Partner Spotlight:
Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, Temple Beth El and Temple Sinai, Congregation Rodeph Shalom, and The JCC of San Francisco
Building Bridges to Protect Democracy: Four Communities Taking Action This Election Season
Action Plan: Led a community event dedicated to freedom of the press, supporting local journalism, and addressing misinformation.
Partner Since: 2026
This election season, JPD partners are making the case that protecting democracy is a community endeavor. This month, we spoke with four partners sparking faith-based conversations, demystifying elections and the voting process, and strengthening civic fabric before the midterms. Here’s what they’re learning.
Make elections less mysterious.
The Youngstown Area Jewish Federation in Ohio is collaborating with their local Press Club and League of Women Voters for "Defending the Ballot Box”. The event in mid-October will feature election officials, Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department deputy, and former Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar. Attendees will learn about the voting process, including examining an actual voting machine.
The idea grew from questions Melissa Bateman, Director of Community Engagement at the Federation, and Elise Skolnick, Director of Communications and Marketing, were hearing about the election process, including concerns about receiving duplicate absentee ballot requests. Bateman shared,
The federation hosted a registration drive on National Voter Registration Day, and almost 70 people came by in just two hours to register or check their voter registration. Now, they hope the October event can turn that interest into greater confidence in the voting process. Skolnick said,
Build trust before tackling hard issues.
Two congregations in Stamford, Connecticut are collaborating this election season. Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut has explored many social action issues, organizing programs on book-banning, reproductive justice, and refugees. In mid-October, they’re hosting Isaac Saul, founder of the podcast Tangle, to discuss the midterm elections issues. Elissa Hyman, Board Member and Co-Chair of the Tzedek Social Justice Committee, said,
“My hope is for anyone who comes to this thinking that they shouldn’t vote because it won’t count or it’s rigged - that they’re going to leave that night thinking, ‘I need to vote. My vote will be counted.’”
“It’s important right now that people feel their election is safe and secure, to not be intimidated at the election, and second of all, to know your vote is being counted…that you have to be a participant in your democracy. It’s required of you.”
That work has built trust within the congregation, and confidence that the committee can engage difficult issues this election season without dividing the community. Irma Ross, X ROLE, said,
“We were seeing things happening and what was going on in the United States, and we felt it was inconsistent with our Jewish values. We wanted to find a way, as a congregation, to respond constructively.”
Meanwhile, Temple Sinai's annual “Political Brunch” – also in Stamford – brings candidates from both parties to the congregation, with almost 400 people attending for high-profile races. This year's event includes the local congressman and his opponent, state legislators in contested races, and an attorney general candidate. Marian Freed, Vice President of Social Action at Temple Sinai said,
“This is a group of women who show up, who are invested, who care about the issues, who volunteer, and actually follow through. If they say, ‘I’m gonna do it,’ they do it.”
Temple Sinai also hosts nonpartisan postcard events. They ordered 390 postcards from the RAC and the Center for Common Ground, distributed them, and have already received their second batch. But both congregations acknowledge the challenges of work where payoff isn’t immediate. Freed said,
"It’s a way for our community to get to know the candidates and learn about the things they didn’t know. People are engaged - there are always more questions than there is time for. When Beth El reached out to me, I thought this would be a fabulous opportunity.”
Make room for disagreement.
Rabbi Eli Freedman of Congregation Rodeph Shalom spent nearly a decade in the Multifaith Neighbors Network, alongside Pastor Kevin Brown of Perfecting Church and Imam Idris Abdul-Zahir of Masjid Allah. This fall, those relationships became the foundation for their faith250 cluster. Freedman said,
“People will come in droves…I have waiting lists for projects like serving dinner at the homeless shelter. Working in the food pantry. Helping immigrants in Israel learn English. The things that are hands on and that people get immediate satisfaction from are easy. The things that take longer to see the results, or they’re afraid of what the results are going to be, are harder.”
"We haven't always had the right language to be in conversation. We’re trying to open a door rather than put up a wall."
After a recent conversation on Christian nationalism at Perfecting Church, the group will gather in Rodeph Shalom’s sukkah for a shared meal and text study on Judaism and democracy. In early October, they’ll meet at Masjid Allah to explore the Muslim community’s relationship to democracy. Following the midterms, CNN’s Dana Bash will moderate a conversation with the three faith leaders.
Freedman is candid that this work means leaning into friction rather than avoiding it. Over the years, the three faith leaders have developed the trust and courage to have hard conversations. Freedman shared a recent conversation with one of the other faith leaders about Israel:
"Rather than just sending [the video] as a gotcha, he asked with real curiosity: what do you agree with? What don’t you agree with? How does this affect your community?"
This programming has brought new voices from the congregation. Two congregants were so moved by the first session that they delayed their flight home to keep the conversation going.
"I would encourage folks to just jump right in, find a community, and get people in a room together talking, because I think that's the most important thing that we do in our country right now."
Turn community space into civic space.
The JCC of San Francisco is partnering with the San Francisco Department of Elections to bring nonpartisan voter education to their community. They’re also hosting poll-worker recruitment and appreciation events, and using their communications and programming to share reliable, nonpartisan election information. Erica Aren, Senior Director of Roots & Culture at the JCC, says their work is rooted in a question:
"How can Jewish institutions help strengthen the social fabric by bringing people together across differences, while remaining rooted in our own values and traditions?"
That question shaped how they approached this election season from the start. Aren shared,
"The 2026 Election Initiative grew from a belief that the JCC can be a civic commons, a town square. This is a place where people with different experiences, perspectives, and political views can come together in meaningful conversation.”
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