August 31, 2020 

JCRC has received a petition signed by representatives of seven member organizations and a total of twenty-one members of our Council proposing the removal of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) as a member organization of the JCRC. The letter, in its details, charges that there is “a history of rhetoric” used by the president of the ZOA “that crosses into racist and xenophobic territory” and questions whether the continued membership of ZOA is in JCRC’s interests. 

JCRC’s bylaws provide that the programs, activities and practices of our member organizations must be compatible and not conflict with the mission of JCRC. It is the long-established and recently reaffirmed view of the JCRC Council – our policy setting body representing our forty member organizations and the community at-large – that we are committed to all aspects of our mission statement, including to promote an American society which is democratic, pluralistic, and just.  The Council can and does, through its standard committee processes, review actions of our members that may reflect that such a compatibility is lacking.  

This matter will be referred to the Membership Committee of the JCRC Council for consideration. The ZOA has been informed regarding the letter and JCRC’s process.