Twin Cities Jewish Community Government Affairs Program

Striving to improve the lives of the most vulnerable among us within the Jewish and non-Jewish Communities, the Twin Cities Jewish Community Government Affairs Program embodies Rabbi Hillel’s admonition: If I am not for myself, who will be? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” 

Initiated in 2001, and generously funded by the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, the United Jewish Fund & Council of Saint Paul, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, the Twin Cities Jewish Community Government Affairs Program represents our agencies before the federal, state and local governments. It serves as a vital connection between the Jewish Community and our elected officials, our allies at United Jewish Communities in Washington, D.C., and Minnesota’s vibrant nonprofit community.

Since its inception, the Government Affairs Program has helped protect and steer over $20 million in annual government funding for a full spectrum of programs and services.  These services include, but are by no means limited to, Sholom Community Alliance’s nursing and community based services, Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Minneapolis’ and Jewish Family Service of Saint Paul’s Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) program, and the vocational, counseling and educational services offered by Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Minneapolis. 

The current director of the Twin Cities Jewish Community Government Affairs Program is Ethan Roberts, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College and a law degree from Stanford University. 

If you are interested in working with the Twin Cities Government Affairs Program, there are several ways to become involved.  To receive updates and send targeted messages to your elected officials on issues concerning senior services, please contact Ethan Roberts at ethan@minndakjcrc.org and ask to have your named added to the Senior Services Action Alert database.  If there are other government funding issues that you would like to advocate for or would like to attend face-to-face meetings with your elected officials; Ethan would love to hear from you. 

In the weeks and months to come, please return to this page for links to timely Action Alerts and opportunities to make a difference.