Courage, Coalition, and Community: Reflections from the JCPA National Summit
From the desk of Lynn Davis, Interim Executive Director
I recently joined over 200 Jewish community relations professionals, lay leaders, and clergy from across the country for the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) 2026 National Summit.
Throughout its history, JCPA has been at the forefront of the fight for civil rights, justice, and equality in the United States. Their work is grounded in the understanding that Jews and other marginalized communities can only thrive in a healthy democracy and a robust civil society.
This gathering emphasized building courage, upholding democratic norms, and leading with moral clarity as essential tactics for creating coalitions to counter hate.
I was thrilled to hear from Aziz Abu Sarah, co-author of The Future Is Peace (which I'm currently reading), who speaks to the power of travel to foster empathy, embrace complexity, and sustain dialogue across difference. A Palestinian raised amid conflict, Sarah has spent his career designing educational travel itineraries across Israel-Palestine and other divided societies. He and his co-author and partner, Maoz Inon (whose parents were murdered on October 7th), embody how honoring multiple narratives within a shared reality can build relationships, cultivate trust, and foster peace.
I was invited to the summit to facilitate a workshop on immigration enforcement and detention, addressing the questions and concerns of Jewish nonprofits and communities in the face of increased ICE activity. I had the honor of being in conversation with Maribel Hernández Rivera, National Director of Immigrant Community Strategies at ACLU, and Merrill Zack, Vice President of Community Engagement at HIAS and Executive Director of HIAS NY.
Together, we discussed practical ways Jewish nonprofits can and should engage, legal obligations, staff training, and solidarity with immigrant communities. To learn more about ways to support our immigrant neighbors, visit HIAS' website.