Based on our research, the Federation has assessed areas of need and formulated thoughtful solutions to communal problems in Israel and around the world.
Community-Wide Preschool Scholarship Fund
A new $250,000 challenge grant has been launched to provide need-based scholarships for working and single parent families to send their children to Jewish preschool programs at accredited Jewish preschools within the Federation service area. In recent years, the high cost of living in the Bay Area has made Jewish preschool inaccessible to many families, and particularly single-parent families, who struggle to make ends meet.
Preschool scholarship funds are needed to ensure that cost is not a barrier to active participation in Jewish life for young families. Jewish preschools serve as an important bridge to Jewish family life for many young families, including those who are unaffiliated and/or interfaith.
For more information about the preschool scholarships, contact Megan Kennedy at
MeganK@sfjcf.org or 415.512.6264.
The Early Childhood Education Initiative
Over the next decade, the ECEI will increase the participation of families with young children by making programming educationally compelling within distinctively Jewish frameworks. It focuses strategically on three areas:
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professionalization of the field
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connecting families and young children
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establishing community-wide standards of excellence for Early Childhood Jewish Education centers.
Read more about the Early Childhood Education Initiative, or contact Janet Harris at
janeth@sfjcf.org or 415.499.1223 ext.8104 for more information.
Gvanim Leadership Initiative - Israel
The JCF’s very own Gvanim (meaning ‘hues’ in Hebrew) program works to strengthen Israel’s democracy by creating a cadre of leaders to spread the message of Jewish pluralism to ever-widening circles of Israelis. Of the hundreds that apply, fifteen professionals, representing every religious and economic sector of Israeli society, are selected to participate in a year-long educational and leadership development program.
Read more.
For more information contact
Siggy Rubinson.
Israel Education Initiative (IEI)
Led by the the JCF's Israel Center and the Bureau of Jewish Education, this program strengthens Jewish identity among students of Bay Area Jewish schools and develops a sense of common Jewish destiny among students in both the Bay Area and Israel, through 3 programs:
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School Twinning - pairing each Jewish school in the Bay Area with a school in Israel, creating a community of educators and students in both countries who feel connected to one another.
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Israel Arts & Culture - presenting Israel "beyond the conflict" and inspiring both students and faculty to learn more.
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Bay Area Day School Israel Education Project - in partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation, the project will enhance the IEI by infusing resources and technical support into eleven day schools throughoput northern California to ramp up Israel education in a holistic way.
For more information about the Israel Education Initiative, contact Dawn Da'abul at 415.369.2837 or
DawnD@sfjcf.org.
Special Needs Initiative
Providing teachers with professional development opportunities and curricular alternatives giving tailored services such as aides and classroom specialists, and offering parents support services to ensure that children with special needs can participate in JCC, camp, religious school, day school and other Jewish youth programs. A North Peninsula pilot of this initiative is led by the Bureau of Jewish Education.
Read more about the Special Needs Initiative, or contact Laura Mason at 415.512.6273 or
LauraM@sfjcf.org for more information.
Senior Transportation Initiative
Senior transportation is a matter of health and survival, as it enables seniors to get to core services such as medical appointments and grocery shopping. It also enables our seniors to maintain quality of life through active engagement and participation in community activities.
Read more about the Senior Transportation Initiative, or contact Laura Mason at 415.512.6273 or
LauraM@sfjcf.org for more information.
Synagogue-Federation Partnership
The Federation has embarked on a collaboration with 30+ Bay Area synagogues to build connections between them and the Federation, encouraging broader participation within our community and bolstering log-term economic sustainability of our synagogues.
For more information about the Synagogue-Federation Initiative, contact Rabbi Marv Goodman at 415.369.2860 or
marving@sfjcf.org.
