Community Relations Committee

UPDATES & NEWS

The Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland expresses appreciation to those who stood for peacemaking and against divestment at the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly. The PCUSA rejected a resolution to divest from three American companies because their products are used by Israelis. Thank you to those in Cleveland who joined more than 22,000 in signing a petition urging this vote against divestment.

Two weeks ago, Jewish community members received a postcard from Tikvat Yisrael of Cleveland, a Messianic Jewish Association of America organization. MJAA is the umbrella organization for Hebrew Christian congregations. The postcard advertised an interfaith Jewish-Christian event for families, offering advice on raising children, which holidays to observe, etc. A letter from CRC Chair Warren Wolfson was published in the Cleveland Jewish News, warning the community about the misrepresentation of our Jewish traditions and beliefs.

Campaign Rhetoric

A video post from Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher, the candidate running in the 9th U.S. House District against Marcy Kaptur, contains the following: “In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves were exterminated. In 1939, Germany established gun control. From 1939 to 1945, six million Jews and seven million others unable to defend themselves were exterminated. I love America.” The CRC has been in touch with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), whose leadership has stated that it is never acceptable to trivialize the Holocaust. Read coverage from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.