(949) 660-8525 OrangeCounty@ajc.org
Miki Sholkoff , Chapter President
Rabbi Marc S. Dworkin, Executive Director
Lisa Grajewski, Assistant Director
Adele Bilewitz, Executive Administrator
Who We Are
Founded over 25 years ago, the Orange County chapter exists to serve more than 100,000 Jews through programming, advocacy, and coalition building within the community. The chapter aims to advance the mission of The American Jewish Committee:
* To ensure the safety and vitality of Israel and Jews worldwide
* To safeguard basic principles of American Democracy
* To enhance the quality of American Jewish life
The hallmark of the Orange County chapter of the American Jewish Committee is building human bridges of mutual trust and understanding within the Jewish and general communities.
On-Going Programs, Initiatives, and Community Partnerships:
Advocacy: The Orange County chapter strives to maintain close working relationships with members of Congress, State Senators, State Assembly members, County Supervisors, and members of each City Council in Orange County. The chapter continually strengthens existing relationships and forms new ones to reinforce its position in the community as a valuable resource for elected officials at all levels. We have a very active Advocacy Committee, comprised of prominent lay leaders, who accompany chapter staff when briefing elected officials.
Recent advocacy efforts have included meeting with members of Congress to discuss American-Israeli relations, genocide in Darfur, and the nuclear crisis in Iran, among other issues. We have briefed them on both AJC’s general policy positions on such issues and our support or opposition to pending legislation.
Energy Independence: The chapter has a very active energy committee that is working towards implementing AJC’s agenda of reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil, both to strengthen national security and weaken a significant source of funding for terrorist organizations. The OC energy committee has met with members of Congress, as well as the state senate and assembly, to discuss specific legislation on the issue and communicate AJC’s general concerns. In addition, the committee met with the Director of the Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) to explore ways the chapter can partner with the center on its cutting edge research and innovations. The committee has also had briefings with nationally-recognized experts to learn more about how the complexities of energy independence are evolving nationally and internationally.
Engaging America: Engaging America brings together leaders of every ethnic and religious community to create dialogues on issues of mutual interest and concern, as well as to promote understanding and acceptance. This program trains AJC lay leaders in reaching out to other constituencies and building strong, working coalitions. The Orange County chapter’s Engaging America program has had several joint meetings and forums with active members of the Latino and Vietnamese communities, two of the largest ethnic communities in the county.
Catholic-Jewish Dialogue: The Orange County Chapter plays a vital role in the monthly Catholic-Jewish Dialogues of Orange County. Co-Chaired by Rabbi Marc Dworkin, this coalition includes Rabbis, Catholic Priests, and community leaders from both faiths who come together to discuss timely issues of mutual concern. These dialogues provide a vehicle for communication between the two faith communities, and promote awareness and tolerance by allowing for open dialogue on critical issues which highlight over-lapping ideologues and facilitate a better understanding of differences.
International Relations and Diplomacy Program for Emerging Leaders: This program is engaging a small, select group of up-and-coming Jewish leaders in the international work of AJC. Members are chosen based on their demonstrated leadership abilities, involvement in the community, and potential for becoming an integral part of AJC’s mission and goals. Participants receive special briefings on AJC’s priority international relations issues and meet with diplomats and foreign leaders to discuss these issues. This provides the emerging Jewish leadership of Orange County with an opportunity to become involved in the diplomatic process, and gives foreign consuls access to a part of the population that they may not have access to otherwise.
Judaism and Academe; College Jewish Life and Anti-Semitism on Campus: The Orange County chapter has formed strong alliances with several colleges and universities in Orange County, including UC Irvine. This past January, the chapter co-hosted Latinos & Jews: A Conference on Historical and Contemporary Connections. The conference was co-hosted with the UCI Center for Research on Latinos in a Global Society. Over 150 attendees participated.
President’s Council: The President’s Council is a select group of very high-level, influential community leaders within AJC who come together for private, VIP briefings on pressing national and international issues. In December of 2006, Yehudit Barsky, Director of AJC’s Division on Middle East and International Terrorism, came out to Orange County to address the President’s Council on Iran, Terrorism, and Israel.
Annual Events:
National Human Relations Award Dinner: Each year, the Orange Countychapter of AJC presents the National Human Relations Award to a community leader in recognition of tremendous professional accomplishments and civic concern. Past honorees have included James Mazzo, President and CEO of Advanced Medical Options, Inc. and Dwight W. Decker, Chairman of Conexant Systems, Inc.
Samuel Gendel Community Service Award Dinner: The Orange County chapter recognizes and honors its lay leaders and active members annually. Past honorees have included AJC Presidents, Board members, and generous supporters.
Judge Learned Hand Awards Luncheon: Each year, members of the legal community are honored at the annual Judge Learned Hand awards luncheon. A Lifetime Achievement award is given to an attorney whose life-long accomplishments and achievements warrant significant recognition. A Community Services Award is bestowed upon an attorney who has given back to the community and enhanced the lives of others through philanthropy, volunteerism, and activism. An Emerging Leader award is presented to an attorney who is an up-and-coming member of the community and has demonstrated great leadership potential.
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service: AJC annually co-sponsors a Thanksgiving Service that combines Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Sikh traditions. The event helps foster understanding and tolerance between the communities, and usually draws a crowd of 150-300 participants.
Examples of Past Events:
David Harris Luncheon: AJC Executive Director David Harris came to Orange County in February of 2006 for a luncheon with a select group of AJC lay leaders. Approximately 100 leaders participated in this opportunity to hear from David Harris on issues such as terrorism, the Middle East peace process, and contemporary Jewish life.
Israeli Elections Forum: In March of 2006, the chapter hosted Gilad Milo, Consul for Media and Public Affairs, Consulate General of Israel. Consul Milo spoke about the recent Israeli elections and the impact of the results on the peace process. Approximately 150 AJC members participated in this intimate dialogue with the Israeli government.
Presidential Election Forum: Just prior to the 2004 Presidential election, AJC held a forum on the relevance of the issues at stake to the Jewish community. Over 200 people participated.
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