Press Availability for Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York

NEW YORK, NY (02/05/2025) (readMedia)-- In his first year as CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), Mark Treyger has stepped into his leadership role with a new vision for the organization. JCRC-NY plays an active role in civic and communal life, and Mark is committed to building and strengthening relationships within the Jewish community and with other diverse communities across the state.

Mark recently penned an op-ed in the Daily News calling for a two-pronged approach to combating antisemitism: establishing a comprehensive Jewish Studies curriculum in K-12 public schools and designating Title VI Coordinators on college campuses.

This piece is just one example of how Mark is uniquely positioned to speak on a wide variety of current events and newsworthy topics.

Background

Before leading JCRC-NY, from 2014-2021, Mark represented the 47th District in the NYC Council – a deep red district where he won with more than 70% of the vote as a Democrat in two elections. In Mark's first term, he served as chair of the newly-formed Recovery and Resilience Committee, which focused on overseeing the city's efforts to rebuild after Superstorm Sandy and make the city more resilient to future natural disasters. In his second term, Mark served as Chair of the Education Committee, where he helped spearhead major accomplishments such as record increases to school budgets, social workers for all schools, and oversaw the city's pandemic response. In 2022, Mark became Executive Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for NYC Public Schools. Mark also spent eight years teaching history at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn and taking an active role in the United Federation of Teachers.

He is a first generation American, son of Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States, and grandson to Holocaust Survivors and WWII veterans. He also happens to be obsessed with baking.

Mark is available for interviews and to answer questions, both in his individual capacity and on behalf of JCRC-NY, related to:

Education

  • Jewish identity curriculum in K-12 education and its role in combating antisemitism in higher ed
  • School funding, process questions about the Department of Education
  • Title VI enforcement on college campuses

Immigration

  • Trump's policies and their impact on New York's immigrant communities, kids in schools, and sanctuary protections
  • His personal experience as a first generation American with Ukrainian immigrant parents who fled the Soviet Union
  • Know Your Rights work

Democracy

  • Expanding voting rights for new Americans
  • Voting access, including translation services for non-native speakers

Electoral Politics

  • Voting trends in New York, particularly in Republican-leaning swing districts
  • Jewish voters in contested districts

Food

  • Making Jewish food and using it as a tool to bring different communities together
  • Jewish restaurants and small businesses
  • Mark's use of "babka diplomacy" to strengthen intergroup relationships while deepening understanding of Jewish identity