P.S. You can find our inaugural edition of In Pursuit here! 

ANNOUNCING A New Women’s Fund: An Opportunity to Make an Outsized Difference for Women and Girls

The Jewish Community Foundation is launching a Women’s Fund, leveraging the incredible assets and work of the Tikkun Olam Women's Fund. Over the last six months, TOWF and the Jewish Community Foundation have worked in close partnership to design the fund. This month, TOWF is sunsetting as an entity and transitioning its assets into the newly created Women’s Fund. The Foundation will draw on its expertise in strategic philanthropy and its infrastructure to continue our community's crucial work to support women and girls, and to bring our community together to engage in new ways of collective learning and funding.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT: The Women’s Fund is designed as a philanthropic model for the Jewish community. We aim to provide multi-year, substantial grants to organizations transforming outcomes on one to two select issues; engage donors in collective funding and learning efforts to further this work; and work directly with donors and with women most impacted by the issues we address to operate the fund. We invite people of all gender identities and backgrounds to participate in and donate to this fund.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU: We are grateful to the incredible leaders who built this infrastructure and have seen the Women’s Fund to this moment. We will continue to look to the TOWF community for expertise and guidance.

Passionate about this work? Please take a brief survey to help the Jewish Community Foundation understand where you see the most pressing needs. Your participation is invaluable and will help us to select our priority issue areas. 

SHARED SOCIETY: If the last 75 years were about facing external threats, Israel’s next chapter will be about healing internal divisions.  

As Israel celebrates a significant milestone, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish Community Foundation are committed to supporting Israel as a pluralistic democracy and homeland for the global Jewish people.  

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Federation has invested almost $800,000 in 21 groups who are actively building a collective Israeli society through initiatives both within Israel and in our local community. You are our partners in this work. Talk to us about how you can direct resources from your Donor Advised Fund to support urgent efforts to strengthen Israel for all its people.

ON BUILDING A LEGACY: Sue Ducat knew she wanted to give in memory of her husband, Stanley Cohen. Three years later, Sue debuted a multi-generational philanthropic project in Stan’s honor. 

On deciding where to give after Stan passed away? Sue shared: remembering the lessons of the Holocaust trumped all.  

With assistance from the Jewish Community Foundation, Sue partnered with Jewish teen movement BBYO to endow a new scholarship that will send an accomplished high school student to tour concentration camps and other historic sites. Sue’s approach allows her — and her family and friends — to have an immediate impact and lay the groundwork for an enduring legacy.   

HERE’S A TIP: Patience is key when it comes to deciding how best to give in honor of a loved one. As Sue described, it’s easy to feel pressure to do something right away or to give to many things. But she urges donors to do what they can to remain focused, committed, and patient. “The right thing will present itself.” 

ON OUR RADAR: Updates on issues we’re tracking. 

BEING THERE FOR REFUGEES
We are now witnessing the highest ever number of displaced people around the world ever. Most recently, 1 million people have been displaced by fighting in Sudan, including 250,000 refugees. Thousands more are fleeing the violence in Haiti and making their way to the United States. And since pandemic-era protections expired last month, Congress is now seeking tighter border controls. Still, refugees continue to arrive in our region and in need of housing and humanitarian aid, straining local governments. We have already had donors step forward with interest in funding support for refugee resettlement. If you are interested in joining forces with others looking to do the same, please reach out to us.   

OVERCOMING RECORD PARTISANSHIP
Partisan animosity is at an all-time high in our country. Polarization is continuing to put stress on our democracy and our relationships with others. But researchers are finding that solutions exist — most notably shared experiences and dialogue. Recently, Stanford University’s Polarization and Social Change Lab found that warm, direct contact across political and ideological lines has the power to break down even the starkest of divides. Watch this PBS NewsHour video to learn more.  

OF NOTE

Juneteenth is around the corner and our community is ready to celebrate. Attend a screening of Black x Jewish and special community Shabbat and church services.
Find more details about these important and captivating events. 

During Pride Month and year-round, Federation and the Jewish Community Foundation are proud to stand with the LGBTQIA+ community in Greater Washington and beyond. Enjoy the many social and cultural events taking place throughout the month, and explore resources for the LGBTQIA+ community and their friends and allies.
Find out more on Federation’s Pride Page.