MAKING A FAMILY IMPACT: Families in our area are experimenting with new approaches to intergenerational philanthropy.

Intergenerational giving embodies the Jewish value of tzedakah, the closest Hebrew word to philanthropy. Tzedakah transcends charity, calling each generation to engage in the shared work of pursuing justice. As more families prepare to transfer wealth to new generations, we are working with donors in our community to enhance their legacy of intergenerational giving. Below are five top practices families are exploring.

Families are:

• Creating mission statements grounded in Jewish values.
• Experimenting with opening small DAFs to seed family member projects and collaborating across the generations on decisions about where and how to give.
• Forgoing consensus in favor of structures that support different interests and help generations learn from each other.
• Collaborating on projects and engaging in site visits to build trust and learn about community needs.
• Discussing what percentage of funds will go to Jewish causes, considering multi-year investments, and assessing tolerance for risk and innovation as their philanthropic sophistication grows.

LET’S LEARN: Explore techniques for navigating difficult conversations about Israel.

This summer, the Jewish Community Foundation in partnership with Resetting the Table is offering an exclusive workshop to those who want to engage in constructive dialogue with family members, friends, and colleagues about Israel. Together, participants will attend a two-part Zoom workshop and practice skills for addressing diverging viewpoints, including how to lead conversations about the war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sessions will be held on July 24^th and July 31^st from 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM and are open to the first 30 registrants.

Miss our briefing about the impact of the war on women and girls in Israel? Catch the recording.

WHERE TO GIVE DURING PASSOVER: We can help “welcome the stranger” by caring for displaced Israelis, migrant families, and those experiencing homelessness in our community.

Below is information about three organizations doing impactful work in the Jewish world and our local community. Consider giving through your DAF or directly to these organizations. We also invite you to reach out to us for advice about your giving during this Passover season.

Embracing displaced Israelis: JCADA was established to serve victims of intimate partner violence, both Jewish and non-Jewish. JCADA has also received an influx of Israeli clients and has worked to expand their services to aid women who have fled Israel, have family in Israel, or are otherwise impacted by the war. While they have immediate support on offer, JCADA is currently running a six-month to year-long wait list for their one-on-one clinical services.

Maintaining our commitment to migrants: As we continue to grapple with record-setting global refugee and national migrant crises, we must maintain our commitment to helping those who were bused from the border or otherwise found their way here find permanent housing and build quality lives. CARECEN's Resettlement Navigators are doing just that by coaching families — roughly 15% of those arriving over the last year — on how to navigate health care, job requirements, family budgets, and more topics essential to life in America.

Providing safe and stable homes: The Partnership to End Homelessness brings together government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropists to tackle homelessness in Washington. The Partnership’s grants help get more people into stable housing and expand affordable housing options — urgent work in an area where 1 in 100 residents are experiencing homelessness on any given night and 19% of adults experiencing homelessness are employed.  

OF NOTE

Warm Welcome: Jewish Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Jannah Yutkovitz, Ed.D., to our team. Jannah is our inaugural Senior Director of Philanthropic Impact, helping to expand our philanthropic advisement services, learning programs, and collective giving opportunities. She brings with her a wealth of experience in building community impact, learning design, and philanthropy, and comes to us most recently from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Please give her a warm hello when you see her at one of our upcoming events!

Stock Market is Up. It's a Great Time to Contribute. Appreciated stock is a great way to boost your philanthropy, and now is the perfect time to contribute additional gains to your DAF. As community member David Selden puts it, “Giving through our DAF aligns with our Jewish values and commitment to Jewish community and the Federation…we now have a unique opportunity to take advantage of the bull stock market by using appreciated stock to fuel our giving, and specifically, double our gifts to local Jewish agencies through the Foundation’s DAF match program; truly a win, win, win.” Please reach out to us to at foundation@shalomdc.org with any questions about contributing to or opening a DAF!

$750k+ and Counting: The Jewish Community Foundation’s Donor Advised Fund Partner Agency Matching Program has received $380,000 in increased donations over last year making those gifts eligible for our matching program — which means that, together, donors and the Foundation will infuse an additional $760,000 into Jewish Greater Washington. And we’re not done yet: Our goal is to distribute $1 million more this calendar year than last. This spring is a great time to give!

Mazel Tov: Last month, Tzedek DC received a $1 million grant from McKenzie Scott Yield’s Giving, the largest unrestricted donation in the organization’s history. Tzedek DC is engaged in essential work helping protect the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with low incomes who are facing the often-devastating consequences of debt collection and credit-related obstacles. Kol hakavod, Tzedek DC!

Give to causes you care about inside and outside the Jewish community.

Take advantage of collaborative giving and learning opportunities.

Contribute to a permanent legacy of support for Federation’s family of agencies.