YEAR IN REVIEW

2019 2020

YEAR IN REVIEW • 2019-2020 JEWISH FOUNDATION AND FEDERATION OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA

It has been a busy year for the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida. We changed our name to the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida to reflect the wider area that we serve. We strive to connect and support all the Jewish people in Northeast Florida through our programming, communications, and financing. We included the Foundation in our new name because we celebrated the two-year anniversary of the merger of the Jewish Foundation with the Jewish Federation. Through the Foundation, we are working to provide sustainable financial support to our partner organizations for years to come. The Foundation is an important part of who we are, and our new name celebrates that collaborative partnership.

We held numerous events, interacted with many of our donors and made an impact in the Northeast Florida Jewish Community. One highlight was the Major Gifts event, held at the beautiful home of Sue Eaglstein, where donors who generously contribute $5,000 or more to the annual campaign heard from the treasurer of the Jewish

Federations of North America, Harold Gernsbacher.

This year’s A Night Out with Federation hosted another sell-out crowd and celebrated the sound of Billy Joel. Thank you to co-chairs, Sarah Fraden, Marcy Sandler and Sandy Zimmerman for putting together a fantastic night. The evening also recognized three volunteers for their service to the community and the Federation, mazel tov to Mary Edwards, Stefanie Levine and Jeff Rood.

While our community was under a stay at home order for most of March and all of April and May, the Federation still provided opportunities for the community to gather. There were numerous events that connected Northeast Florida with Israel through P2G programming, Women’s Philanthropy held two virtual events, Young Professionals & Families hosted a quarterly cocktails as well as trivia night, Shalom Jacksonville welcomed participants to two Jewish Javas, and there were numerous partnerships with our local agencies. We look forward to connecting in new and innovative ways throughout the 2020-2021 year.

Women’s Philanthropy has had a busy year, even during the pandemic. The Women’s Philanthropy Steering Committee began the year with an inspiring speaker at their first meeting. Simone Knego, immediate past National Young Leadership Cabinet Co-chair gave a presentation on what motivates her to be so involved with the Jewish community and the difference that each woman could make.

One of the highlights of the year was the Champagne Brunch, co-chaired by Danielle Leder and Joan Rosenberg. The record number of attendees enjoyed hearing from bestselling author, Kristin Harmel, who discussed the inspiration and process behind writing her best-selling novels. Leading up to the event, women gathered for an engaging discussion on her book, the Winemaker’s Wife.

Throughout the year, WP collected feminine hygiene products as part of the Dignity Project. All items will be donated to the Max Block Food Pantry at Jewish Family and Community Services. In addition, WP refurbished two family visitation rooms at JFCS, a fun and rewarding project.

During the lockdown, WP hosted two successful virtual events. In May, the annual Girlfriend Connection, co-chaired by Kiley Efron and Debbie Parker, was held with over 50 attendees. Guest speaker, Linda Janasz, shared ways to be mindful during these anxious times. In addition, a Lion Event was held with the co-founder of the Lion of Judah and

Our 25th year as your Jewish Community Foundation has been one for the record books! At the end of 2018 few could have imagined the S&P 500 delivering a gain of more than 28% in 2019. It was a performance that flirted with the 31% gain of 1997, and one that came very close to topping the 29.6% return of 2013. Racial strife, a global pandemic and a rising stock market are common to the years 2020 and 1968. We will learn from this experience and better prepare for the next.

The start of 2020 has cemented the tried and true that what goes up must come down. In my best effort at optimism in a year that has not shown us a rainbow, I believe we as a Jewish Community must continue to work towards securing Jewish tomorrows for all future generations. In 2019, we envisioned a community wide endowment campaign and in the first half of 2020 we have learned our community needs to secure the funds now for the promise of Jewish tomorrows more than ever.

Jacksonville native, Norma Kipnis-Wilson. She shared the inspiring story of how the Lion of Judah, the most successful philanthropic recognition tool began.

Plans are now underway for the 2020-2021 campaign year and WP is looking forward to getting creative and innovative in this time of social distancing. Thank you to our amazing leadership: Debbie Banks, Chair; Jeanine Rogozinski, Campaign Chair; Haley Trager, Lion of Judah Chair; and the WP Steering Committee for their time and effort in making it a successful

FOUNDATION

year.

Your Jewish Foundation awarded grants and helped individuals give nearly one million dollars to nonprofit organizations this past fiscal year. With a generous community looking at securing our future we grew to over $30 million in assets under management with over $3.5 million in new contributions we are confident our eyes will see the rainbow by years’ end.

The Young Professionals & Families Division of your Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida (formally known as rGEN) had a great year, albeit a year that ended unlike anything ever seen before. There was a wide range of programming both meaningful and fun, both in person and virtual, which all in various ways brought together new and familiar faces from around the community to celebrate, to learn and grow, to network, volunteer, and even help raise a great number of donations on Super Sunday. There were both new and returning programs, including Quarterly Cocktails, always a favorite, giving everyone a chance to unwind and relax while catching up with friends old and new. There was the annual Break-the-Fast gathering in October, and a wonderful Guys Day Out partnership, between YPF and PJ Library, fast becoming an annual tradition. This year YPF also organized a Jewish Community Day at the Cummer Museum, where more than 350 Jacksonville Jewish community members came together to learn more about the many things our dynamic Jacksonville Jewish community has to offer.

The YPF calendar this past year also included leading Super Sunday, the great kick-off event for the upcoming year’s fundraising campaign, and did a magnificent job as well, bringing in a record-setting number of donations! Some other events included a Community Hamentashen Bake, a Community-Wide Havdalah Service, and a virtual 2nd Night Seder, certainly a first for many! Finally, it was the first year for our new leadership development initiative, BRIDGES, a

program designed to foster emerging leaders both in their personal and professional lives, preparing the participants to take on greater leadership within the community in the future and learn about the many different organizations their leadership and talent would be needed.

There are many wonderful events currently in the works for the year to come, and many of your favorites will be back as well. If you haven’t been receiving information on upcoming events and would like to be added to our communications list please reach out to Faye Hedrick at fayeh@jewishjacksonville. org and be sure to also follow the YPF Instagram Account @YPF_Jax and Facebook Account rGEN Jax. The past few months have been difficult and uncertain, challenging all of us to adapt to new ways of life, both personally and professionally, and for YPF that has certainly been true as well. It was wonderful seeing so many come together in creative ways to find opportunities to spend time together building stronger friendships, offering each other hope, and being there for each other in an unprecedented time. YPF will continue to provide a wide variety of programming in the coming year and would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions or feedback.

YEAR IN REVIEW • 2019-2020 ISRAEL PARTNERSHIP

Israel Partnership in Northeast Florida had an absolutely delegations were cancelled including medical, culinary, teen and amazing and busy year. The program seeks to create living young leadership groups. Instead, the professionals hopped on bridges between members of the Northeast Florida Jewish Zoom and began to deliver programming to help the Southeast community with members of the Hadera-Eiron Region in Israel. communities and Israel join together for the holiday season which This year, the Northeast Florida Jewish community sent teens to included a Virtual Passover Seder and Online Concert by Yonina, Israel for an incredible two-week experience where they lived speakers for Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha’Atzmaut, with Israeli families and traveled the country with both American and Yom Yerushalayim. Food In Bidud (Cooking in Quarantine) and Israeli teens. The community was host to a delegation of four became a popular weekly hit with both Israeli and American chefs teens and one chaperone during the month of July. Local host sharing dishes to make for the holidays, for children and for families showed these teens what it is like to be Jewish in the families. Café Hafooch brought together older members of the Southeast United States—an amazing experience for the host Jacksonville community with Israeli high school students for families and for the Israeli delegation, as weekly facilitated discussions about well. In early November, Israel different topics facing our world today. Partnership in Northeast Florida was Teens were invited to learn together host to the 3rd annual from a well-known American-Israeil Leadership2Gether Retreat. Thirty-five educator; children were invited to young adults from the 11 Southeast participate in Hebrew-English programs communities and from Israel came on Sundays and educators were invited together for a weekend of fellowship and to learn more about the availability of learning over the course of a long Online Digital Tools for their students. weekend. In December, three local The Summer 2020 Israel Partnership educators traveled to Israel on the schedule is full: Teen Programs led by Educator Delegation where they Stand With Us, Learning Hebrew: Kids interacted with other Southeast US educators and shared the in the Kitchen, Young Adult courses on Israel Advocacy, speakers week with Israeli educators in their respective fields. The on Anti-Semitism, English Lessons for Israel students and more. Partnership Annual Joint Steering Committee Meeting was held While the delegations have paused for now, there is hope that in Pinellas in late February where many decisions were made they will restart in early 2021. Israel Partnership will continue to about programming for the upcoming 2020-2021 year. work to bring together our communities and create living bridges

And, in March of 2020, we all faced the craziness known as between our communities. For now, these connections will COVID-19. The virus essentially changed everything about how continue virtually. Israel Partnership programming is delivered. In-person

SHALOM JAX

While our live programs came to a halt after March, our atmosphere for our many newcomers and locals. Shout out to outreach to our friends continued with phone calls, notes and Leslie Held, Dir. Of Jewish Life and Volunteer Services at River virtual programs. As the official Jewish welcome wagon of Garden, for her partnership with us. In the coming year we plan Northeast Florida, our mission is to welcome newcomers and to continue our “reach to the beaches” with programs at Beth El-at anyone newly-interested in Judaism and help them to navigate the the Beaches synagogue and at Story & Song in Fernandina Beach. community. Now in its fourteenth year, Shalom Jax has many Shalom Jacksonville partners with the Jewish Genealogical ambassadors befriending the newest among and making them Society of Northeast Florida and River Garden to provide “feel at home in their new surroundings.” The group facilitates guidance and encouragement for anyone seeking their Jewish holiday hospitality as well as social roots. Adding to the mix, we waxed gatherings in different areas of the nostalgic with a musical tribute to community with its reach extending Woodstock and brought the Bronx of from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine. the ‘50’s & ‘60’s back to life.

Jewish Java, our well-attended You can help us build our community signature monthly program, features local by sharing the names of any new Jewish speakers on a wide range of topics to neighbors or co-workers so we can entertain, inform and offer advice for show them our Southern-Jewish living healthy and contented lifestyles. hospitality. Please contact Isabel Balotin, Our Federation partner, River Garden, shalomjax@jewishjacksonville.org or provides a conducive meeting place, a 904-224-1408. plentiful brunch and warm and friendly 27

Temple Bet Yam, a Reform Congregation, prides itself in being one family, a family who welcomes all peoples.

We have enjoyed a wonderful year under the leadership of Rabbi Dr. Nadia Siritsy. She has instituted some great activities, both in person at the Temple, and now with Covid-19, via Zoom. Though the building is closed and we are not able to be together in person, we were able to hold our Passover Seder and Religious School Awards Day. and we continue adult B’nai training classes, bar mitzvah preparation, Torah studies, meditation classes, board and congregational meetings, book club and healing services in addition to our regular Shabbat services.

New members have joined us and we have added to our Religious School. Emma Bates and Ari Love, two of our religious school graduates, celebrated their bat mitzvahs this past year. Temple leadership provides many interfaith and fun activities for our Temple family and for the St. Augustine community at large. Members participate in interfaith gatherings, helping feed those most needy through the Dining with Dignity program, donating foods to St Paul’s AME Church in addition to providing masks to protect the health of their clients. Both Temple members and the St Augustine community have participated in Deli Nite, mahjong and bingo tournaments, the annual card party, and joined in our complimentary gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble during the winter holidays. Our members enjoy stimulating programs in our Life Long Learning, Sisterhood, and Men’s Club. We do miss having Temple picnics and hearing our wonderful choir’s melodies during Shabbat services and the delicious

We have had a phenomenal year at Beth El. We bid a heartfelt goodbye to our President, Abby Steele, and welcomed our new President, Charlie Frohman.

Rabbi Matuson, along with the Beth El Board, created The Rabbi’s Legacy Initiative, a fund dedicated solely to paying down the Beth El building mortgage. At the direction of a large donation by Rabbi, the entire Beth El Board, along with a majority of synagogue members, have pledged participation. Our participation to date is such that we are very close to achieving the goal of paying off the mortgage by 2022.

Our Celebrate the Seasons event in the fall was a huge success. The Night of Giving Gala, our largest unrestricted fundraiser for the year, took on a successful change from the normal format. We unveiled our “Giving Tree”, a moveable tree adorned with various donation levels.

The Beth El religious school, under the direction of Vickie Shabbat onegs for which we, at “Temple Bet Yummy,” are famous. However, through Zoom, our Temple family remains close and we look forward to the day that all of us are once

BETH EL THE BEACHES SYNAGOGUE

more physically together. 28

Kennedy, brought fun educational and exciting activities. Eva Grayzel, a motivational speaker, came and spoke to entire families about putting “Quality back into Quality Time.”

With the COVID-19 virus hitting the area in March, we made changes to ensure the safety and health of the Rabbi, staff, and families. We halted all activities at Beth El and began Zoom Shabbat services for Friday nights and Saturday mornings. Rabbi Matuson began using Zoom for Thursday discussion group and Friday Torah study. Our Vice President, Sherill Herzfeld, and religious school Director, Vickie Kennedy, began participating in daily Zoom calls with the local Jewish leaders. These have been extremely successful and a beneficial way to work through situations and “how-to” scenarios.

We, at Beth El, remain concerned about our community’s safety and health and look forward to reopening Beth El for in-person services and synagogue activities.

As we end this program year, we find ourselves in an unexpected moment in time. The current health crisis has meant we have not been engaging in the same ways and have had to find new ways to stay connected within our community and maintain a sense of normalcy in our lives. However, looking back over the past year, we are still able to celebrate the JCA’s highlights and program success.

Our annual Jewish Cultural Arts Festival brought renowned authors, films and cultural arts to Jacksonville. The events explored a variety of Jewish-themed topics and were free to the community thanks to the support of our generous sponsors. The festival opened to a sold out crowd with a performance by YidLife Crisis presents YidLive!, the creation of comedy duo Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman. YidLive! was presented in partnership with the Jacksonville Jewish Center and the Hannah Setzer Dora Levitt Family Education Fund. The festival continued with author Susan Lewis Solomont, who presented her memoir, Lost and Found in Spain. Michael David Lukas shared his captivating history of Cairo’s Ibn Ezra Synagogue in The Last Watchman of Old Cairo. In D-Day Girls, author Sarah Rose detailed the heroic actions of the women in Winston Churchill’s Special Operations Executive. Matthew Goodman told the thrilling yet heartbreaking story of the 1950 City College of New York Beavers in The City Game, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum staff Michael

Dobbs, author of The Unwanted, and Rebecca Erbelding, author of Rescue Board, shared a Jewish historical perspective of immigration in a joint presentation. The festival also included three films, Shoelaces, 93Queen and The Last Resort, and a special children’s reading of The Mitzvah Magician and a magic show. Over 1,000 guests joined us for these exciting, community events. The annual JCA Fundraiser, A Night in New Orleans, brought the flare of The Big Easy to guests for a night of support of the JCA. This year’s event set a new fundraising record as well as record attendance for a non-milestone year.

The excellence of the JCA was recognized by two Folio Weekly Best of Jax awards for Best Health Club and Best Preschool.

The Myron Flagler Israel Learning Seminar’s first cohort began their year-long

study ahead of a trip to Israel at the end of the year. Through in-person then virtual lessons, participants have studied a range of topics to gain a better understanding of Israeli culture and Israel’s impact in the world. The JCA was also chosen to pilot an inaugural JCCs of North America Women inPower Fellowship program. The yearlong fellowship has provided a select group of women with the training, mentorship and support to advance to new leadership roles in their careers in the Jewish communal world and beyond. The agency hosted the Northeast Florida Jewish Community Security TableTop Exercise along with the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida, all partner agencies and synagogues and local law enforcement to enhance preparedness and awareness of procedure and emergency response.

Holidays at the JCA were a time for togetherness and celebration. Pizza in the

Hut taught the history of

Sukkot with a fun, pizza celebration. Our annual

Chanukkah celebration brought out members and families for the lighting of our giant, outdoor chanukiyah, a family-style dinner, songs and crafts.

Our community-wide celebration of Yom

Ha’atzmaut took a different format this year with virtual comedy by Joel Chasnoff. Passover and Yom HaShoah were also held as virtual services in which families joined us for live observations. Our Jewish Education continued with a variety of programming, including virtual Lunch and Learn from Israel programs with Leah Garber and Zoom programs on a range of topics. The J Institute continued to offer adult programs for every age and interest through enrichment and wellness classes, social groups and cultural arts programming. The Vandroff Art Gallery, Sunday Film Series and Travelling Diner Dinner Club remained popular amongst our members and guests. The annual Young Concert Artists 29

Series brought violinist

Randall Goosby to Jacksonville for a stirring performance. A

Discover Culture Extension event featured Dr. Michael

Roizen, author of What to Eat

When, and J Institute participants enjoyed trips to

Cumberland Island, Manifest

Distillery, the FAA Jacksonville

Air Traffic Control Center,

Mayo Clinic and Amazon.

Michele Block Gan Yeladim

Preschool and Kindergarten continued to help our youngest members learn through play and the framework of the

Sheva lenses. The annual

Professional Development

Conference invited expert

Nicole Mercer to discuss

Conscious Discipline and creating the school family with local educators. Participants in the Educator Support Network continued their education of

Conscious Discipline with monthly learning sessions following the conference. The conference and Educator

Support Network was made possible by grants from The

Chartrand Family Fund, The

Community Foundation of

Northeast Florida and CSX.

Following the agency’s temporary closure due to the

COVID crisis, Michele Block

Gan Yeladin staff swiftly moved to a virtual format to keep consistency in their students’ learning.

JCA Theatre continued to bring outstanding educational entertainment to children of

Jacksonville with The Magic

Wardrobe. They also held a production of Suessical, Jr. and virtual rehearsals of Moana.

Director Shelly Hughes’s live virtual Mrs. Sneecher’s reading-alongs and Zoey Zone adventures were an instant hit among children who 30

participated from their homes. Youth Services kept school age children engaged after school with interactive programming such as B3: Bricks, Bots and Beakers classes, sewing classes, cooking classes, and holiday JCAtion Days. Virtual offerings included Zoom Power Hours, live STEM demonstrations and

while at home. Aquatics kept participants of all ages safe in the water and brought us together for fun events like Dive-In Movie nights, where families enjoyed a film in the indoor pool, and the annual Youth Mini Triathlon. The JCA Tennis Ladies USTA Combo League won their division, and

more.

People of all ages enjoyed their favorite sports with JCA Sports and Recreation. Youth and adult leagues had amazing attendance, and exciting new classes were added. Our first, two E-Sports Tournaments were a success and allowed players to stay competitive

the JCA Men’s Team won the Metro League Championships.

Fitness and Wellness encouraged wellness throughout the community through personal training, group exercise and upgrades to our Fitness Center and the addition of a nutritionist to the team to facilitate nutritional programming. The Wellness Connexion partnership with Baptist Health brought wellness education to the community with programs on Aneurysm Awareness, Stroke Awareness, hearing screenings and Heart Health.

During the temporary closure of the agency due to the COVID-19 crisis, JCA departments quickly moved to a virtual format with JCA Virtual. Through this platform, members continued to enjoy live and virtual versions of their favorite JCA activities, including group fitness classes and personal training, theatre activities, youth programs, Jewish holiday celebrations and adult programming. JCA staff was also assigned to other areas of the community where help was needed. We grocery shopped every Monday-Friday for the residents of The Coves to allow them to stay in place and remain safe, we helped box food at the JFCS Max Block Food Pantry every week so people would not have to leave the safety of their vehicles to come inside, and for 12 hours/ day, seven days/week we helped security staff at the River Garden guard house screen visitors to the campus.

These are just some of the accomplishments from this year of triumphs and unexpected change. As we continue to care for each other and our community, we look forward to remaining the place where people come together throughout their lives to enhance their bodies, minds and spirits in an environment of fun, harmony and friendship. Thank you for your continued support of the JCA!

It seems nearly impossible to think of the past 12 months in totality, as there is clearly a separator known as COVID-19. For River Garden, March 5, 2020 was that separating day. May this time of limitations pass soon, so that we can enjoy again our friends and bustling activity on our campus.

Honoring those who fought for our Independence.

Finding ways to enjoy our days. Visiting with friends in the café.

Receiving measures of kindness.

Celebrating birthdays in a new style.

Honoring Passover traditions in a most unusual way.

Instituting screening at the gate.

Supporting the Mission.

Learning to Zoom and FaceTime.

Recognizing Jim Richman’s retirement.

TOP LEFT: JFCS Executive Director, Colleen Rodriguez, named Ultimate CEO! She also received the Chuck Young Above and Beyond award. Way to go, Colleen! TOP RIGHT: JFCS welcomed a new employee! Meet Patch Weavin’, a retired greyhound racer and JFCS’ new animal-assisted Therapy Dog! LEFT: JFCS celebrates our first six Foster Teen Birthdays at Outback Steakhouse in September. Pictured with the teens: Debra Setzer, Sheri Weiss, Sheryl Johnson, Jodie Leach, Mary Edwards and Fran Selevan, along with several case managers and staff. BOTTOM LEFT: JFCS films six PSAs to communicate to the community that we are #HereForJax. BOTTOM RIGHT: The Holidays were a success! JFCS provided over 1,700 children and seniors with gifts for the Holidays, thanks to over 275 volunteers and donors.

LEFT: 11 JFCS foster children adopted into forever families at Judge David Gooding’s Annual Home for the Holidays event. MIDDLE LEFT: A single mother of three who has been laid-off due to the pandemic picks up a box of food to feed her family for the week. MIDDLE RIGHT: Spots of Light – To Be a Woman in the Holocaust opened in the Frisch Family Holocaust Memorial Gallery in February. The exhibit gives expression to the unique voice of Jewish women in the Holocaust. It features nine aspects of the Jewish woman’s daily life: Love, Motherhood, Caring for Others, Womanhood, Resistance and Rescue, Friendship, Faith, Food, and the Arts. BOTTOM LEFT: Four Holocaust survivors met with Colleen Rodriguez and Hilary Rotenberg for a Folio Weekly article. Pictured: Nellie Malamud, Semen Malamud, Magda Schweitzer, Eleanora Poberezhskaya, and Valeriy Kupershteyn. BOTTOM RIGHT: Holiday volunteers assist in success! Pictured Amy Bradfield, Jenn Neuman, Sheri Weiss, Drew Peters, Robbie Smith, Donna O’Steen, Lonnie Steinberg, Lori Bruman and Gayle Bailys.

“Goodbye? Oh no, please. Can’t we just go back to page one and start all over again?” — Winnie the Pooh

To my dear community, family, and friends,

It is difficult to find the words to say goodbye, after two years full of educational programs, events and activities with a variety of Jewish organizations, and different age groups from “kindergarten to River Garden,” in order to strengthen the connection with Israel and its culture.

Thank you, for letting me be part of a vibrant Jewish community in the Diaspora, for me, living outside of Israel completely by myself for the very first time was a life-changing experience. Thank you for your big smile, generosity, partnership, and friendship.

I learned so much about myself during these two years of Shlichut. My love for my country, where I was born and raised, was strengthened, and now I want to work even harder to make it better in all kinds of different ways. I had incredible an opportunity of learning about your life as Jews in America, from those so many involved and connected leaders and community members within Jacksonville’s diverse community.Don’t forget, you always have a friend in Israel!

I’m here for you! Please stay in touch: Rotemga043@gmail.com.

B’ahava

Rotem