JCRC Statement
June 23, 2026
The following is a statement from Ron Halber, Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
“We commend the DC Council for adopting an FY 2027 budget that includes critical investments in safety, social services, education, and housing.
“The JCRC strongly supports the Council’s decision to increase funding for the Safe and Secure DC Nonprofit Fund, which JCRC helped launch in 2024. We especially want to recognize Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmembers Brooke Pinto and Matthew Frumin, who were instrumental in securing the funding. The record $900,000 investment marks a $150,000 increase over last year’s amount, reflecting the Council’s commitment to ensure DC residents of all races, ethnicities, and faiths can gather and worship safely amid high rates of antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate.
“Additionally, we are grateful that the Council has restored and fully funded the Pay Equity Fund, which boosts the salaries of early childhood educators at licensed facilities to be on par with DC public school teachers with similar credentials. Maintaining this program is vital for early childhood education centers throughout DC, including four Jewish preschools that have served thousands of families in our community.
“Finally, we are pleased that the Council included $62.6 million for the Housing Production Trust Fund, the program primarily responsible for maintaining and building affordable housing throughout DC. Although this is a decrease from prior years, continuing this program is essential as Washingtonians continue to face high costs for rent, food, healthcare and other necessities.
“The JCRC will continue to advocate for policies that improve quality of life for all District residents, including the thousands of Jewish individuals and families who reside in DC.”