Jewish Deaf Congress History

The Jewish Deaf Congress (JDC) carries forward a legacy that began in 1912, when Deaf Jews first came together in New York to build community, culture, and faith. For decades, national conventions under the banner of the National Congress of Jewish Deaf (NCJD) provided a space for Jewish Deaf people to celebrate traditions, debate ideas, and strengthen ties with Israel and with each other. In 1992, JDC was formally incorporated as a nonprofit, ensuring the continuation of this mission into the future.

After NCJD merged fully into JDC in 1996, the organization became the central hub for Jewish Deaf life in North America. Biennial conferences brought together hundreds of participants, offering workshops, worship in sign language, cultural celebrations, and leadership recognition. By 2013, JDC had established itself as both a preserver of heritage and a catalyst for new Jewish Deaf leadership.

The years that followed were a period of reimagining. In 2013, Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff was ordained and went on to create organizations serving Jewish Deaf worldwide, demonstrating the global reach of this community’s leadership. Four years later, in 2017, JDC began a strategic planning process to re-energize its role. Surveys of Jewish Deaf people across North America informed a roadmap to adapt to modern needs.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, JDC pivoted quickly to virtual community-building. Partnering with the Washington Society of Jewish Deaf, Hillel at Gallaudet, and the Jewish Deaf Resource Center, JDC co-founded the ASL Shabbat Coalition, which continues to host monthly services with ASL, captions, and participation from Deaf leaders around the world.

In 2021, thanks to sustained fundraising led by Roz Rosen, JDC brought on program director Sofia Seitchik, who expanded programming, outreach, and events. Under her leadership, JDC offered ASL Judaic lectures, holiday celebrations, and collaborations with community leaders. A year later, JDC held its first in-person summit in nearly a decade at Pearlstone Retreat Center in Maryland, gathering a new generation of leaders and adopting a five-point strategic plan to guide the organization through 2025.

Momentum continued. In 2024, Jane Jonas stepped into the role of program director, alongside the election of several new board members, marking a new phase of organizational leadership. This renewal set the stage for the 2025 JDC 2.0 Summit: Ignite and Imagine the Future, where Jewish Deaf leaders and young adults worked together to shape the next era of innovation, inclusion, and cultural vitality.

Today, JDC stands as both a custodian of Jewish Deaf history and a forward-looking movement. Its programs, coalitions, and leadership development efforts ensure that the Jewish Deaf community not only remembers its past but continues to imagine and create its future.