Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle

Community services: the Federation provides a range of programs and services that support local Jewish organizations and the community at large. The Federation's Jewish community relations council (jcrc) brings together and mobilizes the local Jewish community on critical issues, amplifying our collective voice for institutional members and individual leaders. The jcrc's core work includes combating antisemitism, bigotry, and racism, supporting a peaceful, secure, Jewish, and democratic state of israel, fostering positive and meaningful relations with other communities and public officials, and strengthening our Jewish communities through cohesion and civil discourse. The jcrc fosters meaningful relationships among diverse ethnic, racial, religious, and interest groups builds coalitions based on mutual areas of concern and educates and advocates to advance Jewish concerns in the public arena. The Federation serves as the hub of safe Washington, a partnership program that leverages close working relationships with law enforcement to provide community security services to Jewish organizations statewide, including a robust communications network, training and resources, and risk assessment. The Jewish community foundation of Greater Seattle (the foundation), a program of the Federation, partners with community organizations and philanthropists by stewarding funds, including donor-advised, special-purpose, agency custodial, and scholarship funds. These funds support Jewish and secular organizations, distributing grants and allocations in the puget sound region, the u.s., and overseas. Another Federation initiative, life & legacy, is a partnership with the harold grinspoon foundation through which the Federation supports Jewish organizations in implementing sustainability plans and integrating after-lifetime giving into their philanthropic cultures. The Federation provides grants to local organizations and synagogues through its special initiatives fund. Grants include 1) ignition grants for new, one time, or pilot projects 2) small agency sustainability grants, providing operational support for small Jewish agencies and 3) women's endowment fund grants, supporting programs empowering and improving the lives of women and girls in our region.

Israel and overseas: Federation strengthens Jewish puget sound's connections to israel and overseas Jewish communities through investments in human services and education programs, and through programs that foster people-to-people connections. The Federation invests in programs that provide education, food for the hungry, health care for the sick, and support for israeli immigrants in crisis. Federation has made investments through decades-long partnerships with the Jewish agency for israel (jafi) and the joint distribution committee (jdc). In addition, Federation investments support human services and education programs of the american friends of leket israel, the ethiopian national project, jindas, selah: israel crisis management center, shaharit, tech-career, and yemin-orde/impact israel. The Federation helps area community members make meaningful connections to israel through its israeli emissaries program, scholarships enabling teens to have israel experiences, and local lectures on israel and contemporary issues facing the Jewish community

Investments in Jewish life: the Federation offers programming to individuals and families that provide easy entry points to Jewish life and secures our community's future through leadership development. Federation builds and enhances community by fostering people-to-people connections. These program investments include: - pj library and pj our way, in partnership with the harold grinspoon foundation, provide young families jewish-themed books free of charge to foster community involvement and connection. Locally, pj library enables families to build community through fun and welcoming in-person and virtual experiences. - reset & refresh, a locally developed program, offers young couples in mixed-heritage relationships the opportunity to learn about Jewish life and build community with peers. - need-based scholarships and one happy camper incentive grants help families send their children to Jewish overnight summer camp. - tuition assistance helps families afford Jewish day school for their children. - the cardozo society is an affinity group for Jewish legal professionals and law students. Cardozo society programs include continuing education courses, pro bono initiatives, judicial candidate ratings, and networking opportunities. - Federation sponsors programs that prepare emerging leaders to take on community leadership responsibilities. Leadership development programs that Federation sponsors include the national young leadership cabinet (nylc). In other fiscal years, Federation sponsors and/or runs the wexner heritage program, the Seattle nowgen giving circle, and the courageous leadership incubator (cli).