Stand Up walks into JCA
“It is a proud day for all of us as we welcome Stand Up to our family..."
Stand Up, the Australian Jewish social justice organisation, is now a “supported organisation” of JCA, the first such organisation to join JCA in 10 years.
“It is a proud day for all of us as we welcome Stand Up to our family,” said JCA president Ian Sandler.
“By broadening the scope of our engagement we are ensuring that as Jewish people we take care of others as well as our local Jewish community.”
The development signals a move by the JCA to engage with what co-chair Mel Schwartz described as a “young, energetic, passionate sector of our community” who are looking to do “meaningful work that resonates with their Jewish identity and broader community beliefs”.
“We believe that this group should have a home within the JCA family,” said Schwartz.
“JCA looks forward to supporting Stand Up so that they can focus on running programs and achieving their goals in NSW.”
Established in 1994 in response to the Rwandan genocide, Stand Up cites its philosophical roots in “tikkun olam” – the Jewish principle of “repairing the world”, often seen in terms of social justice.
Stand Up works to provide a collective Jewish response to communal and global humanitarian issues. Its work includes a partnership program with Australian Indigenous communities; a program that pairs South Sudanese migrants with Jewish “buddies” to help them build “meaningful” relationships in Australia; and advocacy work, such as a current petition to the government to give aid and visas for Afghan refugees.
Stand Up has been operating in NSW for over eight years.
“We are extremely grateful to the JCA Status Committee and board of governors for the opportunity to join this exciting, dynamic organisation,” said Stand Up CEO Courtney Winter-Peters.
“Becoming part of the JCA family will enable us to reach even more people in the NSW Jewish community. I can’t wait to share our exciting plans in the near future.”
Recent highlights of Stand Up’s activities include a 2021 bushfire relief effort, which according to the statement raised almost $1m to be disbursed to organisations on the ground such as Vinnies NSW, Island Care South Australia and the Rural Fire service. Through its own Derech Eretz program, which has a rural and Indigenous focus, Stand Up also supported Gomeroi musician Kobie Dee’s Gomeroi Nation Tour, in Boggabilla.
JCA added that together they “will continue to enhance social justice awareness and inter-community collaboration with an aligned vision for a thriving and inclusive Jewish community”.
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