Despite being a self-proclaimed pessimist, Kevin Rachlin has long engaged in peacebuilding work that he does on a daily basis.
He is the first Washington director for The Nexus Project, a nonprofit organization that aims to equip policymakers with tools to combat antisemitism and uphold democracy. In addition, Rachlin is the 2024 Charles Bronfmann convener for Israel Policy Forum and a senior fellow for Israel/Palestine policy with the Alliance for Peacebuilding.
He formerly served as vice president of public affairs for the nonprofit advocacy group J Street, United States director for the Alliance for Middle East Peace and a legislative assistant for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Rachlin lives in Fairfax Station and belongs to Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, where he recently took on the role of co-vice president of youth services.
Tell me about your Jewish upbringing and background.
I grew up in Ohio; I’m from a little city named Dayton. I went to a Reform temple but wasn’t really connected to Judaism until I started going to Camp Livingston — a JCC overnight camp in Bennington, Indiana. I was involved in camp for 12 summers, from ages 7 to 22, first as a camper, then as a [counselor-in-training], then a counselor. That was the first place where I really felt like I could be myself and not different from everybody else. I didn’t have to be “Kevin and a Jew” — there, I was just Kevin. That sense of belonging shaped how I see my Jewish identity to this day.
What drew you to the field of government relations and foreign affairs?
Government relations was kind of an accident; foreign affairs was my goal. I went into college right as 9/11 happened in 2001. My classes discussed a lot about terrorism, intelligence and foreign affairs. My original goal in college was to [work in the] intelligence [community]. But during my senior year, I took an advanced intelligence and game theory course with a CIA analyst who described their job as spending years analyzing one country in depth. I walked out of that class realizing that wasn’t the path for me. I’m going to say something super cliché, but I wanted to do something that actually helped people.
That led to an internship at [Local Initiatives Support Corporation] doing domestic policy in D.C. and from there, I found my way into government affairs. It wasn’t exactly the plan — and still don’t know if it’s right — but I was good at it and stayed ever since.
What are your responsibilities as the Washington director for The Nexus Project?
As the Washington director for The Nexus Project, my goal is to represent The Nexus Project to national Jewish organizations, federal policymakers and the broader D.C. policy ecosystem. It’s about building bridges, providing clarity and making sure our values are represented in the public debate.
You engage in a lot of peacebuilding work. Why is striving towards peace important to you?
I am a very cynical person by nature — and working in the Israel/Palestine space for most of my career hasn’t exactly helped. That being said, when I worked for [Alliance for Middle East Peace] for two years, those were probably the most impactful two years of my career. I worked with Israelis and Palestinians who were genuinely committed to building peace from the ground up. That kind of grassroots work gave me hope even when the broader political picture felt hopeless. Since then, I’ve stayed involved: supporting the Alliance for Peacebuilding and ALLMEP. Peace work is hard but it’s the only thing that makes the alternative bearable.
How do your Jewish values inform your peacebuilding work?
I was raised by a single mother; she was a public school teacher. The one thing she instilled was “do something good.” Later in life, I connected that to the Jewish value of tikkun olam, our obligation to repair the world. I never imagined I’d be a “Jewish professional,” but in hindsight, I realize that so much of my work, especially in peacebuilding and advocacy, is how I live out those values. I try to channel that ethic in everything I do.
What are some of your goals for the near future?
Professionally, I’m focused on growing Nexus’ impact in D.C. and working with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to find practical ways to combat antisemitism. Personally, I’m excited to join the board of my shul and, more than anything, spend meaningful time with my family this summer.
