Michael Balaban’s Update on the War in Israel

Friday, September 20

– Jason Holtzman
Director, Jewish Community Relations Council

Over the summer, I became a father. And as I think about my son’s future, I see a world of potential. But this world that I see and want for my son is not the world we are living in today.

With the beginning of the new school year – a time that should be met with excitement – Jewish families continue to grapple with the painful consequences of ongoing tensions in Israel. As we’ve said and continue to feel, our grief is compounded by a rise in antisemitism that has created fear and uncertainty for so many in our community.

As you navigate the additional challenges that this back to school season brings, know you are not alone.

As the director of the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), we recognize our critical responsibility to protect and uplift Jewish families, ensuring that they feel safe, valued and heard as we confront these challenges together.

It is for this reason, back to school or otherwise, that we have created the Center for Israel Advocacy and Combating Antisemitism. This will be a hub for coordinating advocacy efforts with our important community partners such as Chabad, Hillel, American Jewish Committee (AJC), and others, providing resources to the community, and building alliances to combat antisemitism and support Israel advocacy throughout Greater Philadelphia.

This focus will help us in our continued work on campus and in K-12 schools. At the close of last school year, we saw a significant rise in antisemitic incidents and tensions across colleges, universities, and K-12 schools with many Jewish students facing harassment and bias. Unfortunately, as this new school year begins, we’ve experienced the same kind of hostility and discrimination, with antisemitic rhetoric continuing to spread in classrooms, social media and student protests.

To prepare our community for these incidents, JCRC sponsored a two-part series for parents of school children titled “Antisemitism & Your Children: Preparing for a New School Year.” Our partners from Jewish Learning Venture, StandWithUs, the Israeli American Council, and ADL Philadelphia all led sessions for parents to prepare and guide them through how to effectively advocate for their children if they experience antisemitism. With the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition (PJC), we will also join a group of students from across the Commonwealth on an upcoming trip to Harrisburg, where they will advocate for stronger protections against antisemitism with our state legislators and policymakers.

Our collective vigilance and action to protect our community and ensure a safe, inclusive environment on campuses is crucial.

In a positive development, the University of Pennsylvania recently announced the establishment of the Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI), which will be the first of its kind nationwide. Co-led by experts Steve Ginsburg and Majid Alsayegh, this office will ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and serve as a central resource for addressing religious and ethnic discrimination. This marks an important step toward combating antisemitism and fostering a more inclusive environment for students. Now the work begins.

I’m heartened by this progress, as well as the meaningful conversations we’ve had leading into this school year with local colleges and universities. They’ve shown a sincere interest in collaborating with the Jewish Federation, law enforcement and security professionals (including our SCN security team) to strengthen safety protocols and ensure that Jewish students feel secure as they return to campus.

In partnership with 22 K-12 schools, our security team has also launched a collaboration with Ruvna for the upcoming school year. This initiative represents a significant advancement in safeguarding the well-being of our students and educators. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we are enhancing rapid emergency response capabilities, providing reassurance to thousands, and reaffirming our deep commitment to protecting Jewish institutions while fostering safe, thriving educational environments.

I know the work ahead will be hard-fought and challenging, but our collective sense of purpose will continue to propel us forward. Together, we will remain steadfast in protecting our community and fostering a safer environment for all.

Because the work we do today matters, it matters for my son, it matters for your children, it matters for our future.

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