By Melissa Hunter
Assistant Editor
On Wednesday, March 20, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s public affairs arm, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), hosted its 85th Annual Meeting at the Mayerson Jewish Community Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Opening remarks were made by JCRC Director, Rabbi Ari Jun, during which he compared life for the Jewish people before and after the Holocaust to Israel’s existence before and after October 7, 2023. In both cases, there was a defining, pivotal turning point where everything changed. And in the wake of October 7, there has been a rise in antisemitism and renewed anxiety for the Jewish people. He then introduced Pastor Brian Moll of the Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship to lead the evening’s invocation. Danielle Minson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, then thanked those in attendance, with special gratitude given to Ohio representatives, senators, and city council members for their allyship. She reflected on where she was on October 7, and expressed that antisemitism has “changed the air we breathe.”
Minson continued by addressing the fact that the JCRC’s mission is not just a part of the Federation’s work, it has also become their way to respond. “The JCRC is central to our efforts to build understanding and respect across communities. In the wake of October 7, we’ve been educating, advocating and supporting at levels never seen before.”
A video was then shared that highlighted the JCRC’s accomplishments both before and after October 7. Following the video, speakers included Ben Schneider, JCRC President, Mark Barsman, Immediate Past President of the JCRC, who introduced the 2024/2025 newly-elected board members, and recognized those stepping down for their years of service, and lastly, Jeremy Spiegel, Assistant Director of the JCRC, who introduced Dr. Dara Horn, author of “People Love Dead Jews.”
The highlight of the evening was Dr. Horn’s presentation and the way in which she spoke to the community about the challenges of living in a post-October 7 world. She recalled how, on December 5, the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were brought in to testify about antisemitism on their campuses. For Dr. Horn, this was personal because not only is she a Harvard alum, but she also serves on the Harvard President’s antisemitism advisory council. She discussed the fear so many Jewish college students face about openly displaying their Judaism on campus. In her conversation about her book and its “uncomfortable” title, Dr. Horn mentioned that the uncomfortable moments are often where the story is. The premise of the book, according to Dr. Horn, is that non-Jewish societies tend to only honor or accept or celebrate Jews when they are powerless. Over the course of her presentation, Dr. Horn also shared how her book has resonated with Jewish readers. She concluded by thanking those in attendance for everything they are doing in Cincinnati. “Because of your courage, the people of Israel live.”
Following Dr. Horn’s presentation, there was a Q&A session between Dr. Horn and Kevin Aldridge, Opinion Editor for the Cincinnati Enquirer, in which they delved further into the theme of Dr. Horn’s book. The evening concluded with K. K. Bene Israel’s Rabbi Meredith Kahan’s remarks about celebrating Purim in light of recent tragedy, and how it is important to push back against hate and, in doing so, find light and celebration, joy and gladness.
