Weekly Round-up September 9-13
Dear Colleagues,
More than 300 members of the National Young Leadership Cabinet gathered for an impactful annual retreat this week in Seattle, Washington to learn, build meaningful relationships, and engage in collective philanthropy. 48 Federations were represented and there were 117 first-year members in attendance. For more information about Cabinet or the retreat, including links to the plenary sessions at the conference, reach out to Ben Schindler
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is launching VoP—Voice of the People, a wide-ranging initiative to bring together Jews from six continents to identify, discuss and address the major short and long-term issues that affect the Jewish people. The president first announced the initiative at our Israel at 75 General Assembly last year. Join the virtual launch event this Sunday, September 15 at noon ET. President Herzog, actress Gal Gadot, and other luminaries will speak. Register here. To help publicize the event, use this toolkit.
The Israel Emergency Fund has now surpassed $854 million, with close to $598 allocated to date. Click here for all the latest numbers. For more on Israel, see yesterday’s Israel Update and this week’s Community Mobilization Dispatch.
The Jewish Agency for Israel, working in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Campand Jewish Federations of North America, spearheaded Campers2Gether, a transformative program that enabled more than a thousand Israeli teenagers who had been traumatized by the war to come to Jewish summer camps in North America and across the Jewish world.
JCC Association of North America, Jewish Federations of North America, and the Union for Reform Judaism are launching a second cohort of ElevatEd, the pioneering early childhood Jewish education (ECJE) initiative. Thanks to major funding from the Jim Joseph Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, and the Samuels Family Foundation, the $10 million expansion will bring seven additional cities into the project.
Please join our weekly webinars on Thursdays from 2 to 2:30 pm ET on how to deal with anti-Israel protests on campus. Although registration is required, we encourage you to share the links. As part of our ongoing campus efforts, Evan Bernstein, VP for Community Relations, penned an op-ed this week on how colleges are not doing enough to protect Jewish students. The Thursday webinar series is in addition to the ongoing leadership briefings that have taken place on Mondays at 2 pm ET since October 7. Reach out to Hindy Garfinkel for more information.
We continue to add new assets to our October 7th: Marking One Year toolkit. This week we added an October 7th commemoration video that takes the viewer through the pain of October 7th and the resilience of the Israeli people, while highlighting the solidarity of the North American Jewish community over the past year, as well as a slew of resources for engaging media around the even. Visit our toolkit to download the video or submit a local customization form. This week we also added communications resources to the toolkit, including a media kit, press release template and sample speech.
We invite you and your communities to join us in sending a message of hope and solidarity to the people of Israel, which we will deliver to President Isaac Herzog during the week of October 7th. Click here to submit your message and here for social media posts.
As a reminder, you can also visit October 7th: Marking One Year to view the over 100 Federation-led community-wide commemorations taking place to mark this somber day, and find additional ways to get involved in preparation for marking the day.
Congratulations to the UJA Federation of Toronto on the launch of their new, state of the art, Jewish Security Network (JSN) which will increase the community’s ability to accomplish the four pillars of their work: monitoring the threat environment, maintaining a command-and-control center, training and empowering volunteers, and hardening their security infrastructure. Please click on this link if you would like to watch the Toronto Jewish Community roll out.
Early bird registration for the 2024 General Assembly has been extended until this Sunday, September 15. Register now at www.GeneralAssembly.org. General Assembly attendees will also receive premium access to the exciting Unity event on Sunday, November 10. Click here for preliminary descriptions of the diverse array of featured sessions and workshop
For additional updates and reminders, please see below.
Serve Israel: This new initiative, featured here, offers funding and logistical support for Federations and partner organizations to organize volunteer trips to Israel. We are eager to work with every Federation and its partners to develop meaningful volunteer experiences. Please contact Sophie Hearne for more information. Click on this updated FAQ document for a list of this and many other volunteer opportunities.
Rosh Hashanah Toolkit: Rosh Hashanah is just around the corner! Inspire your community to imagine a brighter future together with our marketing toolkit, including engaging social media posts, a stirring video that celebrates unity and hope, and a direct mail letter to spark meaningful conversations and drive donations.
Free Year-Long Membership to BoardSource: We are pleased to provide a year-long individual BoardSource membership to every Federation board member and staff member at no cost. BoardSource is a nationally recognized curator of outstanding resources on governance-related issues. To register, please use this link. Your free membership will be in effect through September 1, 2025. For questions, please reach out to Rebecca Gerbert.
Overview of Professional Development Opportunities: We offer Jewish Federation professionals across North America opportunities to learn and grow. Please review our robust schedule of upcoming programs. Bookmark the page and check back often as new ones are added weekly! Don’t miss the upcoming session on Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed Principles in the Workplace happening on Tuesday, September 24 at 1pm-2:30pm ET. Click here to learn more and register.
Fundraising Institute Learning Session: Join us virtually on Wednesday, September 25 from 1 pm – 2:30 pm ET for a session on The Art of the Ask. Perfect for new and seasoned fundraisers, this session will provide tools and tips to have easy, comfortable, and successful conversations. Click here to register. For more information, contact Leslie Pomerantz with any questions.
Deadline this Sunday for Sullam Israel Residency: The Sullam Israel Residency, a new professional development opportunity for Jewish community professionals in the early stages of their careers. Take a look at the recorded webinar and slides for more information. Applications for the Winter Cohort close this Sunday, September 15.
Save a Life, Save a Whole World: BeWell’s September Resiliency Roundtable, which will take place on Wednesday, September 18 from 2-3:30pm ET, is dedicated to Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. Begin the year with the wisdom and foresight of effective prevention and intervention models to save young lives in our communities. If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach a trained counselor within the lifeline network. This communication is confidential and free. Register here.
Drop In Jewish Learning - High Holiday Focus: Meet with Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek via Zoom on Wednesday, September 25 at any time from noon to 1 pm ET. to reflect on the holidays and ask any questions you may have. Click here to learn more and register.
Repair the World Microgrants: Repair the World is offering microgrants of up to $1,000 for Federations and other Jewish organizations to host service programs in the US between September 15 and October 15. The goal is to engage 3,000 volunteers in acts of service and Jewish learning in conjunction with the anniversary of October 7th.
Ensuring Safety During the High Holidays: The Security Community Network (SCN) is continuing its annual series on how to promote safety during the High Holidays. Please sign up for the remaining webinars.
Shabbat Shalom,
Shira Hutt
Executive Vice President
Jewish Federations of North America