Robin Schatz. (Courtesy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia)

Robin Schatz leads the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s public affairs at a time when the Jewish community arguably has more issues before local, state and federal governments than ever before.

As the Jewish Community Relations Council of the federation’s director of government affairs, Schatz, 74, organizes civic advocacy, maintains relationships with public officials and helps translate the Jewish community’s concerns into state and local policy engagement.

She has three priorities: combating antisemitism, bolstering security and protecting the social safety net.

“It’s a matter of maintaining good relations with elected officials,” the Overbrook Park resident said.

Schatz, who belongs to Society Hill Synagogue, has worked for the federation for 22 years as its principal government affairs contact. Before she began in her position, JCRC didn’t have a government affairs role. This federation is also the only in the country with a full-time government relations staff member.

In Schatz’s own framing, the goal is not simply lobbying: it is equipping community members to speak directly with elected representatives and make the personal stakes of policy issues visible. She said that volunteer advocacy lets legislators hear “the real people behind the issues,” particularly on antisemitism and support for vulnerable populations.

One of JCRC’s largest areas of focus, especially in the past three years since Oct. 7, is security for synagogues and Jewish day schools.

“We’ve worked extensively with nonprofit security grants federally,” Schatz said. “My colleague in Harrisburg, Hank Butler, and I said, ‘We need to do something on the state level.’”

So the two drafted legislation to create Pennsylvania’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which distributed $10.7 million to the state’s synagogues, churches and other institutions in 2026.

“I think that this is a legacy for me and it’s one of the things I’m proudest of,” she said of achieving the grant.

Another accomplishment she is proud of has been her contribution to improving Holocaust education, which is currently not mandated in Pennsylvania. Despite it being merely a suggestion, 90% to 93% of Pennsylvania schools have incorporated education on the Holocaust and related topics into their curricula, according to a 2017 survey.

“We’re trying to get more legislation in place,” Schatz said. “We’re working toward that right now.”

“The goal of our legislation … was geared towards teachers, giving them the tools and resources,” Schatz said.

She has been working with Rep. Kristen Marcell to make this happen.

“We wanted to make sure the Holocaust is being taught appropriately, not just putting a movie up and saying, ‘Read Anne

Frank,” Schatz said. “In terms of hate crimes and antisemitism, we would like to see that brought into better educating the students.”

She also aims to codify a concrete working definition of antisemitism for use by local police departments, district attorneys and schools.

Schatz expressed gratitude for the relationships she’s formed over the past two decades.

“I’m blessed to work with some really extraordinary people,” she said. “It’s been very encouraging to see those relationships with universities [and] elected officials really blossom.”

Two of the JCRC’s closest relationships are with Rep. Tarik Khan and Sen. Sharif Street, who are both Muslim.

“I feel good that they listen to me, they come to me, they come to Jason [Holtzman, JCRC’s chief] — we have an open door,” Schatz said. “That’s encouraging, and I feel that’s my legacy too.”

Schatz didn’t start out in government affairs. She was initially a teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland, before moving to Philadelphia with her husband and working as a real estate agent.

She became active in local politics when Gov. Ed Rendell ran for mayor in 1987. When Rendell ran again, he brought Schatz on board as director of constituent services.

It was working on lifelong Philadelphian Sam Katz’s mayoral campaign that Schatz represented the Jewish community to elected officials, deepening her love of government relations.

“I like being able to help make the world a better place, and I see this as a way of doing that,” Schatz said. “I love my job most days, and there’s just so much work to be done. The more welcoming we can be of other viewpoints and perspectives, the better we can be as a community.”

That sentiment is particularly resonant today.

“I think especially in these days, where you see so much antisemitism and demonization of Israel and the Jewish community, I want to put a positive face on our community,” Schatz said. “I want to explain to people who we are as a people.”

Schatz, whose grandson is being raised in an interfaith family — one Jewish parent and the other Christian — spoke to the importance of compassion.

“Treat people the way you want to be treated,” she said. “The rest is just commentary.”

zbell@midatlanticmedia.com

Jarrad Saffren contributed to reporting.