CEO July 2017 Update

JCFR — adding value to Jewish life

 

The following are some examples of what the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond adds to our vibrant Jewish Life.

This year’s Annual Report contained an info-graphics section that spelled out some of the high points of this year.  I have taken the liberty of displaying some of those info-graphics here to reinforce the impact of the Federation’s good works:

 •    1411 Donors to the Annual Campaign – The Jewish Community Federation of Richmond is serious about building a stronger more vibrant Jewish community in Richmond and around the world. Our donors and volunteers make this possible.

  •  33 Richmond Jewish Coalition for Literacy Mentors – While in its 18th year, RJCL continues to work with students at Swansboro Elementary School in the city of Richmond. We recently added Laburnum Elementary School in Henrico County to this engaging program.

   •  19 New Life and Legacy Gifts – This new legacy giving and endowment building program sponsored by the JCFR, Richmond Jewish Foundation and Grinspoon Foundation has helped the Richmond Jewish Community ensure a thriving Jewish community today, and tomorrow. The program has inspired 230 letters of intent for a projected amount of almost $7 million to the community agencies,  synagogues, and organizations.

  •  50 Campers at RCJE’s Camp Sababa – The Richmond Council for Jewish Education, an ad-hoc committee of the JCFR, is made up of educators from synagogues and other area organizations, including Rudlin Torah Academy, the Virginia Holocaust Museum and the Weinstein JCC. RCJE continues to focus on communal holiday and educational programs, while continuing its successful programs like Camp Sababa, Educator Workshops, Purim and Yom HaAtzmaut celebrations and subsidies for local educators.

  •  11 Participants in the Community Leadership Institute – CLI is a leadership development institute that provides the training and resources to young professionals, inspiring and educating them to become new leaders for Richmond’s Jewish community. Eleven participants were nominated by leadership from all of the local agencies and synagogues. CLI provides agency specific education relating to structure and purpose, skill-based training focused on board responsibilities and meaningful experiences through the Jewish community.

   •  22 Participants in the Sherry Rose Food and Wine Mission to Israel – In October 2016, 22 community members embarked on a new-themed mission for Richmond. The inaugural group on the Richmond Sherry Rose Food and Wine Mission to Israel saw the amazing work being done in Israel by our partner agencies; JDC and the Jewish Agency, while also being able to experience some of the countries best restaurants and wineries. 

A Richmond mission had never been briefed before by Israeli doctors about the Syrian patients being seen for major injuries inflicted during the ongoing Civil war in Syria. The participants were treated to an Ethiopian coffee ceremony at a youth village in Safed. They also were greeted by Ethiopian immigrant families, many with small children in a Jewish Agency classroom. The children melted their hearts. For many of the participants, this was a trip of a lifetime.

  • 260 Senior and Youth Participants at JDC Passover Seders in Zaporozhe, Ukraine – JCFR took on a five-year commitment to aid the Jewish community of the  Ukrainian city of Zaporozhe. 

Community members have visited Zaporozhe, JCFR’s sister-city in Ukraine on a variety of missions.

  • 5,851 Ukrainian Olim received Aliyah Assistance from the Jewish Agency for Israel – The Jewish Agency is a global partnership building a vibrant future for Israel and the Jewish people. It has helped bring in over 3 million people to the Jewish State. The Jewish Agency facilitates our Partnership2Gether (P2G) with our Israeli sister-city of Hadera-Eiron.

If you have not had an opportunity to see and read the new Annual Report and learn more about how the JCFR adds value to Jewish Life, view it online at www.jewishrichmond.org or call the office to get a copy at (804) 285-6500.

 As always, let me hear from you about this column or other things of importance at (804) 545-8622 or sasher@jewishrichmond.org.

0Comments

Add Comment