AJC has deepened our sense of Jewish identity , and made us more engaged and educated members of our global community . We were both looking for ways to make the Jewish values of charity ( tzedakah ) and repairing the world ( tikkun olam ) active parts of our lives when we got involved with AJC .
AJC has educated us about cultures , religions and communities outside our own personal experiences . This has included meaningful engagement with leaders in the Muslim , Hindu , Buddhist , Mormon , Catholic and Eastern Orthodox religions and others . These interactions have shown us that religion need not be what divides people , but what can actually bring us together . Through trust building that comes from listening to and learning about each other , we can create solutions to challenges among people , and within societies , that we did not believe to be possible .
AJC has given us the extraordinary opportunity to participate with senior AJC staff in meetings with government leaders , senior diplomats and civil society leaders around the world and engage in important dialogue about AJC priority issues . These interactions build bridges of communication at the highest levels that have led to important change in governmental policies and diplomatic relations . This work is done in a way that only AJC can — it is pragmatic , nuanced and impactful .
We are grateful to AJC for enabling us to be part of these efforts to repair the world and shape the future . Our lives have been remarkably enriched through our engagement with AJC .
We are also grateful for the support of our friends and family who have honored us tonight by your presence , for the leadership of Regina Friedland as our fabulous AJC Seattle Regional Director , and for the tireless efforts of Assistant Director Leslie Rubinstein to make this evening happen .
— Amy Levin Ragen and Matthew Ragen