JCC Global Announces New Leadership | Passover 2026
- JCC Global
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcoming JCC Global New President
We are excited to share that the JCC Global Board of Directors has officially approved the nomination of Gary E. Jacobs as the new President of JCC Global.
Gary brings decades of leadership, philanthropy, and deep commitment to Jewish communal life. As Founder and Managing Director of Jacobs Investment Company LLC, and a long-standing leader within the JCC movement, Gary has consistently demonstrated vision, responsibility, and a strong sense of global Jewish peoplehood.
A member of the JCC Association Board since 2004 and its immediate past Chair, Gary has played a central role in shaping strategic direction, governance, and resource development across the field. His leadership extends into education, innovation, and Jewish-Arab partnership initiatives in Israel and beyond.
For over a decade, Gary has also been a dedicated member of the JCC Global Board, stepping forward time and again to support communities in moments of crisis and growth.
We look forward to his leadership in the years ahead.
Partnerships in Action - Supporting Israel in Times of Crisis
Although Israel is currently in a state of emergency, the partnerships within "JCC Global - From Good to Great" program continue to operate with strength and resilience.
The Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia mobilized immediate support for its partners — the Beit Shemesh Community Centers Network, mourning the tragic loss of residents following a rocket attack, and the Hesed Besht in Khmelnytsky, which continues to navigate the ongoing realities of war in Ukraine.
In another powerful moment of connection, the Rishon LeZion East Community Center hosted a moving conversation with Sigi Cohen, mother of Elia Cohen, who was abducted from the Nova music festival and held captive for 505 days. Partners from Ukraine and the United States joined the call, creating a shared space for grief, resilience, and solidarity.
At the same time, partnerships continue to grow through creativity and shared purpose.
Looking Ahead: JCC Global 11th World Conference
"Rooted Here, Transforming Everywhere"
300 JCC Leaders | 30 Countries
With cautious optimism, we continue to move forward with preparations and registration for the upcoming JCC Global World Conference.
We are encouraged by the strong interest from communities around the world and are actively shaping a meaningful and relevant program that reflects the realities and opportunities of this moment.
Highlights in development include:
Dedicated tracks on resilience, leadership, and Jewish peoplehood
Integration with the "JCC Global - From Good to Great" global partnerships retreat
Opportunities for deep peer exchange and cross-regional collaboration
Exploring Jerusalem’s civic and cultural life as a living laboratory of social innovation
Closing Gala - Celebrating Israeli culture as a bridge across communities
We are deeply grateful to our global advisory committee, whose members continue to engage thoughtfully and generously, helping us shape the vision and content of the conference during a complex and demanding time.
UK Study Delegation - Building Bridges
We extend our sincere thanks to Jewish Care, who so thoughtfully organized and hosted this meaningful and inspiring study delegation.
Participants from the USA, Poland, Serbia and Czech Republic had the opportunity to engage with leading institutions, explore innovative models of Jewish community life, and deepen professional relationships across regions.
Special thanks to Brighton and Hove Jewish Community (BNJC) for hosting the delegation and presenting their unique model of a JCC that includes residential housing.
“The interaction with our hosts and fellow participants was priceless - bringing together perspectives from the US, Great Britain, and Eastern Europe”
Jane Rubin, JCCA Board Member, St. Louis JCC, USA.
6th Summit of European Jewish Leaders - Athens, Greece
The 6th Summit of European Jewish Leaders (ECJC) in Athens, co-sponsored by ECJC and JDC, has come to an end - and what a meaningful and successful gathering it was.
We extend our warm congratulations to ECJC CEO Taly Mair and her dedicated team, as well as to Marc Sugerman on his appointment as the new President.
The Summit brought together leaders from across Europe to strengthen collaboration, share challenges, and build a more connected future for Jewish communities across the continent.
We were proud to contribute to the conversation, with JCC Global Fellows stepping into leadership roles and facilitating sessions, alongside the delegation of JCCs from Ukraine whose participation we supported. These moments reflected the strength of JCC Global partnerships as a model of resilience and global cooperation.
Passover in Partnership - Kharkiv, Atlanta & London
This Passover, partnership takes on a powerful and tangible expression.
Through the collaboration between JCC Beit Dan in Kharkiv, The Marcus JCC in Atlanta, and JCC Cares in London, new educational materials were created to support local community Seders - connecting the ancient story of liberation with the lived realities of today.
One of the initiatives invites participants to add a beet to the Seder plate — a symbolic act rooted in the Hebrew word selek, meaning “to remove.” This addition serves as a prayer and a reminder of the hardship, fear, and displacement faced by Ukrainian Jews today, and the hope that these challenges will be lifted.
Another addition introduces sunflower oil — a symbol deeply connected to Ukraine — representing not only survival, but the ongoing effort, care, and commitment required to build a future.
These materials reflect something deeper: even in the midst of war, Jewish communities continue to educate, gather, and create meaning — together.
Read more at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta blog:
Maccabiah 2026: A Global Celebration of Jewish Unity and Resilience
The Maccabi World Union (MWU) is one of the world’s leading Jewish movements, connecting hundreds of thousands of people across five continents through sport, culture, and shared identity.
At its heart stands the Maccabiah - the largest Jewish gathering in the world and the second-largest international sporting event.
Maccabiah 2026 is far more than a competition.It is a powerful expression of unity, resilience, and pride - bringing together the Jewish world, its allies, and global audiences for an unforgettable celebration of connection and belonging.
In the wake of the events of October 7 and amid a rise in antisemitism worldwide, Maccabiah 2026 stands as a meaningful statement of peoplehood, strength, and hope.
The Maccabiah invites you to join this summer in Israel:
July 1, 2026 – Opening Ceremony, Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem
July 6–10, 2026 – Maccabiah City, Expo Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv
A Passover Reflection
There is a moment near the beginning of Exodus that is very tender.
A mother places her child in a basket — a teva — and sets him on the Nile.
The Torah uses this same word for Noah's ark: not a vessel built for a destination, but one built for survival — to hold what is most precious when the world outside has become too dangerous to bear.
Yocheved does not rage against Pharaoh. She does something quieter and more radical — she builds a protected space from whatever is at hand, and releases it into the current with fierce, desperate trust.
This is what communities in crisis do.
We have seen it in Ukraine and in Israel, where JCCs became tevot: baskets on a raging river - offering warmth, food, connection, and dignity to people whose world had collapsed overnight.
When we speak about creating safe spaces - physically, programmatically, emotionally — we are continuing this oldest of human instincts.
Not permanent fortresses, but held spaces:
enough protection to allow life to continue,
enough care to remind people they are not forgotten.
The basket floated.
Moses lived.
The story did not end in the reeds — and neither
