When it comes to issues important to our Jewish communities, it’s crucial that our voices be heard in the halls of power. That’s why the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) holds Advocacy Day missions to Harrisburg and Washington D.C., in order to educate, train and lead volunteers to engage impactfully with legislators.
What’s an Advocacy Day like? Participant Ellen Fisher remembers of her first mission, in 2017: “Excited as I was, I was scared,” she admits. “We were representing 200,000 Jewish people who vote. We took that responsibility seriously.” Her group was given advance material on the issues and, on the bus ride, prepped with additional guidance. They were divided into groups, then spent all day scurrying between meetings with legislators and their staffs. Ellen found the entire experience inspiring. “It was a great feeling to know that by speaking out we were making a difference,” she says.
For more information on Advocacy Day in Harrisburg contact Robin Schatz at rschatz@jewishphilly.org. For more information about our Jewish Community Relations Council, click here.
