The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) organizes the Jewish communities of Chicagoland to pursue justice. For more than 60 years, we’ve trained, mobilized, and connected Jewish individuals and institutions to combat injustice — in deep partnership with our neighbors across Chicago and Illinois.

JCUA’s work is powered by more than 2,000 members who collaborate with staff, Board, and coalition partners to lead campaigns and initiatives across our core issue areas: immigration justice, community safety, housing and economic justice, and the fight against antisemitism.

At the heart of JCUA’s work is the understanding that our safety as Jews is inseparable from the well-being of our neighboring communities. For decades, we’ve built and sustained multiracial, multifaith coalitions to dismantle systems of harm and build something better in their place.

Join us! Become a member, make a gift, and help us build a region where everyone in Illinois has the safety, dignity, and resources they need to flourish.

Our Theory of Change

For six decades, JCUA has worked to create a region that is a home for all people — where Jews and our neighbors have safety, dignity, and the resources we need to flourish. Here’s how we pursue justice:

Our Values

• Tzedek (Justice) drives us to challenge injustice and fight for systems that reflect our deepest commitments.

• Makom (Place) reminds us that place matters. We root our work in the unique people, histories, and geographies of Chicago and Illinois, creating space where everyone can show up, be seen, and belong.

• Tikkun (Repair) pushes us to build and repair, through sustained organizing, investment, and care.

Our Work

• Community: We unite Jews across all walks of life, forging bonds with neighbors to create a connected, inclusive community.
• Education: We empower our members and partners with the knowledge and skills to become powerful leaders.
• Action: We participate in grassroots campaigns and offers direct support through the Community Ventures Program (CVP).

Our Impact

• Mobilization: A mobilized Jewish community is at the forefront of addressing injustice across Chicago and Illinois.
• Solidarity: Jews and our neighbors in the region thrive in a close-knit community of mutual support and protection.
• Transformation: Unjust systems are dismantled, and people have the power to shape their individual and our collective futures.

Restorative Justice

At JCUA, we strive to remain in relationship through harm and conflict, guided by our values of accountability, solidarity, and transformation. To do our work effectively, we must believe that change is possible — both in the world and in our relationships with one another. As part of this commitment, JCUA has developed a Harm Response System to help us navigate conflict within our community while staying true to our principles. A team of JCUA staff, members, and Board representatives has come together to design both proactive and responsive approaches to conflict resolution and harm repair. Learn more about this work.