REMINDER! The voter registration deadline is Tuesday, October 16th and MUST be postmarked 21 days before the election. Click here to visit the Maryland Board of Elections website.

Delegate Samuel "Sandy" Rosenberg 

Delegate Rosenberg represents the 41st district in Baltimore City and has been a member of the House of Delegates since 1983. A Baltimore native, he serves as Vice-Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. To read Delegate Rosenberg's Spotlight interview, please click here. 

The BJC's Leadership Development Program is a one-year commitment, with monthly, hands-on programs, typically held on weekday evenings. Jewish individuals of different backgrounds, ages and interests are encouraged to apply. Participants meet with government officials and community leaders who address local, national and international issues, in order to develop an understanding of all aspects of Jewish community relations and public affairs, along with key leadership skills. Click here for more information.

We are currently interviewing applicants for the class of 2013. For more information about how to become involved, please contact Toba Rainess or call the Baltimore Jewish Council at 410-542-4850.

Travis Tazelaar 

Travis is the Campaign Manager for Educating Maryland Kids, the organization created to defend the Maryland DREAM Act. He became involved with the Baltimore Jewish Council to raise awareness about the referendum in the community. Travis has been the guest speaker at recent events sponsored by the BJC in support of the DREAM Act, educating us on what the referendum is. To learn more about Travis and the work he with with the DREAM Act, click here.

A Message from the Executive Director... 

The New Year is upon us and election day is approaching. Prime Minister Netanyahu just completed his address to the United Nations focusing on the threat from Iran. Two days earlier, Iran's President continued to threaten Israel.

All of the above will likely play out over the upcoming months, as the American elections have the potential of fundamentally shaking to the foundation the way we collect and spend our revenue and conduct foreign policy. The Jewish community, which understands all too well the danger of ignoring those who wish us harm, hold as a fundamental tenet of their faith, "tikkum olam," an obligation to "repair the world." As we vote, we must balance our religious beliefs, political, social and economic concerns. We must choose wisely. 

Arthur C. Abramson, Ph.D. 

The Government Relations Commission will be voting on three policy statements at its October meeting. The policy statement review task force on education was held at the end of August and members are currently reviewing the revised document.  Additional policy statements that will be reviewed at the upcoming meeting include one on capital punishment and the other concerning the environment. 

The Baltimore Jewish Council has a long-standing, comprehensive policy position on immigration. This position compels us to support the DREAM Act referendum question that will be on Maryland's ballot in November. As a community of immigrants in a nation built from immigrants, we support measures intended to allow all segments of society to participate fully in our country's rights and benefits.   The DREAM Act has been implemented throughout the country by Democratic and Republican led states.   A recent event to discuss the Jewish community's position and support for the referendum issue was held on September 5th.   Please reach out to us with any questions you may have. 

The Government Relations team has been hard at work preparing for our upcoming meeting with the Governor in October.  This meeting is critical to our budgetary and priority policy issues for the upcoming 2013 legislative session.

Please join us, on Tuesday, October 16th as the BJC welcomes author of the cookbook, "The Ottoman Turk and the Pretty Jewish Girl," Beyhan Trock. Beyhan will be traveling to Baltimore to prepare and present the cooking and eating of some of her famous dishes. It will take place in a Kosher home, with dietary laws observed. Please contact Mandee Simmons Heinl for more information.

Be on the lookout for this years' first Trialogue invitation, taking place on October 30th. While we welcome back Rabbi Andrew Busch and Imam Yahya Hendi, the BJC is pleased that Dr. Heather Miller Rubens, on staff at the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies, will be joining our "Trialogue Team" for this year. Heather is a graduate of Georgetown University, the Oxford Center for Hebrew & Jewish Studies and the University of Chicago, where she completed a dissertation on the comparative struggles of emancipation of Roman Catholics and Jews in nineteenth century England. Currently, she is the Roman Catholic scholar at ICJS. We are excited to have such a fine group of experts on our panel.

Mark your calendars for November 15th! Please join MET Issues and Politically Connect as we explore the world of media coverage surrounding the election. "2012 Election Review: Keeping the Media Un-Biased," will explore how different media outlets chose which information to report.  Location to be announced. Please contact Mandee Simmons Heinl for more information.

The 2012 Kristallnacht Commemoration, "We Will Remember: Commemoration through Education," co-sponsored by the Baltimore Jewish Council, Chevra Ahavas Chesed, and The Jewish Museum of Maryland, will be held on Sunday, November 11th at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, 6602 Park Heights Avenue at 2:00 p.m.  The program will include an overview of the work being done by the Baltimore Jewish Council and The Jewish Museum of Maryland on Holocaust education programs.

RSVP to Phyllis Gwynn by calling the BJC at 410-542-4850 or email bjcrsvp@baltjc.org.

Please join The Baltimore Jewish Council, American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and American Jewish Committee, Thursday, October 18th, 12:00 pm, at THE ASSOCIATED, for our first Lunch and Learn program of the year.  Dr. Paula Kabalo, Founding Director of the International Graduate School for Israel Studies at the Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, will share with us, "Inside David Ben-Gurion's Head."  Lunch is available for $10.00 a person.  Dietary laws observed.  Please RSVP to Jasmine Estes or call 410-542-4850.  For more information click here. 

On September 11, 2012, a group of elected officials, community leaders, and others joined the Baltimore Jewish Council to hear from the new Consul for Regional Affairs for the Embassy of Israel, Oren Marmorstein.  Oren shared with us his past experiences and perspectives from his recent time serving as a diplomat in Egypt.  He spoke about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.  We hope to have a larger event with him for the community in the next couple of months.  

The Baltimore Israel coalition has started to plan for Israel's 65th celebration on June 2, 2013.  If you would like to be on one of the planning committees for the day or would like more information, please contact Chana Siff.

Click here for our latest issue of Israel Connections.  

The Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel (ECYP) is in full swing. 

Last week, they kicked off the year in Washington D.C. The first stop of their journey was the Israeli Embassy, and for the Class of 2014, this was considered their first trip to "Israel".  Next, they sat in on Congressman Elijah Cumming's Health and Wellness Issue Forum at the Congressional Black Caucus. The Fellows were intrigued as he discussed the importance of raising awareness about holistic health for young people in today's society. Finally, Congressman Cumming's gave the Fellows a tour of his stomping grounds, Capitol Hill! The Fellows picked up tips about professionalism, and learned about how our country's legislature operates.

There is plenty more to come for the ECYP program; to keep up with the Fellows, please visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/ECYPIsrael .

For more information about ECYP, please contact the Baltimore Jewish Council at 410-542-4850.