Our Story
JADE began as a forum where people could gather to discuss issues of local importance – the collective traumas of the pandemic, the economic crisis and its effects on our families, our communities, and the worsening levels of inflammatory political rhetoric that tore through our schools, houses of worship, and everyday lives.
Early on, our members didn’t just want to share thoughts, they wanted to take action and so we did, while keeping socially distant and staying home. We shared fact-based and informative articles about wearing masks, battling Covid-19 and tracked promising scientific developments. We got involved politically, joining phone banks, writing letters and emails urging people to register and vote. What started off as a means of salvation, steadily grew into a community of members that spans several states and countries. Most striking is that some of our members had never joined any grassroots group or engaged in rigorous debates on current issues beyond their kitchen tables.
Following the 2020 US Election, we redoubled our efforts to support our democracy, focus on a return to civil discourse, identify bipartisan issues - from race and poverty, to avoiding environmental disasters - and bridging divides. We created a monthly charity initiative to focus JADE’s collective efforts to select causes, raising funds for a local food pantry, and supporting LGBTQ Jewish youth at risk during the pandemic.
Our first public event was the Covid-19 Vaccines “What You Need to Know, What You Want to Know” forum organized by JADE in partnership with the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC. The Dec. 30th event, which drew nearly 1,000 registrants, gathered medical experts and area leaders focused on providing equality in healthcare to share vital information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
We pledge to continue working on ways to help our nation move forward and heal, to engage in vibrant discourse, address the animosity and intolerance that has overtaken our communities, and to revisit fundamental questions that can bring about real progress.