By Sara Rosenbaum, Chief Impact Officer, JCFR
After a successful Federation Annual Campaign, which raised more than $3.1 million from community members, the Allocations Committee convened and allocated $1,933,970 to support our local, regional, and international partners for another year.
Including allocated, Israel Emergency funds, supplemental, and donor-designated funds, the financial impact to the community and overseas was $6 Million, this fiscal year ending June 30.
THANK YOU, RICHMOND!
This year the Allocations Committee, with the guidance of the JCFR Board of Directors, has begun the process to look at community allocations through a new lens of Impact Areas.
While many allocations will remain in place, the committee and Board want to ensure that our community dollars are reaching the place that they will do the most benefit, meet the needs of our community, and have the greatest IMPACT!
The Committee reviewed all applications they received this year through the lens of specific Impact Areas that were defined by the Allocations Committee with input from the JCFR Board of Directors. The Impact Areas were as follows.
ALLOCATIONS IMPACT DEFINITIONS
- Jewish Connectivity, Identity & Engagement: Connecting the unaffiliated and under-affiliated to our community. Making sure all are aware of the vast programs the community offers, with a pathway to building connections and engagement.
- Jewish Education: Provide opportunities for Jewish learning across lifespans (inclusive of children, youth, students, adults, families, and seniors) both formally and informally. Offer multiple approaches to education including but not limited to religion, heritage, history, culture, society, and/or civilization.
- Jewish Caring: Basic care and looking out for others. Providing support to the Jewish community who are most at risk/most vulnerable, across all age groups.
- Security/Antisemitism: Integrated into all we do in the community, funding to combat antisemitism programming and additional security needs to supplement the federal and state grants.
- Cultural Exchange/Outreach: Supporting programs and agencies that strive to connect our community with non-faith-based (secular) organizations and non-Jewish faith-based strategic partners.
- Israel and Overseas: Support our Israel and overseas partners, not local programs to support Israel. Focus on the recipient of the funds.
- Jewish Leadership: Programming building tomorrow’s Jewish Leaders through succession planning, talent development, through a strong leadership ladder.
The Impact Areas we are funding in the following percentages of the allocable pool.
Global Jewry – Support
$580,191 or 30% of the allocable pool will be allocated by the Global Jewry Committee in the next few months and will be split between JAFI, JDC, JFNA, and elective I&O programs (P2G, Mazel Tov JCC in Zaporozhe, World ORT).
The Federation remains proud to be able to continue the unrestricted allocations to our core local agencies. Last year each core agency was asked to pick a particular program to focus on data collection that would allow them to earn some additional unrestricted funds.
It was overwhelmingly successful, and allowed us as a community to learn about certain programs. They will be able to do so again this coming year.
The agencies allocations are as follows:
- Weinstein JCC -$269,000
- Jewish Family Services – $134,000
- Rudlin Torah Academy – $145,000
- JCFR Central Services (CRC, PJ Library, Reflector, Security, Community Marketing, and Planning) – $400,000
JCFR continues to be committed to supporting a variety of other local and regional agencies. These include youth groups, education organizations, Hillel’s across the Commonwealth of Virginia, and more.
This year the JCFR Allocations Committee recommended, and the Board approved the following:
- Aleph Bet Preschool – $15,000
- BBYO – $17,000
- Birthright Israel – $2,000
- George Mason University Hillel – $5,00
- Jewish Educational Loan Fund – $2,500
- Jewish Life at VCU/Chabad – $20,000
- Jewish Student Union – $18,000
- JMU Hillel – $2,500
- Richmond Coalition for Jewish Education – $10,000
- UVA Hillel – $6,000
- VT Hillel – $6,000
- VCU Hillel – $20,000
- William & Mary Hillel – $5,000
The Federation continues to strive to offer programmatic grants to our local agencies and synagogues to offer community-based programs to support and build our Jewish community in new and exciting ways.
This year we are pleased to fund 23 programmatic grants, six of which are new. The programs receiving grants this year are:
- Aleph Bet Preschool – Scholarships – $15,000
Aleph Bet Preschool, a Jewish preschool for children of all Jewish backgrounds. Their Montessori-inspired curriculum and low child–to-teacher ratio enables them to nurture every child’s unique rhythm of development, inspiring confidence through independence.
The preschool is also committed to ensuring that no Jewish child should be denied a Jewish preschool education due to the inability to pay full tuition.
Friendship Circle:
Birthday Boxes & Birthday Circle– $5,000
Circle of Friends – $5,000
Day at the Diamond & Community Events – $5,000
JCFR is pleased to once again support the Friendship Circle of VA, in a number of programs, including Birthday Boxes.
Birthday Boxes and Birthday Circle program by Friendship Circle of Virginia.
The goal of Birthday Boxes is to celebrate each child’s unique gift to this world and highlight that only they can accomplish what they need to do, exactly as they are.
This is the ultimate definition of Inclusion – that each person is valuable and created exactly as they are to accomplish their purpose in this world. Birthday Boxes are delivered to the homes of all FCVA friends with disabilities as well as Teen Friends without disabilities to let them know someone is thinking of them on their special day!
Hillel at VCU – Springboard Fellow – $15,000
Hillel at VCU will welcome a Springboard Fellow to campus this fall with a focus on engaging first-year students and transfer students as well as building programs that serve older undergraduate and graduate students.
JCFR – Community Security – $50,000
The Communal Security Initiative strengthens the Jewish community and builds resilience through education and training, grant support, security assessments, emergency communications, and law enforcement partnerships.
In 2020, The Federation partnered with Secure Community Network (SCN) to enhance our community’s safety, security, and preparedness posture. SCN, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America.
SCN works on behalf of 146 Federations, the 50 largest Jewish nonprofit organizations in North America, and over 300 independent communities as well as with other partners in the public, private, nonprofit, and academic sectors to ensure the safety, security, and resiliency of the Jewish people.
Securing the community and fighting antisemitism is one of the core priorities of the Federation’s Strategic plan. This program is the lynchpin of the security work and allows us to maximize the impact we have on behalf of the community. Our goal is to create a network of security that protects and trains our entire Jewish community.
JCFR – Overnight Camp Scholarships – $30,000
The JCFR is honored to be able to offer scholarships for Jewish Overnight camps and Israel travel programs. Over the past two years, the Federation as awarded more than $50,000 in One Happy Camper Grants and needs-based scholarships to help make overnight Jewish summer camp more affordable to local families.
Overnight Summer Camp is one of the leading ways kids become active members of their Jewish communities.
Jewish Life at VCU – Shabbat & Holiday Programs– $10,000
The main goal of Jewish Life at VCU is to provide a warm, inclusive home away from home for Jewish students. Shabbat and Holiday programming is one such tool to accomplish this mission.
This program will include different-themed Shabbat and Holiday dinners, including Community Hosts, International Shabbat, and Student Chef led dinners.
JFS – Jewish Care Line $50,000
We are pleased to continue to support this vital program in our community. Since the Fall 2018, Jewish families and individuals have received confidential, compassionate, and understanding help from the Jewish Care Line to recover from a crisis.
The Care Line does not just pay clients’ bills: in fact, only about 65% of Care Line clients have had short-term cash assistance since its founding. The Care Line works with each client to offer personalized services to help them recover from the crisis and return to life stability.
Each client meets with a JFS Social Worker and receives needed support including career or resume coaching, financial counseling, navigation of public benefits, or other resources to help them get back on their feet.
KBI – J-LEAP – $5,000
Launching its fourth year, Keneseth Beth Israel offers this program, in partnership with JCFR Richmond’s PJ Library program — J-LEAP: Jewish Learning Enrichment & Play.
A program for preschool and elementary age children, it connects and teaches about the Jewish Holidays using STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math) through J-LEAP events.
Children of all backgrounds in the Richmond community will gain an understanding of the Jewish holiday cycle and connect with their culture and heritage.
RTA – IDEAL – $20,000
Scholarships – $30,000
Middle School Trip To Israel – $500 per student up to $4,000
RTA’s I.D.E.A.L. – Inclusive, Dual-Education for Accessible Lessons. This program strengthens and enriches the lives of our Jewish youth and maximizes inclusion in our institution and community. To offer the necessary assistance to students for whom modifications offered in their regular classroom are not quite enough, and to stimulate the gifted and talented students with enrichment experiences beyond the opportunities offered in their daily classes.
IDEAL helps achieve the goal of any quality education: To tailor the instruction to best fit each individual student.
At RTA, every teacher strives for this goal within the classroom – and at the same time, there are students who need something more. Examples include: a) Children with learning challenges and disabilities – who in the ‘old world’ would have simply been placed in a separate, non-inclusive class or school; b) Students who are years behind in specific skills due to having switched to RTA’s dual program in the later years of their education; c) ‘Gifted and talented’ students whose academic prowess enables them to grasp concepts far beyond their grade level.
RTA is committed to ensuring that no Jewish child should be denied a Jewish education due to the inability to pay full tuition. The underlying premise is that Jewish education should not be considered just a commodity. The scholarship funds will help RTA be more successful in attracting families to our community’s only Jewish Day School, and lead to our having greater financial resources to appropriately service those students who succeed in both Jewish and General Studies.
RTA is planning for the first time ever an 8th-grade trip to Israel for a week of touring, study, and excellent bonding opportunities. The study of Israel is woven into the RTA middle school curriculum and an 8th grade trip is a wonderful capstone before the students head to high school.
Weinstein JCC:
Global Day of Jewish Learning – $4,000
Scholarships $36,000
EnRich $10,000
The Federation Allocation Committee was pleased to receive this request to help expand and be a part of this already successful community program.
The Global Day of Jewish Learning joins hundreds of other communities for a powerful day of learning on a specific theme. In past years, Rabbis and educators in the community have presented on a variety of topics and helped answer a variety of questions while engaging a large and diverse segment of our community.
The Weinstein JCC believes in the strength of community and seeks to cultivate a sense of belonging in all we do. All members of the community should have an opportunity to utilize all that the Center has to offer. The Weinstein JCC lives out the commitment to the traditional Jewish values of Tzedakah (charity) and Tikkun Olam (acts of kindness) through our Financial Assistance Program, providing scholarships to support individuals, families, and children in need to be a part of our strong and vibrant community.
The goal is to meet the ever-growing needs of people turning to us for financial assistance and it is our intention that no one be denied program access because of an inability to pay full fees. All funds from the Federation are used to support Jewish Families.
EnRich for Life (EnRich), presented by the Weinstein JCC and Jewish Family Services (JFS), focuses on improving the quality of life for Jewish older adults and non-Jewish olders (aged 65+) from the greater Richmond community by reducing their social isolation.
By offering opportunities for older adults to connect, engage and learn in a safe place, the program allows them to meet new people, experience new things and explore places. The program is offered free of charge and provides monthly programming that meets the social, mental and physical needs of older adults. It offers a unique opportunity for older adults of all cultural/ethnic backgrounds and faiths to convene where Jewish life, values and culture are shared and friendships are made.
NEW PROGRAMS FUNDED
- Beth Ahabah & Weinstein JCC Afro-Semitic Artist in Residence Weekend – $5,000
Beth Ahabah and the Weinstein JCC have joined together along with the Richmond YMCA to bring to Richmond the “Unity in Community” initiative to Richmond for a special weekend of arts, music, and learning together.
- Beth Ahabah, Or Ami, and Or Atid Community Shabbaton – $10,000
Three of our community synagogues have planned a Shabbaton weekend with Musician in Residence Yoel Sykes. Programming will take place in all three congregations, Friday evening at Beth Ahabah, Shabbat Saturday morning at Or Atid, and community concert and Havdalah at Or Ami.
- Kirva Hospice – Jewish Hospice Accreditation – $3,000
One of the Jewish community’s newest organizations, KIRVA Hospice, requested funding to help them apply and receive accreditation from the National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH). The accreditation will affirm Kirva Hospice’s mission and vision and their unique status as the only Jewish hospice in the Richmond area able to serve Jewish clients in a culturally sensitive way
- Or Atid Jewish Middle School Community Program – $11,000
Congregation Or Atid is launching a program to bring Middle School students together for social, educational, cultural, and leadership experiences throughout the school year. This program aims to bring students of all backgrounds and denominations together. This program hopes to address the gap in services for this age group in our local community.
- The Bridge (sponsored by Temple Beth El) Summer Bash Young Professional Networking Program – $5,000
The Bridge, a young professional group sponsored and supported by Temple Beth- El, is hosting an end of the summer bash for networking and community building for community members in their 20s-40s. Be on the lookout for more information soon.
- Temple Beth-El Garden Project – $1000
Temple Beth-El Synagogue is establishing a garden and learning space that will foster education, community, and environmental stewardship. This initiative integrates Jewish values, emphasizing Tikkun Olam through sustainable practices, relationship building, and food justice. The garden will serve as an educational gathering place for Beth-El and wider Richmond Jewish communities, offering workshops and learning opportunities on organic gardening and traditional Jewish agricultural practices.
Thank you to the committee for their diligence this year.
They are: David Galpern; Chair, Ellen Renee Adams, Phyllis Ellenbogen, Seth Feibelman, Josh Goldberg, Howard Goldfine, Helen Griffin, Amy Melnick-Scharf, Jordan Perin, Harrison Roday, Hilton Rubin, Robert Slotnick, Amanda Gurin Young, and Franklin Wolf.
For more information, contact Sara Rosenbaum at srosenbaum@jewishrichmond.org.
