFE & LEGACY is an endowment program designed to help you create permanent legacy gifts, demonstrating your belief in the continuity of Jewish life by creating ongoing support for the Jewish causes you care about. All of us, regardless of age, wealth, or affiliation, have the ability to help sustain a vibrant Jewish community now, and for generations to come.Where JCRC currently stands:
We are so grateful to the 39 JCRC supporters who have submitted “Letters of Intent” indicating their interest in exploring the idea of a Legacy gift to the JCRC. We are truly humbled by the fact that 13 of those supporters have taken the next step and “Formalized” their Legacy intentions. In order to meet this year’s requirements, and earn the immediate financial incentive grant, JCRC still needs to secure 2 MORE LETTERS OF INTENT and 5 MORE FORMALIZATIONS by June 30, 2018.
If you’re interested in learning more about the program and ways you can help, please contact JCRC Executive Director, Lindsey Mintz
