Photo: Stan Shapiro z”l pictured with his grandchildren

By Holly Brod Farber and Sally Abrams
Directors of Judaism and Israel Education

May 7, 2026

Education is at the core of JCRC’s mission. Each year, we reach thousands of students, teachers, and community members across public, private, Catholic, suburban, and rural schools. We teach Jewish identity, history, peoplehood, and antisemitism — and that Judaism is not only a religion, but a culture, a people, and a civilization that brought groundbreaking ideas to humanity. We teach about our homeland, Israel, our identity as “Am Yisrael” and the fact that our peoplehood is bound to our homeland in a story that is both as ancient and modern as we are. 

This work is urgent. Too many students learn about Jews only through tragedy, and Jewish kids are growing up in a world that often misunderstands or misrepresents what it means to be Jewish. Too many students are learning about current events involving Israel from social media.  Amid this challenge, JCRC brings something real and relatable to hundreds of classrooms across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and beyond — replacing ignorance with understanding, and fear with pride.  

We ground our outreach education in sharing our story of joy, contributions, and values, while offering our own community safe spaces to ask questions, build connections, and lead with knowledge, confidence, and pride to navigate whatever comes their way. 

In this moment, JCRC stands as the backbone of our community — where the community turns for guidance, strategy, education, and leadership. We have become a hub for resilience, helping people respond wisely rather than react in fear, speak clearly rather than be silenced, and remain proud of who they are. 

This work is only possible because of supporters like The Stan Shapiro Judaism and Israel Education Fund, created to honor the life and legacy of Stan Shapiro z”l — a WWII veteran, devoted family man, and a builder of community with unwavering integrity. Deeply rooted in his love for Israel and the Jewish people, Stan believed profoundly in dor l’dor, generation to generation. Together with his beloved wife Sandi, he instilled these values in their children and grandchildren. 

Stan frequently visited Israel, often bringing his family not only as tourists but as volunteers. A lifelong learner, he loved studying Israel’s history and current events. To his grandchildren, he was a warm, loving presence with a generous heart and sense of humor — someone who never missed a celebration and always reminded them: “At the end of the day, your family is the most important.” 

In his memory, the Shapiro family established this fund to support programs that build Jewish identity, education, and connection to Israel — ensuring his legacy lives on. 

Stan’s commitment to linking his legacy with the Jewish homeland lives on in our mission. Our JCRC Youth Fellowship for Jewish Identity and Leadership helps our kids know the story of the Jewish people and find their place in it. Our professional development and educational outreach focus on holding educators accountable for accurate, peer-reviewed curricula, protected from harmful propaganda and hateful rhetoric. 

Across K–12 schools and college campuses, our staff build lasting relationships grounded in the understanding that Jews are the proud stewards of a 4,000-year tradition in which ethical doctrines like loving the stranger, protecting the vulnerable, centering acts of loving kindness and an inviolable connection to the Land of Israel are cornerstone principles of our peoplehood. 

We are deeply grateful to the Shapiro family for believing in this sacred work. Your support is visible everywhere — in classrooms, in conversations, in the confidence of Jewish teenagers, and in the strength of our community. Todah rabah, thank you. 

This blog post was the featured staff column for the May 2026 Gesher (‘Bridge’ in Hebrew) – JCRC’s monthly email newsletter.
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