Join us for a special Town Hall featuring
US Congressman Greg Landsman, State Representative Dani Isaacsohn, and Cincinnati City Council Member Mark Jeffreys
Thursday, June 29 | 6:00 p.m.
Mayerson JCC–Amberley Room
8485 Ridge Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
The Cincinnati offices of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) invite you to join us for a rare opportunity to hear from the area’s three most prominent Jewish elected officials, all in one evening. This forum will showcase Cincinnati City Council Member Mark Jeffreys, Ohio State Representative Dani Isaacsohn, and Congressman Greg Landsman in conversation about how their Jewish identity informs their public service, how they contemplate issues, and what motivates their decision making. Offering a blend of personal and political perspective, these representatives will share their experience in public office as Jews while discussing issues of relevance to the community.
Congressman Greg Landsman is a father and husband who is proud to call Southwest Ohio home. Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023, Greg served on the Cincinnati City Council for five years.
Greg has spent his entire career advocating for children and families, especially those most marginalized. Greg served as the Director of Faith-based and Community Initiatives under former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. There, he led Ohio’s efforts to help local churches and synagogues provide education and food programs in their communities.
A pragmatic leader, Greg has a long history of working with broad, bipartisan coalitions to get good, meaningful things done. Greg earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from Ohio University and a master’s degree in Theology from Harvard University. Greg and his wife, Sarah, live in Cincinnati with their two children, Maddie and Elijah.
State Representative Dani Isaacsohn is currently serving his first term representing Ohio’s 24th House District. The son of immigrants, Rep. Isaacsohn was raised to believe that the unique privilege of growing up in the United States comes with a responsibility to try and be of service to others.
In the Statehouse, Rep. Isaacsohn is committed to fighting for better childcare for parents, more investments in both mental health services and extracurricular activities for young people, and making sure that seniors have what they need to age with dignity. He also knows that we have to tackle racial and income inequality head-on in order to make lasting progress.
Rep. Isaacsohn graduated from Walnut Hills High School, received a Bachelor’s Degree from Georgetown University, a Master’s from Cambridge University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Council Member Mark Jeffreys is the son of an immigrant who grew up working poor going to public schools and on-and-off food stamps. Losing his mother and adopted brother at a young age shaped his path and through a network of support he has been able to build a life for himself and his community.
Mark worked as a union laborer (Local 59), janitor, waiter, mover and security guard for 6 years to pay for tuition at the University of Chicago and completed his MBA at Georgetown University. Mark came to Cincinnati in 2001 when he joined Procter & Gamble in Marketing. For over a decade, Mark has been active in the community having served as a Trustee on the Cincinnati Parks Foundation Board and on the Clifton Town Meeting.
Mark lives in Clifton, with his wife Pamela who is a pediatrician at West Side Pediatrics and four children, two of whom are in college and two of whom are at Walnut Hills High School. He and his wife are members of Wise Temple.
Judaism has always been central to Rabbi Ballaban’s identity. Both of his parents are rabbis; thus, during his formative years, his family life consistently had a strong Jewish character. While growing up, he attended Jewish day school, participated in Jewish youth groups, and went to Jewish
summer camps.
Rabbi Ballaban was ordained by Cincinnati's Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in May of 2015. In 2018, he was appointed the director of Dayton's Jewish Community Relations Council before working as a representative of HUC’s Office of Recruitment and Admissions for the Midwest region.
At present, Rabbi Ballaban is the director of the Cincinnati Jewish Community Relations Council. He lives in Cincinnati with his fiancée Hara and their two cats, near to many other family members who are lifelong Cincinnatians.
Justin Kirschner is the Regional Director of AJC Cincinnati. Prior to joining AJC in 2022, Justin Kirschner worked as a community relations and advocacy professional with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati's JCRC.
He is an active member in the civic community, serving in leadership on a variety of committees and boards focused on intergroup relations, neighborhood development and voter engagement.
Earlier in his career, Justin was an Associate and Facilitator for Ohio University's Global Leadership Center, a two-year cross-cultural consulting program that allowed him to work on and oversee projects in Europe and Asia.
A native Cincinnatian, he is a double graduate of Ohio University earning a B.A. in Political Science, minors in Business and Global Leadership, and a Master's in Public and Nonprofit Administration from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.
More about the Jewish and Elected Town Hall
Ample parking is available in the Mayerson JCC parking lots. If you have questions, please contact Rabbi Ari Ballaban at [email protected] or 513-203-8553.
Please select the number of registrants to the right.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. For inquiries about accessibility, please contact Susan Zimmerman, 513-349-7399 or [email protected].
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