FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2026
JCRC Bay Area has been closely monitoring escalating hostilities in the Middle East, and Jewish communal security considerations at home, since the United States and Israel launched a joint operation against the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We mourn the casualties and pray for the safety of Israeli, Iranian, and Middle Eastern civilians caught in the crossfire, as well as U.S. and Israeli service members.
We stand with the Iranian people yearning for freedom. The Iranian regime, led by Ayatollah Khamenei from 1989 until his recent assassination, has been a leading sponsor of global terrorism and responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people, including U.S. service members. It has subjected its citizens to brutal repression in the form of torture, imprisonment, and executions – including the mass murder of protesters in recent months. Women, LGBTQ+ people, and ethnic minorities have been its particular targets.
JCRC and the Bay Area Jewish community have consensus on diplomatically preventing a nuclear-armed Iran – with military force as a last resort – because the regime’s decades-long pursuit of nuclear weapons would, if successful, pose an existential threat to its neighbors, including Israel. However, the current conflict is likely to play into polarization in our country and to generate different views within the Jewish community.
We are unlikely to find consensus within our community on the U.S. government’s justification for the use of force at this time. Similarly, community consensus is unlikely to be found regarding the President’s unilateral military action – taken without Congressional approval. Despite these policy disagreements, our community is united by the belief that Israelis and Iranians alike deserve to live in freedom with security. It is our deep hope that ultimately there will be lasting peace across the region.
We are in the early stages of a new conflict and the road ahead holds great uncertainty. Many important questions are yet to be answered: What is the “day after” plan for Iran should the regime fall? How do the Iranian people move towards greater freedom? How does the U.S. avoid repeating the hard lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan? Are the U.S. and Israel prepared should hostilities escalate within and beyond the Middle East? What will be the long-term consequences for Israeli society, already facing growing isolation? How will all of this impact the Jewish community and our neighbors here in the Bay Area?
Like Americans, the peoples of the Middle East shouldn’t be conflated with their governments. Jews, Iranians, Muslims, and the other impacted communities should not face harassment or hostility because of their national origin, faith, or identity.
Unfortunately, Jewish institutions across the Bay Area, and around the world, already face heightened security threats due to Middle East conflict. With the recent violent attacks on Jews in Bondi Beach, Boulder, and Washington, DC, and growing antisemitic rhetoric, we are concerned these latest developments may adversely impact the environment for our community.
As we have for more than 75 years, JCRC will serve as a resource for our Jewish and civic partners across the Bay Area as the conflict continues to evolve.
About JCRC:
JCRC Bay Area is the largest collective voice of Bay Area Jews, working in pursuit of a more just world where Jewish identity is embraced and all people thrive. By building bridges and working in coalition with diverse ethnic, faith, political, and civic communities, we foster partnerships, provide meaningful educational and engagement opportunities, and build consensus for actionable solutions to real-world challenges. www.jcrc.org.
