The Mission of the SJCA is to strengthen Jewish communal life in Scarsdale by advocating for the interests and well-being of the Jewish community, promoting Jewish identity, fostering community, supporting educational excellence, building bridges with local institutions and other communities within Scarsdale, and serving as a local resource for other civic institutions and organizations within Scarsdale.
The Core Principles of the SJCA are:
• Jewish Peoplehood: our organization is rooted in the common heritage and culture of the Jewish people and is not a faith-based organization;
• Pluralism: we are non-denominational and welcome all Jews across religious, subcultural, and secular identities;
• Nonpartisanship: we are not aligned with any political party;
• Self-Determination: we unequivocally support the existence of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people;
• Constructive Engagement: we seek practical solutions, productive dialogue, and positive outcomes; and
• Menschlichkeit.
The Core Ethos of the SJCA is to be:
• a civic and community organization, rather than a religious institution;
• a platform for advocacy, education, and engagement;
• a representative voice for Scarsdale’s Jewish community in local matters;
• a conduit for connection across backgrounds, affiliations, and observance;
• representative of Scarsdale’s Jewish community as a whole, not affiliated with any one synagogue or denomination; and
• a local complement to, and liaison with, synagogues, the JCC, and regional and national Jewish organizations.
