Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

It’s been 300 days since the horrors of Oct. 7. It's been 300 days since we've seen our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, daughters, and sons. It's been 300 days too long. #BringThemAllHome #BringThemHomeNow

Thanks to YOU we exceeded all expectations!  • The Annual Unrestricted Campaign raised more than $21.760 million, ensuring we have the resources to respond immediately to community challenges and emergencies.  • An astounding $30 million raised for our Emergency Fund for Israel toward immediate support on the ground for victims of terror, food, medical needs, updating bomb shelters, and other essential services.  • In addition, we raised an additional $8.67 million in targeted gifts for our Federation as well as partner agencies and other Jewish organizations through Federation and from Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) fundholders.  • In total, along with additional grants from JCF fundholders to local synagogues, partner agencies, and other Jewish organizations locally, in Israel, and around the world, we raised more than $100 million in total impact.  • At the same time, through our historic Centennial Campaign, our Federation and JCF raised an additional $30 million this past year in endowment and legacy commitments towards the future of our Jewish community. The Centennial Campaign has has achieved more than 90 percent of our goal of raising $250 million by December 31, 2024. YOUR support sustained and strengthened our community through a deeply challenging year in Jewish history.

Members of the Wilf Leadership Program, Greater MetroWest's innovative lay leadership development initiative, traveled on a Mission to Cuba this month. Experiencing Cuba together gave participants the opportunity to witness the resiliency of the Jewish people, learn about the critical work of the JDC - a Federation partner and the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization - and create bonds of friendship rooted in Jewish community. Tracey Hoberman, one of the attendees of this mission said, "It’s hard to put into words what an incredible experience we’ve had over the past few days in Cuba! It was a mix of every emotion…we were happy to visit the Jewish community and bring them some supplies that they so desperately needed; we were sad to see the conditions that they and so many people in Cuba live in; we were hopeful to hear them speak optimistically about the future of the Jewish community and their desire for things to get better; we were frustrated to see that change can’t and hasn’t happened sooner for them; we were delighted to see that their traditions and their JCC/synagogues are so similar to ours with teen/senior programs and a Sunday school; we were upset to hear that they haven’t had running water at the Sephardic synagogue for over a week so they’ve had to close their doors to the community; happy and sad were the emotions that we felt and the ups and downs we experienced all week as we learned about the complexities of this country. This trip showed me that no matter where in the world we live, as Jews we are all connected. Sharing the same history and praying for the same things, hostages to be freed, peace in Israel, caring for our elderly and loved ones and more." Interested in a transformative, immersive Jewish travel experience? Check out Federation's upcoming community missions: https://lnkd.in/gsPFy694

“There are well-orchestrated efforts by anti-American and anti-Jewish organizations within the United States that provide financial and logistical support to those who harass and threaten Jewish students.” https://lnkd.in/gcjruGTM

To combat the staggering rise of antisemitism in France, a new ad campaign is depicting a family of French Jews who hide their identities out of fear: https://lnkd.in/eP7kiTZm

Eden Golan, Israel’s representative in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, shared that she had to hide her identity outside her hotel during the song competition because her safety was threatened by anti-Israel activists. Read now: https://lnkd.in/e8n2USkT

“This film is about a reality where women in captivity are sexually assaulted. The film is about assaults on women, after which only silence remains.” - Former hostage Agam Goldstein Almog, at a screening of "Screams before Silence.” 'Tell everything so Hamas doesn't touch us again': Former captive calls for hostages' release: https://lnkd.in/eRtdQPWe

The 2024 Summer Olympics starts on July 26! There will be dozens of Jewish athletes among the estimated 10,500 competitors representing 200 countries in 329 events across 32 sports. Read "Claire Weinstein, Jessica Fox and 12 other Jewish athletes to watch in the 2024 Paris Olympics" https://lnkd.in/eKHmQrry

We are proud that our Federation has contributed to the success of Jewish Federations of North America's recently completed two-year, $9 million Ethiopia campaign, impacting the lives of thousands of Ethiopians and Ethiopian Jews. $5 million was granted to assist 3,170 Ethiopian olim (immigrants to Israel) with aliyah and absorption through The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI). $4 million provided humanitarian support, including food and medical care, throughout Ethiopia. Read this emotional first-hand account from Mark Wilf about his participation in one of the delegations accompanying families on their journey from Addis Ababa to Ben Gurion Airport and their new lives in Israel.  https://lnkd.in/ey-89tjE

Two different yet equally powerful Federation mission trips returned home from Israel this week. One group was comprised of prominent local NJ legislators and educators who work closely with our JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Council); the other mission’s participants were Greater MetroWest community members and supporters showing solidarity with our Israel partner communities. The groups spent time together in Israel, processing jointly what they each had witnessed. These meaningful missions what happened to Israel on October 7 and facilitate conversations with Israelis - Jews and Arabs - who were most deeply affected. Participants experienced direct access to thought leaders to engage in dialogue and ask important questions.  Attendees met prominent Israelis including: • Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, anguished parents of Hersh, one of the hostages who remains in Gaza. The Goldberg-Polins have met with hundreds of groups in Israel around the world as they search for any lead that might help secure their son's release. • Foreign Ministry Special Envoy for Trade and Innovation Fleur Hassan and Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsch, who provided updates on the political/ security situation and global surge of antisemitism. • Israeli Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, who for 40 years has covered the Middle East, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas. Toameh said he was both surprised by the cruelty of the attacks, and at the same time, not surprised given generations of incitement against Jews in schools, mosques, and media. • A survivor of Kibbutz Nir Oz who led a tour of his devastated community, where more than 1/4 of the kibbutz’s 400 residents were either murdered or abducted (among them the Bibas family, including the youngest abductees still in captivity, Ariel and Kfir.  • Israelis from our partnership communities of Ofakim and Kibbutz Erez who shared their stories from October 7 and its aftermath. There has never been a more important time to bring our community to Israel for encounters like these.  To see more photos from these missions, click here: https://lnkd.in/eUS7iMmp