United Jewish Fund For Charlottesville

THE UNITED JEWISH FUND FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE (UJFC) AIMS TO STRENGTHEN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY --SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, EDUCATIONALLY AND CULTURALLY - BOTH LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. THIS OBJECTIVE GUIDES OUR BOARD AS WE SELECT PROGRAMS TO FUND. THE JEWISH TRADITION TEACHES THAT THE TWO HIGHEST LEVELS OF CHARITABLE GIVING INVOLVE HELPING PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM BECOMING DEPENDENT ON OTHERS AND GIVING IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE GIVER AND RECIPIENT ARE UNKNOWN TO EACH OTHER. GIVING WHEN THE RECIPIENT KNOWS THE DONOR IS ALSO PERMITTED. THE UJFC GIVES IN WAYS BOTH KNOWN AND UNKNOWN TO THE RECIPIENTS. GRANTS OF 112,050 WERE MADE AS FOLLOWS: GRANTS: 1)32,500- JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA (JFNA) CONSOLIDATES GIFTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SUPPORT JEWISH CAUSES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE GIFT WAS UNRESTRICTED, SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS, ALLOWING THE ORGANIZATION TO APPLY OUR FUNDS WHERE THEY WERE MOST NEEDED. AMONG MANY OF THEIR PRIORITIES, THE JFNA HELPS JEWS WHO HAVE IMMIGRATED TO ISRAEL AND NEED SUPPORT AS THEY ADJUST TO LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY, AND HELPS FAMILIES IN ISRAEL CLIMB OUT OF POVERTY, MANY OF WHOM ARE SINGLE MOTHERS. UJFC'S FUNDS SUPPORT JFNA OPERATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. 2)14,000 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - SENIOR CONNECTIONS THIS PROGRAM IS RUN BY CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL (CBI) TO KEEP SENIOR CITIZENS ENGAGED WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE. LATIFA KROPF, THE PROGRAM'S DIRECTOR AND SOLE EMPLOYEE RUNS MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS RUBRIC, INCLUDING TORAH STUDY, HOLIDAY GATHERINGS AND SOCIAL EVENTS. DURING THE PANDEMIC, LATIFA REACHED OUT TO SENIORS BY PHONE ONLY, BUT THIS YEAR'S PROGRAMS INCLUDED HOLIDAY, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT THE COLONNADES AND OTHER SENIOR COMMUNITIES, 3 WISE AGING GROUPS THAT MEET MONTHLY AND COORDINATION OF HILLEL STUDENTS WITH THE COLONNADES JEWISH RESIDENTS. ONE RECIPIENT REACHED OUT TO LATIFA FOR HELP AFTER HIS WIFE DIED. LATIFA CONNECTED HIM WITH THE CBI CEMETERY COMMITTEE, THE MEMORIAL STONE DEALERS, AND ADVISED HIM ON IS VIRTUAL MEMORIAL FOR HIS BELOVED. UJFC PROVIDES 100% OF THE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR POSITION. 3)22,000 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - FOREST SCHOOL CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL'S FOREST SCHOOL SERVES JEWISH CHILDREN LIVING IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA. UJFC FUNDS ARE PRIMARILY USED TO CLOSE THE TUITION GAP FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD, ALLOWING THESE FAMILIES TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY JEWISH EDUCATION TO THEIR CHILDREN WITHOUT HAVING COST AS A BARRIER. A SMALL PORTION OF UJFC'S FUNDS GOES TOWARDS THE PJ LIBRARY PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES FREE BOOKS TO JEWISH FAMILIES ACROSS THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA AREA. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ALL JEWISH FAMILIES IN THE REGION, NOT JUST THOSE AFFILIATED WITH THE SYNAGOGUE. 4)4,800 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - INTERGEN PROGRAM - CBI IS PLANNING AN INTERGENERATIONAL TRIP TO EXPLORE JEWISH NEW YORK ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27TH UNTIL SUNDAY OCTOBER 29TH. THE TRIP WILL BE OPEN TO CBI MEMBER FAMILIES OF ALL AGES. RABBI TOM WILL BE THE GROUP LEADER AND SHELBY APPLE WILL BE HIS ASSISTANT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL PLANNING AND LOGISTICS. CBI WILL BE RENTING A PRIVATE CHARTER BUS, STAYING IN A HOTEL FOR 2 NIGHTS, HAVING A SHABBAT EXPERIENCE TOGETHER AT A LARGE REFORM NY SYNAGOGUE, VISITING PLACES LIKE THE LOWER EAST SIDE, JEWISH MUSEUM AND TENEMENT MUSEUM, AND MUCH MORE. THIS TRIP WILL BE A KICKOFF EVENT TO AN INCREASE IN INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT CBI. NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING TO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERACTIONS WITHIN OUR CBI MEMBERSHIP AFTER THE TRIP RETURNS. 5)4,500 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL RUNS A SUMMER CAMP SO CHILDREN CAN HAVE POSITIVE JEWISH EXPERIENCES WHILE SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS. THE CAMP IS OPERATED OUT OF CAMP HOLIDAY TRAILS AND OFFERS ACTIVITIES LIKE ARCHERY, ROPES COURSE, SWIMMING, HIKING, AND BOATING. UJFC FUNDS OFFER FINANCIAL AID FROM 10-50% OF THE CAMP COST TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO CANNOT AFFORD. 100 STUDENTS ARE IMPACTED FROM OUR SUMMER CAMP. 6)10,500 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - JEWC JEWC IS CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL'S GROUP FOR JEWISH YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 22- 42). THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY WHERE YOUNG ADULTS FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES CAN FORM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS EVENTS. JEWC IS OPEN TO SINGLES, JEWISH COUPLES AND INTERFAITH COUPLES. UJFC FUNDING WILL HELP WITH SPECIAL SPEAKERS / EVENTS TO LIVEN UP ZOOM MEETINGS, AS WELL AS RENT SPACES TO PROVIDE SAFE EXPERIENCES OUTDOORS. UFJC'S FUNDING WILL SUPPORT JEWC PROGRAMMING AND SUPPLIES AND A LARGER NUMBER OF EVENTS, ATTENDEES AND NEEDS ARE ANTICIPATED NEXT YEAR. 7)21,000 - BRODY JEWISH CENTER - HILLEL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA THE BRODY JEWISH CENTER IS THE HOME OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF HILLEL INTERNATIONAL, AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES JEWISH COLLEGE STUDENTS, PRIMARILY THOSE FROM REFORM AND CONSERVATIVE BACKGROUNDS, AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ENRICHMENT. UJFC FUNDS AID INCREASED PROGRAMMING AND STAFFING COSTS RELATED TO THE VACANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT POSITION THAT THEY WANT TO FILL WITH TWO SEPARATE ROLES (ONE FULL TIME AND ONE PART TIME) AND WILL ALLOW EXPANDED PROGRAMMING AROUND FIRST YEAR ENGAGEMENT. 8)1,250 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - CHARLOTTESVILLE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE JEWISH ORAL HISTORY PROJECT SEEKS TO DOCUMENT JEWISH LIFE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. THE PROJECT BUILDS UPON EARLIER WORK CARRIED OUT BY CAROL ELY, PHYLLIS LEFFLER, AND JEFFREY HANTMAN THAT RESULTED IN THE PUBLICATION, TO SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY. THAT WORK ENDED AROUND THE 1960S. THE CURRENT PROJECT, BEGUN IN DECEMBER OF 2017, DOCUMENTS THE HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY-FIRST CENTURIES THROUGH EXTENSIVE ORAL HISTORIES AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTARY RESEARCH. IT TARGETS BOTH MEMBERS OF CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL, THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS JEWS BUT ARE NOT MEMBERS, AND SOME WHO HAVE STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BUT ARE NOT THEMSELVES JEWISH. THIS IS A ONE-OF-A KIND CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCE THAT WILL INFORM GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE, CENTRALITY, AND DIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE'S JEWISH COMMUNITY 9)1,500 - CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL - STARS OF DAVID - "STARS OF DAVID" IS A PROJECT DESIGNED TO CELEBRATE THE INTERSECTION OF JEWISH HERITAGE AND ASTRONOMICAL EXPLORATION. THROUGH QUARTERLY EVENTS, WE AIM TO ENGAGE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND BEYOND IN THE WONDERS OF THE COSMOS WHILE HIGHLIGHTING THE RICH CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN JUDAISM AND ASTRONOMY. JEWISH ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY TALKS: HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF JEWISH ASTRONOMERS AND THE ROLE OF ASTRONOMY IN JEWISH TRADITION AND CULTURE STARGAZING AND JEWISH MYTHOLOGY: OBSERVATION SESSIONS WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKY WHILE LEARNING ABOUT JEWISH CONSTELLATIONS, LEGENDS, AND CELESTIAL PHENOMENA MENTIONED IN JEWISH TEXTS GUEST LECTURES: INCLUDING JEWISH ASTRONOMERS, SCHOLARS, AND EDUCATORS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE JEWISH CALENDAR, LUNAR PHASES, AND THE COSMOS IN JEWISH THOUGHT HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES: INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS BUILDING MODEL SOLAR SYSTEMS, CREATING CONSTELLATION ART INSPIRED BY JEWISH SYMBOLS, AND CRAFTING DIY SUNDIALS COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS: DISCUSSIONS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATTENDEES TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL CONNECTIONS TO JUDAISM AND ASTRONOMY, EXCHANGE IDEAS, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.