The Jewish Federation Of Sarasota-Manatee Inc

TO STRENGTHEN JEWISH LIFE AND IDENTITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDE FOR JEWISH PEOPLE IN NEED AND PROMOTE SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL.

ISRAEL, OVERSEAS, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS: THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SARASOTA-MANATEE (JFSM) WORKS TO ADDRESS HUMAN AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN ISRAEL, POLAND AND OVER 70 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FUNDED INCLUDE: * THE HELLER COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE (CRC) WAS ESTABLISHED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH COMMUNITIES TO ADVANCE COMMON INTERESTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. THE CRC WORKS WITH OUR PARTNERS TO ADVOCATE FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN ISRAEL, INCREASES COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY AND ISRAEL; RAISES CONSCIOUSNESS OF, AND ACTIVELY CONFRONTS ANTISEMITISM ON A LOCAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL; AND, DIRECTLY ADDRESSES ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVITIES IN SARASOTA-MANATEE. ** FEDERATION STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS BUILD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLERGY, CIVIC, AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ** THIS INITIATIVE HAS SPONSORED NUMEROUS SPEAKERS AND PROGRAMS AND FIVE INTERFAITH MISSIONS TO ISRAEL.UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CRC, GULF COAST HILLEL CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES OF NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA AND RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ISRAEL RHETORIC. THE BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT, SANCTIONS (BDS) MOVEMENT IS QUICKLY GROWING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES UNDER THE GUISE THAT IT IS A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS. THROUGH MEETINGS WITH COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR STUDENTS, GULF COAST HILLEL PROVIDES A POSITIVE AND ACTIVE PRESENCE ON OUR LOCAL CAMPUSES AND HELPS TO CREATE FUTURE JEWISH LEADERS. * THE WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLE IS MADE UP OF WOMEN IN THE SARASOTA-MANATEE AREA WHO ARE DEDICATED TO FUNDING PROJECTS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN ISRAEL. MEMBERS MAKE A CONTRIBUTION AND HAVE A VOICE IN DETERMINING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. HAVING JUST COMPLETED ITS EIGHTH YEAR, THE CIRCLE HAS 64 MEMBERS WHO IN 2021 AWARDED SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS A TOTAL OF $34,000. AS AN EXAMPLE TWO OF THE RECIPIENTS WERE DVI - DENTAL VOLUNTEERS FOR ISRAEL, AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING FREE DENTAL CARE FOR AT-RISK YOUTH AND ABUSED WOMEN, AND AFRMC - AMERICAN FRIENDS OF RABIN MEDICAL CENTER, SPECIFICALLY TO THE BREAST CANCER UNIT - BRCA MULTIDISCIPLINARY BREAST & OVARIAN CANCER CLINIC. * IMPACT THEATRE BEGAN IN AUGUST 2021 AS A MEANS TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM AND PREJUDICES BETWEEN THE JEWISH AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN SARASOTA-MANATEE AS HISTORY HAS CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS A STRONG SHARED LEGACY BETWEEN THE TWO. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING AND EDUCATING LOCAL TEENS, FEDERATION SOUGHT OUT TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS. TRAINING FOR THE TEENS WAS PROVIDED, AND 10 JEWISH TEENS INTERVIEWED 10 AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS, AND 10 AFRICAN AMERICAN TEENS INTERVIEWED 10 HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS. OVER 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, THE INTERVIEWS TOOK PLACE, MONTHLY MEETINGS WERE HELD FOR THE TEENS TO DEBRIEF WITH THE STAFF, AND A CULMINATING PRESENTATION OF THE 20 STORIES WAS HELD, AS WELL AS A DOCUMENTARY OF THE PROCESS WAS CREATED. * DOMESTIC GRANTS: ** AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL: THIS GRANT PROVIDED A TRUCK TO MAKE FOOD PICKUPS AND DELIVERIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND ALSO SUPPORTS A PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS HOT MEALS TO VULNERABLE SENIORS LIVING IN GOVERNMENT HOSTELS. ** NAMA - HOME PORT, A DIVISION OF MATZMICHIM TO BRING TOGETHER HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL IN ALL SECTORS OF THE ISRAELI SOCIETY IN ORDER TO CREATE SOCIAL COHESION AND A SHARED SOCIETY, I.E., ARAB, JEWISH SECULAR AND JEWISH RELIGIOUS. FIVE PERCENT OF THE PUPILS IN EACH CLASSROOM ARE SELECTED WHO ARE CARING AND UP-LIFTING LEADERS (WHICH IN 2020 TRANSLATED TO 24 STUDENTS). THE PROGRAM IS HELPING TO REDUCE PREJUDICE AMONG THE STUDENTS AND ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS CONTRADICTIONS IN IDENTITY AND RACISM. ** AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM: THIS GRANT ENSURED THE PURCHASE OF A LIFE SUPPORT AMBULANCE FOR ISRAELI EMTS AND PARAMEDICS TO MAKE NEARLY 13,000 EMERGENCY CALLS AND SAVE OVER 12,000 LIVES.

JEWISH EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING:THE FEDERATION, IN COOPERATION WITH AREA SYNAGOGUES AND ORGANIZATIONS, OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF INSPIRING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENABLE TEENAGERS, ADULTS AND FAMILIES TO BECOME CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNERS. THE FEDERATION PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF JEWISH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE TWO-COUNTY AREA. THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES PROGRAMS CELEBRATING JEWISH HOLIDAYS, OUTREACH EFFORTS TO THE UNAFFILIATED AND ADULT PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES AND INTERESTS. LOCALLY, THE FEDERATION CONDUCTS OUTREACH WITHIN THE JEWISH AND GENERAL COMMUNITIES, FOSTERING ISRAEL EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AND PROVIDES A FORUM FOR DEALING WITH ANTISEMITISM.EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FUNDED INCLUDE: * YOUTH GRANTS ** JEWISH SUMMER OVERNIGHT CAMP GRANTS: STUDIES HAVE PROVEN, OVERWHELMINGLY, THAT JEWISH CAMPING EXPERIENCES SERVE AS A CRITICAL TOOL IN JEWISH CONTINUITY EFFORTS. IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE AREA FAMILIES TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO JEWISH CAMPS, AND DESPITE THE SCARE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SARASOTA-MANATEE WAS THRILLED TO AWARD $70,359 TO 45 STUDENTS IN INCENTIVE GRANTS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS IN 2021. CHILDREN FROM SARASOTA-MANATEE ATTENDED JEWISH OVERNIGHT CAMPS SUCH AS CAMP RAMAH DAROM, CAMP BARNEY MEDINTZ, CAMP JUDEA, CAMP COLEMAN, CAMP BLUE STAR AND KUTZ CAMP. ** S.K.I.P. SCHOLARSHIPS TO SEND KIDS TO ISRAEL PROGRAM: A SUBSIDY OF $10,175 WAS AWARDED TO ENSURE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO ISRAEL, THIS PROGRAM IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FEDERATION'S COMMITMENT TO CONTINUITY AND IDENTITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. ** RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS - FEDERATION PROVIDED 73 RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $28,438. ** COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS - FEDERATION PROVIDED 9 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $47,810. * FEDERATION-SPONSORED COMMUNITY-WIDE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS ENSURE A STRONG JEWISH IDENTITY AND TO HELP BUILD A DYNAMIC AND ENGAGED JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. PROGRAMS FEATURE SPEAKERS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS. * SINCE ITS INCEPTION THE FEDERATION'S PJ LIBRARY PROGRAM HAS ENABLED OVER 500 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGES 6 MONTHS TO 12 YEARS TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY MAILING OF JEWISH CHILDREN'S BOOKS, CDS, OR THE OCCASIONAL PARENT BOOK, FOR ONE YEAR. EACH BOOK AND CD CAME WITH GUIDES TO HELP FAMILIES USE THE SELECTION IN THEIR HOMES. BOOK AND MUSIC LISTS WERE CHOSEN BY THE FOREMOST EARLY-CHILDHOOD EXPERTS. THE LIST INCLUDES THEMES SUCH AS JEWISH HOLIDAYS, FOLKTALES AND JEWISH FAMILY LIFE. * THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, THE JEWISH FEDERATION'S LARGEST SINGLE OUTREACH PROGRAM, PROVIDES SCREENINGS OF FILMS AND EVENTS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ON TOPICS THAT APPEAL TO A BROAD RANGE OF INTERESTS, AGES AND POINTS OF VIEW. MORE THAN 2000 TICKETS WERE SOLD IN THE 2021 JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON - WE HELD 3 DRIVE-INS! * THE FEDERATION HONORS ITS COMMITMENT TO HOLOCAUST EDUCATION THROUGH: ** THE SPEAKERS BUREAU, WHICH ADDRESSES ISSUES PERTAINING TO HOLOCAUST EDUCATION IN LOCAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS; ALONG WITH SPEAKING AT ROTARY CLUBS, TEMPLES AND CHURCHES REACHING HUNDREDS OF ADULTS AND STUDENTS. IN 2021, DUE TO THE AFTERMATH OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THESE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. ** THE ANNUAL HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS LUNCHEON, WHICH IN 2021 WAS MODIFIED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AREA SURVIVORS DID NOT WANT TO CONGREGATE IN PERSON. SO IN 2021, VOLUNTEERS WERE TASKED WITH DELIVERING GIFT BAGS FILLED WITH A VARIETY OF GOODIES MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE YEAR. ** AND FEDERATION-SPONSORED HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROGRAMS ANNUALLY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A KRISTALLNACHT COMMEMORATION, A YOM HASHOAH HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY PROGRAM, AND AN INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY PROGRAM. IN 2021, DUE TO THE AFTERMATH OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THESE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.

SARASOTA-MANATEE JEWISH SAFETY NET PROGRAMS:THE FEDERATION WORKS TO ENSURE THAT BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD AND SHELTER ARE MET, AS WE WORK FOR THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF JEWS IN SARASOTA-MANATEE.EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FUNDED INCLUDE: * JEWISH HEALING PROGRAM: THE FEDERATION PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE FUNDING FOR THE JEWISH HEALING PROGRAM, WHICH IS IMPLEMENTED BY JFCS. EACH MONTH VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE DIRECT COMMUNITY SERVICES TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, INCLUDING BIKKOR CHOLIM (VISIT THE SICK), BEREAVEMENT SERVICES, COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS OUTREACH (TO SENIORS IN NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES), PRISON MINISTRY AND DOULA (END-OF-LIFE) SERVICES. MORE THAN 1,858 CONTACTS WERE MADE WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, HELPING THE MOST AT-RISK AND ISOLATED TO RECEIVE SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND MUCH-NEEDED HUMAN CONTACT. * DIRECT SUPPORT FOR 160+ HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS: THE FEDERATION UNDERWRITES THE COST OF 2 CASE MANAGERS AT JFCS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING A VARIETY OF SERVICES TO OUR AREA HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS. * RELIGIOUS OUTREACH: JEWISH HOLIDAYS: THE JEWISH FEDERATION FUNDED JEWISH HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHICH WERE HELD AT 12 LOCATIONS WITH MORE THAN 415 PARTICIPANTS; THIS PROGRAM IS RUN BY THE COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN AND JFCS VOLUNTEERS. * ALL FAITHS FOOD BANK: THE FEDERATION IS ONE OF THE MAIN SPONSORS OF THE SUMMER HUNGER PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FOOD TO MORE THAN 38,000 CHILDREN IN A TWO-COUNTY AREA. * COMMUNITY EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND: THE FEDERATION PROVIDES EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR LOCAL JEWISH FAMILIES IN NEED FOR RENT, UTILITIES AND FOOD. THE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH JFCS. * CARING FOR THE JEWISH ELDERLY: THE FEDERATION PROVIDES BASIC HUMAN NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, MEDICINES AND HOME CARE FOR THOUSANDS OF ELDERLY JEWS IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION RECEIVE THROUGH THE JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE.

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS:THE FEDERATION WORKS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT JEWISH-THEMED PROGRAMMING FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FUNDED INCLUDE: * EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES: THE FEDERATION PARTNERS WITH COEXISTENCE, INC. AND PAYS A PORTION OF AN EOD EDUCATION STAFF POSITION, EACH YEAR TO PRESENT THIS INTERNATIONAL OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT. THE EXHIBIT PROMOTES THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY, THE BENEFIT OF INCLUSION AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ACTIVE REJECTION OF HATRED AND PREJUDICE. PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN, GRADES K-12, ARE TRANSPORTED TO THE EXHIBIT FOR FREE EACH YEAR - SINCE 2004, CLOSE TO 2.5 MILLION STUDENTS HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THIS FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.