The JT caught up Baltimore Jewish Council Executive Director Howard Libit for a quick Q&A about the Baltimore Jewish community’s political voice.
How do you decide which issues the BJC tackles?
Working with lay leadership and The Associated, we try and gauge what the community cares most about.
What are you working on this week?
This very week? [Laughs.] We have several virtual programs this week and coming up, so we’re working on that and planning out events for the fall. And we’re planning for November. [Just yesterday, Sept. 13] we launched our Teen Social Justice program. We’re also planning for the general assembly next year.
Now is the time when we’re meeting with legislators via Zoom to talk about priorities and budgeting for 2021.
What topics do you expect the BJC to focus on in 2021?
Hate crime legislation will be a big one. And the budget for the state is going to be a big deal. It will look different. So [we need to] make a strong case for why the different dollars go where and why support for our community is so important, especially support for seniors in the community, and be prepared to make sure those things don’t stop receiving support.
