JFED CONNECTS AN UPDATE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING AT JEWISH FEDERATION
OCTOBER 2014
INSIDE From Harvey & Rachel .. 2 The Holocaust, The Vatican, and The Jews... 2 Interfaith Mission .......... 2 4th Quarter Phone-a-thon ................ 3 Millstone Events & Fellows.......................... 3 Update on Israel Emergency Fund........... 3 Kranzberg Grants.......... 3 Noam’s Story ................ 4 JProSTL......................... 4 PJ Library...................... 4
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From our Chair, Patricia Croughan When our communications department suggested the tag line "Your story is our story" for this year's Annual Campaign, we were primarily thinking about all the individuals who make up our Jewish community; so many generations, so many stories, so much richness and variety. And then came the strange summer of 2014, and the stories of people took on even more meaning. Three teenage boys needlessly killed in early July in Israel. A new war with Hamas. And with the war in Gaza came stories of children in Israel spending nearly the entire summer in shelters to protect them from rockets. Stories of disabled elderly needing to essentially live in safe rooms because they did not have time to
seek shelter each time there was a rocket attack. Stories of young soldiers lost and families grieving. Stories of a profound response by the Federated system and our St. Louis community to raise emergency dollars to help relieve the trauma and suffering. Israel's stories are our stories. And then, in a heartbeat, the disturbing killing in Ferguson and renewed awareness of the deeply rooted problem of racism in our own St. Louis community. This is, sadly, also part of our story. Our stories as people and communities are inextricably entwined. As we look forward to the New Year, I hope not only for peace, but for renewed awareness of the responsibility we all share, for individual lives, for Israel, and for our neighbors right here at home. Shana tova.
From our CEO, Andrew Rehfeld The New Year that we celebrate this month—Rosh Hashanah—commemorates the mythical beginning of the world as retold in the Torah. Much like the secular New Year, we Jews use the period of the High Holidays to reflect upon our lives, to judge how we might be better people to those we love, and build a better world next year for all. And boy, what a year it has been. It’s been almost six months since the Kansas City shootings brought evil too close to home. Prior to that, the three Jewish teenagers in Israel were murdered followed soon after by the Gaza war. Federation staff were in Israel during that time, seeing firsthand the terror of Hamas’ attacks and responding to the needs as they existed on the ground. And then, no sooner was the conflict over than the events of Ferguson brought out broad concern within our own community for the suffering of those close at hand. In all of these cases, our community responded. Federation was here in April coordinating community security protocols with our partners at the ADL and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). We were here in June and July with JCRC to bring together our community in solidarity with the people of Israel and to express our hopes that the conflict would end quickly. Federation was here to raise over $470,000 from hundreds of donors to support civilian relief efforts in
Israel. And we remain here as a community partner as we hear the interest of our own community, acting on principles of tikkun olam to join other regional partners in work to effect change in our region. For all the emergencies it seems like we are responding to, Federation keeps moving in the right direction. We continue to innovate as the central fundraising organization of our community maintaining and extending the annual campaign. Next year, look for the development of a new targeted giving approach, re-energized corporate giving program and expanded endowment and planned giving program. We do these things because we recognize the power of a community to a life worth living. We recognize the responsibility we have to take care of others, whether independent seniors supported by Federation’s Naturally Occurring Retirement Community or the work of the JDC in Ukraine making sure Jewish seniors remain as safe as possible. And we do these things because we recognize that our Jewish tradition provides a platform to care for our own and for anyone based on Jewish values. It is indeed a time for reflection and judgment so that we may all do even better next year. May it be a year of health, happiness and prosperity for you and your family and all of the world in the New Year. Shana Tova!