In this Issue:

• November 10 JCRC Meeting

• Also of Interest

• General Meeting Information

• 2009/2010 JCRC Meetings

• American Friends of Hebrew University Environmental Program

Recognizing that even as our day to day work balances our international, national and local agenda, our monthly JCRC meetings have recently had a decidedly international flavor. Thus, our November meeting will explore a few local issues of importance.

With much attention – and frustration – still focused on state ethics reform, we are fortunate that former ABC 7 TV political reporter Andy Shaw, now the Executive Director of the Better Government Association, will join us for an update on that topic and his organization’s goals and activities in that arena.

Meanwhile, though overall Chicago crime and violent crime rates are at their lowest level in decades, violent crime continues to plague Chicago Public Schools. Sean Harden, with whom JCRC has worked in his previous roles at the Mayor’s Office of Interfaith Affairs and at the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, and is now Deputy Chief of Community Relations for Chicago Public Schools, will brief us on the city’s Public Schools Safety and Security Initiative.

Time permitting, we will also hear an overview of the recession’s impact on our community – unemployment, expanded need for services, etc. – as well as steps being taken by the Federation and its agencies in response to the dramatic increased human service needs.

Please RSVP to jcrc1@juf.org. As a reminder, it also expedites your path through security when you RSVP in advance and helps to cut down on our meeting costs when we are able to order the appropriate number of meals.

1) We are pleased that the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America (formerly UJC), taking place in Washington, D.C. November 8-10, will be hosting both President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Dozens of Chicagoans are attending and we encourage you, even at this late juncture, to consider participating as well.

2) We are happy to announce that details are being finalized for Natan Scharansky, the new chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, to speak on Monday, November 16, 3:30 PM on the campus of The University of Chicago. In the aftermath of the very troubling disturbances during Ehud Olmert’s presentation at that school just a couple of weeks ago, this timely program is especially important for our community and this campus. We will share more details shortly.

3) We have just received, from our outside consultant, the annual evaluation of the JCRC/Hillels Israel Initiative. We encourage you to review that document in its entirety, or just the Executive Summary which appears at the beginning.

Due to a significant increase in our meeting costs, we regretfully had to increase our lunch meeting charge to $15, which is not tax deductible. This change took effect with the September 29th meeting. All JCRC luncheons begin at 11:45 AM, with the meeting starting at 12:15 PM in the Lillian and Larry Goodman Conference Center at JUF's Headquarters, Ben Gurion Way, 30 South Wells Street. Please RSVP via email, phone (312) 357-4770 or fax (312) 855-2476.

The following are the dates for all regular JCRC lunch meetings:

• December 17 Agenda: Developments in Turkey with the former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Marc Grossman, Turkey's Consul General U. Kenan Ipek and JUF NEWS Executive Editior Aaron Cohen who is in Turkey now as part of an interfaith trip.
• January 5
• February 9
• March 9
• April 27
• June 8

We've been asked to alert you of a Hebrew University of Jerusalem program, Sustaining the World – A Day of Dialogue on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at the Chicago Hilton. HU scholars will discuss: Israel’s Role in Sustaining the World; New Frontiers in Medical Research; Israel’s Role in Sustaining the Environment and the Politics of a Sustainable Peace. Gabriela Shalev, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN will be the luncheon speaker.

The program begins at 8:30 AM (Dietary laws observed). Register online at www.afhu.org/events.

Register Today! »