FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Fennell
Director of Communications Strategy, ADL West (310) 633-1435
lfennell@adl.org
ADL Selects 112 Synagogues to Participate in Inaugural Program to Fight Antisemitism at the Community Level
Congregations from 27 states will be designated as “Kulanu Synagogues”
Los Angeles, CA, October 3, 2022 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today announced the first cohort of 112 synagogues participating in its inaugural Kulanu: Synagogues in Action Against Antisemitism program. Spanning 27 states across denominations, the synagogues will have exclusive access to experts and webinars over the next eight months as they work to address antisemitism in their local communities and nationwide.
“Fighting antisemitism takes a whole of society approach, and we are committed to working with Jewish congregations from all denominations as we expand our work in response to the historically high level of antisemitic incidents we’ve witnessed in the past few years,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “Our Kulanu network brings together congregations across the nation to engage in critical conversations about antisemitism and hate, as well as implement initiatives aimed at engaging audiences beyond the Jewish community.”
Kulanu, meaning “all of us” in Hebrew, is a new congregational engagement program from ADL dedicated to empowering congregations to address antisemitism and hate in their communities through education, community engagement and advocacy. The program, which will be held annually, kicks off at the start of the Jewish New Year.
“Bringing communities together is a critical step in for our collective fight against antisemitism and bigotry of all kinds. A rising tide lifts all boats and providing our partner synagogues with the same expert insights and knowledge better equips all of us in the fight against hate,” says Jeffrey I. Abrams, Regional Director of ADL Los Angeles which is partnering with 9 synagogues across Los Angeles and the Valley. See below for full list.
The selected synagogues will have exclusive access to expert insight and webinars. Congregations will also work to build meaningful connections between synagogues to address antisemitism, or pilot new programs or initiatives focused on engaging external audiences beyond their synagogue community.
The Kulanu Synagogues program comes as ADL is ramping up community and legislative outreach at both the state and federal level around its comprehensive plan to fight antisemitism, the COMBAT Plan. Synagogue professionals, clergy, or lay leaders interested in learning more about the program or applying to be part of next year’s cohort should visit the Kulanu web page or email kulanu@adl.org.
Participating synagogues in the region of ADL Los Angeles include:
Sephardic Temple
Sinai Temple
Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Congregation Kol Ami
Ahavat Torah Congregation
Temple Isaiah
Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills
Valley Beth Shalom
Adat Ari El
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. More at www.adl.org
###