Meet Ann Arbor’s JCRC

The Jewish Community Relations Committee (JCRC) of Greater Ann Arbor works to foster strong, collaborative relationships within the Jewish community and with other faith, cultural, ethnic, and civic communities. Guided by local needs and values, the JCRC is visible and engaged in the broader community, especially during times of crisis and on vital social issues. Through education, advocacy, and relationship-building, the JCRC creates space for Jewish voices at social and political tables and actively addresses key issues impacting both the Jewish community and the community at large.

Want to get involved?

Part of community relations is finding ways to relate in and with ‘community’, committees and commissions through the County, city of Ann Arbor, city of Ypsilanti, township boards and the state of Michigan. In engaging in this part of civic life we are and will continue to be part of its foundation and its fabric.
Click here to see all opportunities 

Interested in Learning More?

Contact JCRC@jewishannarbor.org for more information.

 

Interfaith/Inter-community

Washtenaw Black Jewish Coalition
The Washtenaw Black-Jewish Coalition unites Black and Jewish leaders to build relationships, foster dialogue, and stand together against racism and antisemitism. Supported by the Jewish Community Relations Committee and The Network, its first official event was a sold-out bus tour of Washtenaw County’s Underground Railroad sites, creating a meaningful day of shared learning.
Hindu Jewish Celebrations

Although there is not yet a formal Hindu-Jewish Coalition in Michigan, our JCRC partners with the JCC and the Hindu Community Relations Council to foster connection, mutual learning, and shared action. The annual Chanukah–Diwali celebration highlights this collaboration, and we continue to explore new ways to work together in service of our communities and the broader public.

 

Deepening relationships with Syria and the local Syrian Arab Community

The fall of the brutal Assad regime has opened the door to a new Syria that welcomes Jewish involvement in rebuilding the country. At the invitation of a member of the Syrian Muslim community, Rabbi Lopatin has visited Syria multiple times, leading goodwill missions focused on academic and cultural exchange and strengthening ties among Syria, the United States, the Jewish community, and, hopefully, Israel. Through this work, our JCRC is helping rebuild relationships locally with the Arab American community, led by Syrian Americans, with the hope that Jewish and Arab Americans can recognize how much more unites us than divides us.

Chaldean Jewish Alliance

In 2026, we launched the Michigan Chaldean Jewish Alliance. The Alliance aims to deepen relationships between our communities by highlighting shared values and exploring ways to support one another through common goals and visions.

JCRC Public School Initiatives

Supporting Jewish Families in Public Schools
The JCRC Public School Initiatives support Jewish families in public schools by fostering connection, celebrating Jewish culture and heritage, and advocating for the safety and security of Jewish students. Programs include a Jewish public school families affinity group, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Jewish holiday awareness and celebrations. Join our initiatives:
publicschoollfamilies@jewishannarbor.org

Ann Arbor Jewish Climate Circle (A2J CC)

Join Our Climate Action Efforts
The Ann Arbor Jewish Climate Circle (A2J CC) brings local Jewish organizations together to support climate action and sustainability rooted in Jewish values. The coalition partners share climate resources, publish climate-related articles, and host community events that promote collective learning and action. All area Jewish organizations and groups are encouraged to participate. Read more here .

Outshine Hate: Together Against Antisemitism

Tools, Resources, and Support to Combat Antisemitism
Learn about Outshine Hate: Together Against Antisemitism- a JCRC initiative offering resources, definitions, and local support to understand and address rising antisemitism and to help report incidents safely and effectively. Read more here.

Latest JCRC News

December 2025 JCRC Newsletter: Letter From Asher Lopatin

Dear friends, JCRC is entering an exciting time of connecting with the broader community and making a difference in all of Washtenaw County and beyond. We have solidified our Black Jewish Coalition with a wonderful bus tour of the history of the Underground Railroad...

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Meet JCRC’s Coalition Partners

In every JCRC newsletter issue, we’ll spotlight one of our coalition partners.This time, we’re excited to feature Reverend Carnel Richardson, Pastor from the Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church at Ypsilanti and a founding member of our Black-Jewish Coalition. Q: What...

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Washtenaw County Launches New Black-Jewish Coalition

By Asher Lopatin With the help of community leaders from the Black and Jewish communities, and with the inspiration of the Black-Jewish coalitions in Washtenaw County from the 1990s, a new Washtenaw Black-Jewish Coalition has been formed with twenty charter members...

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