Community Relations

As so much of my career has been directed to public policy issues and the role of the Jewish community in articulating its political agenda, I have selected a set of documents for The Wind Report that introduce elements from this field.

My focus for this unit is centered in three core areas: public policy with a particular emphasis on health care issues; intergroup relations with a specific focus on Latino-Jewish relations; and the structural and organizational concerns related to the discipline of Jewish community relations. My textbook on community relations, You Shall Not Stand Idly By, published in 2004 by the American Jewish Committee provides an overview of the field and the historic issues that defined and shaped this field. Designed for new leaders, students and young professionals, this book serves as an introduction and case book that informs the reader about the philosophy and focus of this work.

Various items in this section introduce corollary themes that impact the public affairs agenda, such as the video piece on the principles of collaboration or the research article on the “Noshrim” (Soviet Jewish dropouts). In turn,”The Defenders” offers an overview of the major players in the field of Jewish community relations and their unique or special contributions to this discipline.

As this is an ever-changing field both in terms of its players and the issues that comprise this enterprise, I invite your feedback and questions.