The Jewish Voice for
Social Justice in Chicago
The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs is transforming Chicago into a city free of poverty, racism and antisemitism, by mobilizing the Jewish community to be a powerful voice for economic and racial justice. For 57 years, we have worked in partnership with diverse coalitions and directly impacted communities to address the root causes of disparity and advocate for concrete improvements in people’s lives. With a growing membership of more than 2,000 Jews across Chicagoland, we bring a committed base to three main program areas: grassroots organizing campaigns, youth engagement, and community development. Join our movement.
Grassroots Organizing
Grassroots Organizing
We build collective power through grassroots community organizing. Our campaigns aim to end injustice and oppression by transforming systems of policing, immigration, housing, and more.
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Community Development
Community Development
We strengthen Chicago neighborhoods through our Community Ventures Program, which funds affordable housing and economic development projects across the city.
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Youth Engagement
Youth Engagement
We empower young Jewish leaders through programs that explore community organizing through a Jewish lens. Teens and young adults make up an integral part of our multi-generational community.
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JCUA’s mission is to strive for justice and equity in our city, country and across the world.
In order to align our food choices with these values, we adopt DefaultVeg
as our food practice for all meetings and events, to shift our purchasing practices
away from factory farming — a root cause of social injustice for humans, animals, and the environment.