Linking you to creating a more civil and caring community in WNY

Powered by the Buffalo Jewish Federation

Co-Chairs: Deborah Goldman and Adam Fogel

Senior Director: Mara Koven-Gelman

Rabbinic Advisor: Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein

Manager: Rachel Beerman

Intern: Sam Lukin Johnson

Our work falls into three broad areas:

• Social Justice
• Addressing Hate and Discrimination
• Building Relationships with Ethnic, Faith, and Cultural Communities

Interfaith Group Tours Beautiful East Side Gardens

Samantha White (left) talks with two ESGW interfaith tour visitors

Dr. Henry Louis Taylor Jr. of UB at Futures Academy Gardens talking to visitors.  

Rabbi Brent Gutmann and Jill Abromowitz Gutmann of Temple Beth Zion talk with Father Jud Weiksner and Steve Peraza at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church

Through the auspices of the JCRC, Racial Justice Subcommittee and Gardens Buffalo Niagara, JCRC gathered an interfaith group in late July of more than 60 individuals from several organizations to tour Buffalo’s East Side and its gardens during Buffalo's East Side Garden Walk. 

Organized by Rachel Beerman and led by Jewish Journal Editor Ellen Goldstein, participants included those from First Shiloh Baptist Church, Congregation Shir Shalom, Temple Beth Zion, Trinity Episcopal Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. They visited several unique gardens that each represented change and revitalization in the Fruit Belt, Hamlin Park, Grider, Kensington, Emslie, and Masten Park areas of Buffalo. Included on the tour was a talk by Dr. Henry Louis Taylor Jr. of the University at Buffalo's Department of Urban Studies at Futures Academy Community Gardens on Carleton St. about community decline and revival.

“The JCRC started on this journey to help build partnerships with communities on the East side, breaking down barriers within Buffalo and Erie County,” shared Deborah Goldman, JCRC co-chair. “These lovely gardens and communities rarely make it into the news. For participants who do not usually travel through East Side neighborhoods, this was an opportunity to see how people build their communities and have pride in their accomplishments.,” she continued, “We are also grateful that East Side residents generously opened their gardens to us and were happy to talk about their garden journeys. We applaud our community partners – we are building structural and personal relationships.”

Thanks to Angela Buchanan, Catherine Carr Lincoln, Audrey Clark, Valerie Cole, Charlene Galloway, Deborah Goldman, Rabbi Brent Gutmann, Joan Kwiatkowski, Phoebe McKay, Rev. Micah Nutter-Dowling, Sue Stone, Samantha White, and Karen Wiseman.

Buffalo Jewish Federation’s PJ Library Engagement Grant Continues to Build Multifaith Family Partnership

On a beautiful Sunday, families from the Jewish community and Pilgrim St. Luke’s United Church of Christ gathered together at Tifft Nature Preserve. This was the second gathering of our year-long multifaith family initiative, which is made possible through funding from the PJ Library Engagement Grant and Harold Grinspoon Foundation. After our first meeting this past spring, it was wonderful to be together again, and to have some new friends join us! Not only did we get to know each other better while hiking the lovely trails of Tifft Nature Preserve, but we saw the roseate spoonbill which somehow found its way up from the Florida area to WNY! We are looking forward to our third gathering this fall.

Contact Rachel Beerman for more information rachel@buffalojewishfederation.org

Community Conversations

Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein, JCRC's rabbinic advisor, and a local host of the podcast Crossroads, engages in conversations with members of our Buffalo community. Recently, Congregation Shir Shalom's Rabbi Alex sat down with Pastor Corey Gibson, MDiv from Calvary Baptist Church. The two talked about faith, Buffalo and community. Crossroads is a joint production of Town Square Media and the Network of Religious Communities.

ADVOCATE

As we head into election season, don't forget to visit the JCRC voting website with information about how to register to vote and how to vote. You will also find information about candidates and ballot initiatives, as well as additional information about partner organizations and much more.

Voice Buffalo and JCRC “Get Out the Vote!”

Thanks to Voice Buffalo’s engagement specialist organizer Tyrell Ford, and several students, JCRC held a phone banking event to encourage voters to vote in the June 27 primary. Using tablets and cell phones (with protected numbers) over 300 calls were made to encourage voters in the University District of City of Buffalo to get out and vote.

Tyrell Ford discussed why this partnership work is so important. “In order to see change in our communities, we must join into partnership with other stakeholders doing the work. Together, we need to be on our collective journey to educate and inform through a multigenerational lens. It’s not enough to just vote but actually staying in the fight after we have marked our ballot,” Tyrell said. He added, “I look forward to growing our collective efforts for years to come."

JCRC Intern Sam Lukin Johnson added, “This Get Out The Vote event was an amazing opportunity. Not only does it have a huge impact on voter engagement, the phone banking system allows for anyone, including young students like me to help out. I'm so grateful to have gotten this chance to help people and spread awareness about voting.”

Buffalo Jewish Federation Joins Western New York Hate & Bias Prevention Regional Council

Rob Goldberg (Federation CEO) and Mara Koven-Gelman (JCRC Senior Director) were invited to sit on a newly created NYS Division of Human Rights Hate and Bias Prevention Regional Council (WNY region). This past summer, Rob represented the Buffalo Jewish Federation at the first WNY Hate and Anti Bias Prevention Council meeting. This regional council is designed to help take a community driven approach to both preventing and responding to incidents of bias or hate in the region. By working collaboratively with organizations throughout the region, the council will have the opportunity to share what work is being done in the Jewish community, and also learn from other organizations. This important work will continue this fall with Mara Koven-Gelman attending the council's next convening on September 28th.

For more information contact mara@buffalojewishfederation.org

Deborah Goldman joins Jewish Council of Public Affairs Board of Directors National JCPA Board

Deborah Goldman, JCRC co-chair, and member of the Buffalo Jewish Federation Board of Governors, joined the Jewish Council of Public Affairs (JCPA) board of directors on July 1, 2023. The JCPA is the Jewish community’s national primary convener and consensus-builder, community relations, and policy advocate.

Deborah has served in numerous volunteer leadership roles in the Jewish and general Buffalo Community. She is currently a consultant for behavioral health agencies, counties, and not-for-profits across New York State. She supports counties in using data for planning, writes grants, reviews grants for the Federal Government, and works on developing supportive housing for individuals with behavioral health disorders. In recent years she has written and offered advice on federal and state non-profit security grants. Deborah was certified by both New York City and New York State as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise in 2019.

“I am thrilled and honored to have been asked to serve on the JCPA board. The JCPA is in the process of a reset to best address the growing external challenges facing American Jews, including rising antisemitism and other forms of bigotry, and extremist threats to an inclusive, multiracial democracy. The work of the Buffalo JCRC has so much to offer Jewish Communities across the county. I hope that my upcoming JCPA board work will help address both local and national concerns,” reflected Deborah.

Deborah has served as Planned Parenthood of Western and Central New York Board Chair. She has been recognized for her efforts with awards from the Buffalo Jewish Federation, the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo, Temple Beth Zion, Network of Religious Communities, National Federation of Just Communities of WNY (with husband and co-philanthropist, Dr. Grant Golden), New York Care Coordination Program, Friends of Night People Board Recognition, United Way, Cazenovia Recovery Services, Crisis Services, and the Erie County Homeless Commission.

Deborah’s philosophy of life is best explained by Lo Ta’amod Al Dam Rey’echa – Do Not Stand Idly By. She is grateful for “all the terrific people” she has met through both her volunteer and professional activities.

Deborah lives in North Buffalo with her husband, Grant Golden, M.D., and several rescue pets. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. 

Buffalo JCRC-JFNA Advocacy Corp Thanks U.S. Representative Brian Higgins

After efforts of Buffalo’s Advocacy Corp, we are grateful to U.S. Representative Brian Higgins for joining over 90 lawmakers (click here to see the updated list) in signing onto the bipartisan House of Representatives’ impassioned letter to the Department of Education urging the federal government to act more vigorously and intentionally to combat antisemitism on campus.

The letter urges the Department to apply Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, to continue collecting data, and to increase technical assistance to campuses and communities to help address the challenge. The letter urges the government to take these steps in accordance with the goals of the US National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.

Thank you to Advocacy Corp members who reached out to the Congressman: Nancy Brock, Deborah Cohen, Deborah Goldman, and Harvey Sanders. A special thank you to Richard Lipsitz.

Harvey Sanders Will Begin JCRC Co-Chair Role in January 2024

We are pleased to announce that Harvey Sanders will take on the role of co-chair with Adam Fogel beginning in January 2024. Harvey Sanders is a current board member of the Buffalo Jewish Federation, a long standing member of JCRC, and the past president of Temple Beth Tzedek. Deborah Goldman, who will transition from co-chair to member of the JCRC executive committee as she begins her tenure on the Jewish Council of Public Affairs (JCPA) states, “I am grateful that Harvey is able to step forward. His passion for and commitment to civil society based on Jewish values is a gift to our community.” Adam Fogel reflecting on the transition noted, "Harvey has been an integral member of the Buffalo JCRC for many years, and I am looking forward to having him assume this new leadership role. I look forward to continuing our work together to advance our mission of combating antisemitism, fighting for social justice, and making Western New York a more welcoming community for all."

Corey Auerbach

Lana Benatovich

Sharla Bleichfeld

Marjorie Bryen

Dr. Ann Marie Carosella

Dr. Molly Carr

Susan Grelick

Harvey Sanders

Shelly Yellen