Partner Spotlight:
Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass
A Jewish Community Grows Tomorrow’s Advocates
In the heart of Central Kentucky, the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass is turning civic concern into effective action. Amid increasing community anxiety about a wide range of issues - from antisemitism to the breakdown of American democratic norms - the Federation observed an urgent need: to equip their community with new knowledge, tools, and approaches to enact meaningful change. Realizing that legislative and societal shifts require more than just passion, they have created a comprehensive training initiative that transforms concerned citizens into confident advocates.
"We saw a growing need to empower our community with tools to effectively advocate, not just for Jewish concerns, but for democratic values we all share," explained Executive Director Mindy Haas. "After hosting Jewish Advocacy Day, we realized people were eager to get involved, but needed guidance. ‘Advocacy 101’ was born from that energy.”
Strategic Priorities: Civic Learning
Commitment: Advocacy 101 will train up to 100 community members annually in effective legislative advocacy, equipping them with practical skills to influence policy decisions that impact the Jewish community and democratic society.
Partners since: 2024
Haas’ team designed a comprehensive program to train community members in effective legislative advocacy, providing practical skills to influence policy decisions impacting both the Jewish community and greater American democracy. Through structured, hands-on sessions from expert speakers, participants learned the ins and outs of legislative advocacy and coalition-building.
The program's approach is multi-faceted, with resources like a Kentucky-specific legislative guide and clear one-pagers with talking points on various bills. Training sessions cover effective communication with lawmakers, media engagement, and meeting preparation. This curriculum culminates in Jewish Advocacy Day in Frankfort, where participants apply their newfound skills by engaging directly with state legislators.
“It's important to our community because it turns uncertainty into action and ensures our voices are heard in meaningful, constructive ways,” said Haas.
While ‘Advocacy 101’ was created for the Kentucky Jewish community, it could easily be scaled for other organizations. Haas noted that A More Perfect Union’s framework helps partner organizations to focus and align efforts within the national movement to strengthen democracy.
"Knowing we are part of a larger network provides both inspiration and practical support, explained Haas. "And the program is designed to be modular and adaptable. Creating a toolkit, training sessions, and a community-based approach can be easily replicated by other Jewish communities or civic partners, especially when tailored to local legislative contexts and coalitions."
In addition to equipping community members with much-needed advocacy skills, ‘Advocacy 101’ has also provided Haas with hope, knowing that their work continues to empower community members well beyond the workshop. Advocacy training isn’t just an event on the programming calendar; it’s a sustainable resource with lasting impact.
"Seeing people, especially young adults and families, show up ready to learn, speak up, and support each other reminds me that civic engagement is alive and growing. Hope is in that willingness to act together."
Want to run an Advocacy 101 in your community? Check out this awesome Steal This! Project Playbook from the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass for step-by-step guidance!
For information about how your organization can work with A More Perfect Union,
contact our team at [email protected].