JCRC's Boston Jewish Now

The U.S.–Israel relationship has long rested on certainassumptions: that America would remain a reliable ally, that support for Israel would remain bipartisan, and that American Jews could talk about Israel without reducing the Jewish people to the politics of any one Israeli government, anyone politician, or any one view on how Israel prosecutes wars. Those assumptions feel far less stable today....

What happens when Jews are told they have not gone far enough — and what happens when we tell imperfect allies the same thing? First, we discuss the antisemitic harassment of State Senator Scott Wiener in San Francisco, and what it says about whether Jews can ever meet far-left activists halfway when the demand always seems to be that Jews give up one more piece of ourselves or risk being pushed o...

As the United States of America approaches its 250th anniversary, Jeremy Burton asks a simple but important question: What are we really celebrating on the Fourth of July? Not the first battle. Not the final victory. Not even the vote for independence. The Fourth of July marks the adoption of the Declaration. The text that gave America its civic promise and called future generations to keep workin...

The group chat is not just a group chat. For young people, it is where friendships are built, plans are made, social status is negotiated, identity is tested, and harm can spread quickly. It is also one of the places where students encounter cruelty, exclusion, disinformation, antisemitism, and other forms of identity-based targeting — often away from adult view, but with real consequences for how...

In this episode of Boston Jewish Now, we unpack two verydifferent fights that raise a similar question: what happens when decisions are made about Jewish safety and belonging without the people most affected beingfully heard? The conversation begins in Somerville, where Jeremy recently testified before the City Council as it considered an ordinance tied to Israel divestment. Jeremy explains why JC...

In this episode of Boston Jewish Now , JCRC CEO Jeremy Burton discusses what Jewish communities should expect from civic leaders — in moments of celebration, in moments of pain, and in moments when antisemitism and public Jewish life are being tested.   The conversation covers Toronto’s March with Israel, Mamdani and New York’s Israel parade, and the question of what it means for civic leaders to...

This Pride Month episode is a conversation between two queer Jewish professionals working inside JCRC, each bringing a different generational lens to what it means to be queer, Jewish, visible, and civically engaged in this moment.   Rachel Schlesinger, JCRC's Marketing Coordinator, and Jeremy Burton, JCRC's CEO, are living different chapters of the same larger story. Jeremy brings decades...

Many Jewish parents are looking at college differently right now. Dr. Greg Weiner offers a perspective few others can. He is the 17th president of Assumption University, the first Jewish president of a Catholic university in the United States, and a scholar of American political thought. In this episode, Jeremy Burton speaks with Dr. Weiner about why Catholic education may offer Jewish students so...

This week, we’re catching up on the stories and events that had us talking — from Boston to Israel and beyond. We’ll look at what stood out, the questions these moments raised, and why they matter to us as a Jewish community. Reach out to your legislators to support data privacy: https://www.aclum.org/campaigns-initiatives/data-privacy-now/ Read Alan Dershowitz's Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journ...

A recent  Boston Globe Ideas essay  made sweeping claims about mainstream Jewish institutions, suggesting that their posture on Israel and their approach to defining antisemitism are themselves contributing to the climate that makes Jews less safe. In this episode,  Jeremy Burton  and  Oren Jacobson  unpack that argument, challenge its logic, and examine how reducing diverse Jewish communal leader...

A week with more attacks on Jewish institutions than days in the week. That’s the reality many are waking up to, and asking: what happens next?

In this episode, we explain how and why JCRC speaks publicly during moments of crisis and controversy. When statements appear under Jeremy Burton’s name instead of the organization’s, what does that actually mean? Who is the real audience for those comments? How does a coalition of 40 Jewish organizations decide what to say in real time when civic leaders are asking for guidance — and why even spe...

What does it take to move from listening to action when confronting antisemitism? In this timely episode of Boston Leaders Unplugged, JCRC CEO Jeremy Burton sits down with Representative Simon Cataldo to reflect on the work and impact of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism — the first commission of its kind in the nation — against the backdrop of the recent deadly attac...

How can we help young people talk  with  each other instead of  at  each other — and help schools move from a fear of “getting it wrong” to genuine inclusion for Jewish students? In our latest episode of  Boston Leaders Unplugged ,  JCRC’s Spencer Cronin  talks with  Shira Hoffer , founder and executive director of  The Viewpoints Project , a nonprofit teaching young people to “disagree curiously....

In this powerful — and emotional — Pride Month conversation, we sit down with Idit Klein , founding CEO of Keshet , to reflect on her 24-year journey transforming LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish life. What began in a Boston apartment became a national force for change — mobilizing the Jewish community to help secure marriage equality in Massachusetts (where the Boston JCRC proudly became the first JCRC...

PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded before two recent antisemitic attacks: the tragic murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two young Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2025; and the Molotov cocktail attack on a peaceful Jewish gathering in Boulder, Colorado. While these horrific incidents are not referenced in the co...

Since October 7, many American and Israeli-born Jews — especially students in K–12 schools — have faced traumatic invalidation : the dismissal of their pain and lived experiences. This isn’t just an unfortunate side effect of rising antisemitism — it’s one of the ways antisemitism actively operates. Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern, an expert in trauma-informed interventions, joins Jeremy Burton to explore ho...

Why is it that the majority of people — even those who consider themselves to be civically engaged — are no longer aware of who is actually effecting change in their communities? We sat down with Eitan Hersh , professor of political science at Tufts; whose research focuses on US elections and civic participation, to uncover how the generational shift in local influence and in perceptions of local...

In this episode, we take a closer look at how JCRC operates as the voice of Greater Boston’s Jewish community in civic and interfaith spaces. CEO Jeremy Burton breaks down the unique role of our Council — comprising representatives from 40 diverse member organizations that make up most of our Jewish community's landscape — in shaping our positions and guiding our engagement with broader society. L...

In this episode, we explore the advocacy, policymaking, and community efforts that have made Massachusetts a leader in gun violence prevention. Find out how gun safety extends beyond simply regulating access, to include community-driven solutions with a more lasting impact.

In this episode, we dive deep into our recent policy wins, breaking down over $12 million in state budget allocations that JCRC successfully advocated for this year. From creating a new commission combating antisemitism to expanding genocide education and securing vital funding for nonprofit security, this episode highlights how our policy work comes to life — and why it matters for the Jewish com...

We sat down with Benny Sharoni, the new Israeli Consul General to New England. We discuss why he chose Boston as his diplomatic home base, his vision for the region, and how it plays a pivotal role in Israeli relations. (We may even have some advice to share...)