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Update
Two Years After Raid, Postville Hopes for a New Beginning
On the second anniversary of the immigration raid that forever changed their town, leaders of a small Northeastern Iowa community are hoping the worst is behind them and that a new beginning is on the horizon.
With the help of allies from numerous faith and community backgrounds – from within Iowa and across the country – the town of Postville barely survived an unjust and unthinkable raid on their community by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the ensuing bankruptcy of the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant that brought ICE to town.
Get a complete update of where things stand in Postville »
Protesters Arrested!
JCUA and Other Jewish Leaders at Forefront of Protest Against Arizona’s “National Disgrace”
 JCUA members, members of our Board of Directors, and staff recently joined more than 300 others from diverse communities in a vigil at the Broadview Detention Center (just west of the Chicago city limits) protesting the alarmingly large increase in the numbers of people being deported from our country at the same time that the Obama administration and others acknowledge that the immigration system is broken.
Read a perspective from JCUA’s Jane Ramsey on why she was willing to go to jail »
Guest Column
Abuses at Postville’s Agriprocessors Bring Ethical Component to Kosher Certification
The ethical production of food is in many ways the new frontier of kashruth.
 Following the Postville raids and arrests, the outrage in the Jewish community was widespread has led to initiatives, within both the Conservative and Orthodox Jewish communities, to prevent abuses such from sullying the reputation of the kosher food industry again.
The kosher consumer will feel that he or she is truly eating kosher when we can be assured that our food is prepared in a just and safe environment.
Read the rest of this entry by guest columnist Rabbi Allan Kensky »
Development & Fund-Raising
Saks Family to be Honored at Annual Marx Social Justice Awards Dinner, Nov. 18
We're delighted to be honoring longtime friends of JCUA -- the Saks Family – at the annual Rabbi Robert J. Marx Social Justice Awards Dinner. Mark your calendar for this wonderful event featuring Esther Saks and her daughters Beth, Jane, Naomi and Ruth.
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, 5:30 p.m.
Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago
Freedom and Justice Seder Entertains and Inspires
Every year, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs holds a Freedom and Justice Seder to both celebrate Passover and raise awareness of pressing social justice issues. The 2010 Freedom and Justice Seder brought housing, healthcare, worker justice and immigration issues to the forefront of the discussion.
This year’s seder was co-sponsored with Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Congregation on Chicago’s South Side. You have never attended a Passover seder quite like this!
Watch the video »
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Foreclosure Crisis
Calls for Action on Foreclosure Bring Shouts of “Amen”
A chorus of amens filled a Rogers Park (Chicago) church this spring as speakers called for action to deal with the high rate of residential foreclosure.
At an April meeting of Northside P.O.W.E.R., more than 300 people filled Rogers Park Presbyterian Church, eager to learn how to reduce the impact of foreclosures that are affecting the Chicago area.
Read the rest of this entry »
POAH/Grove Parc Apartments Construction
Demolition for Phase I Begins for Woodlawn Project
Construction is set to begin this month on the Grove Parc Apartments, eventually to be the site of more than 500 units of affordable housing. JCUA has played a role in this project, assisting Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), a Boston-based non-profit organization whose mission is to purchase large, multi-family properties and refinance them for long-term affordability.
Read the rest of this entry »
Or Tzedek
Space Still Available in JCUA’s Teen Summer Program
The Or Tzedek Teen Social Justice Summer 2010 season is just around the corner. This year’s participants are an amazing group of teens from across North America (and even someone from Germany!) from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives. What everyone shares in common is a desire to create a fun, inspiring and safe environment to explore their Jewish and social justice identities.
Read the rest of this entry »
JMCBI
“Unveiled”: Jews and Muslims Share Views on a One-Woman Play
Racism, hate crimes, customs and religion were among some of the topics brought recently as hundreds of people gathered at Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston to watch excerpts of the one-woman play, “Unveiled.”
Watch the video »
Government Accountability
Chicago Gets a “D” in DGAP/JCUA Report Card
On the type of report card that no parent ever would want to see, the city of Chicago gets an overall grade of D for government accountability. The report card — with one B, five D grades and one F — is the result of an extensive evaluation from DGAP — Developing Government Accountability to the People.
In addition to the report card that evaluates the city and its political leaders, DGAP (pronounced as D-gap) includes an interactive website and a series of recommendations. It is a joint project that involved the participation of numerous Chicago community groups and residents. The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) is the convener of the project.
Watch the video »
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