Dear Federation Members and Friends,

We are so grateful to all of you who have already contributed to our annual campaign. Your support means the world to us. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut’s fiscal year ends on June 30. If you have not had the chance to support us this year or if you would like to increase your gift, please do so now by clicking HERE or the '“Donate” button below! 

Your Federation is the home office and lead voice of the Jewish Community in Western and Northwestern CT. As such, we support and stand up for the Jewish community and its values. In doing so, we help to improve the lives of all the people in our Region. Here are a few examples of our work and how we uniquely make an impact:

1. Supporting our Jewish Institutions. We elevate and serve the needs of all our constituent Jewish institutions. We believe that we are all better together. In everything we do, we highlight and support the good work of all the synagogues, Jewish educational institutions, Jewish organizations, clergy and lay leadership in our Federation communities. As an example, the Sylvia and Burton Albert Habonim awards bestowed at our Annual Campaign Kickoff Breakfast annually are awarded to people who are designated by our Jewish institutions for their good work on behalf of those organizations. 

2. Financial Support. We provide grants, allocations and other financial support to an amazing variety of individuals and organizations in our community, including Jewish day and synagogue schools, Jewish campers, local Jewish and secular nonprofit organizations, Israeli social service organizations, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee, students studying in Israel and in American universities, and Jewish community members in need. With the help of your contributions and the strength of our Endowment, the Federation provides over $400,000 in direct financial support on an annual basis.

3. Events and Programs. We provide Jewish education and social programs that offer enrichment, community building and just plain fun. In the past year alone, highlighted by our Yom HaShoah, Women’s Seder, Women’s Philanthropy, Love&Knishes and Campaign Kickoff Programs, well over 1000 people have participated. We have provided opportunities to learn from an incredible array of important and inspirational speakers, including Ellen Allard, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Rabbi Phillip Lazowski, Deacon Art Miller and Dani Shapiro.

4. Legislative and Political Leadership. The Federation, through JFACT, a nonprofit organization founded by the seven Connecticut Jewish Federations, furthers its mission by engaging in political advocacy and leadership. This year we successfully advocated to increase funding for the Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program and for our State legislators to fund a curriculum coordinator position to help implement Holocaust and genocide instruction in public schools across Connecticut.

5. Support for Israel. The Federation proudly takes a lead role in mobilizing community support for Israel and in helping others to understand Israel and the challenges it faces from its neighbors and from those in our country who convey hopelessly unfair and Antisemitic caricatures of the Jewish State. 

6. Combatting Antisemitism. We stand up for the Jewish community and support victims of Antisemitism whether it occurs in Waterbury, Southbury, Danbury, Oxford or at UConn. In response to the recent wave of hate targeting the Jewish community, your Federation prepared an in-depth explanation of the various forms of Antisemitism prevalent today and recommending potential responses. In addition, the Federation continues to provide our community with a Weekly Dispatch that includes reports and articles documenting recent Antisemitic incidents and responses. In the last year, I had the opportunity to speak at three Jewish institutions in our Region in order to address current trends in Antisemitism.

7. Jewish Communal Security. In keeping with our efforts to support our constituent Jewish organizations, your Federation, together with the Jewish Federations of Greater New Haven, Greater Stamford and Greenwich, contracted with SCN to provide us with a full-time, highly trained professional Regional Security Advisor. Mike Shanbrom, a former Special Agent for the FBI, conducts specialized security assessments and trainings to all of our Jewish institutions, at absolutely no cost to those institutions. The Federations have agreed to bear the entire cost of our Regional Security Advisor. Further, in the last grant cycle alone, with the guidance of Mike and other experts at SCN, our community Jewish organizations have received more than $650,000 in nonprofit security grants to help fund necessary security upgrades to their institutions.

8. Crisis Response. Your Federation is in the business of responding to crises. Whether it is an attack on Israel, a hostage taking at a synagogue in Colleyville or a mass shooting targeting Black people in Buffalo, our community can look to us to provide a quick response that helps articulate the Jewish community’s perspective in a crisis. As noted above, in connection with the recent surge of Antisemitism, we responded to educate our community both immediately and continue to do so on a weekly basis. When Russia attacked Ukraine and when the earthquake struck Turkey, your Federation and all Jewish Federations throughout North America were there to provide the funding necessary for an immediate response. With your ongoing support, we will also be there to respond to the next crisis. 

I hope this message helps to demonstrate the importance of the Federation to the Jewish community and that the Federation deserves your support. Please consider making a gift so that we can close our fiscal year on a high note.

If you wish to discuss your gift, to learn more about the Federation or to provide any feedback or advice, please feel free to contact me. My email address is gjones@jfed.net and my cell number is 860.922.7200. Thank you.