The Mayerson JCC, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, will host the inaugural Z3 @ Cincinnati conference this April, bringing a global conversation about Jewish identity and Israel to the local community.
Founded in 2015 in Palo Alto, the Z3 Project is a movement dedicated to reimagining Jewish peoplehood through a lens of shared responsibility. Rooted in the idea of communal sovereignty, Z3 emphasizes that Jewish communities, both in Israel and the diaspora, must actively shape their identities, institutions, and collective future.
Z3 @ Cincinnati brings the spirit of the flagship Z3 Conference to the local community by bringing Jews from across the political and religious spectrum together to dialogue about Israel, the diaspora, identity, and the future of Jewish life.
The conference will feature keynote speaker Omer Shem Tov, a survivor of the October 7 attack on the Nova Music Festival massacre and a former hostage held captive by Hamas in Gaza for 505 days. Abducted during the attack, he endured prolonged captivity under brutal conditions, fighting not only to survive, but to remain human. In captivity, Omer chose faith over fear. Through a deep connection to God, inner discipline, and gratitude, he embraced positivity as an act of resistance-strengths that continue to guide his life.
Today, Omer speaks with honesty and purpose, blending testimony with reflections on resilience, responsibility, and mindset. His message is not only about survival, but about how to live: repeatedly choosing light, meaning, and life.
“We are thrilled to bring the Z3 movement to Cincinnati,” said Rabbi Sammy Kanter, Director of Jewish Life at the Mayerson JCC and organizer of Z3 @ Cincinnati. “Z3 is about bringing the Jewish community together to learn, debate, and dream what our relationship with Israel could and should be in this moment.”
Kanter emphasized the importance of creating a space where a wide range of voices feel represented. “By including a diversity of perspectives, we aspire to ensure that people across the religious and political spectrum feel they have a place at the table and within the fabric of Jewish communal life,” he said.
Originating at the Oshman Family JCC in California, the Z3 model finds its home in JCCs as the Jewish “town square” of a community. Kanter says: “We hope to live up to that role, encouraging our entire community to come together to learn, debate, grow, and be inspired for the next chapter of our Jewish future. And we are grateful for the support from Friday Night Shabbat and Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati to make this program possible.”
The event will also complement the community’s broader modern Israeli holiday programming, offering an opportunity for adult learning and reflection during a week that balances both remembrance and celebration.
