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Jewish Federations of North America

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Berman Jewish Databank)

Jewish Federations
of North America
AbbreviationJFNA
FormationJanuary 31, 1935; 91 years ago (1935-01-31)[1]
Tax ID no. 13-1624240
Legal status501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
HeadquartersNew York City
Region served
North America
President and CEO
Eric D. Fingerhut[2]
Subsidiaries
  • United Israel Appeal Inc.[3]
  • JFBP LLC[3]
Revenue$279 million[4] (2023)
Expenses$283 million (2023)
Websitejewishfederations.org
Formerly called
  • United Jewish Appeal[1]
  • United Jewish Communities[1]

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), formerly the United Jewish Communities (UJC),[5] is an American Jewish umbrella organization for the Jewish Federations system, representing over 350 independent Jewish communities across North America that raise and distribute over $2 billion annually, including through planned giving and endowment programs, to support social welfare, social services and educational needs. Jewish Federations also provides fundraising, organization assistance, training, and overall leadership to the Jewish Federations and communities throughout the United States and Canada. The Federation movement protects and enhances the well-being of Jews worldwide through the values of tikkun olam, tzedakah and Torah.[citation needed]

JFNA was formed from the merger of the United Jewish Appeal (UJA), Council of Jewish Federations, and the United Israel Appeal. The organization hosts an annual General Assembly event for the broad North American Jewish community.[6]

Each Jewish Federation (JFED) is a secular Jewish non-profit organization found within many metropolitan areas across the United States with a significant Jewish community. They provide supportive and human services, philanthropy, financial grants to refugees around the world, humanitarian and disaster relief, host leadership conferences and fellowship opportunities for women and youth, charitable drives, help those in need navigate comprehensive resources, and provide outreach to at-risk Jewish populations in 70 countries worldwide, and more.[7] While the Jewish Federation was created to primarily service Jewish communities, they also provide for other communities. All federations in North America operate an annual central campaign, then allocate the proceeds to affiliated local agencies.[8]

History

[edit]

Starting in 1654, when the first Jewish communal settlement in New Amsterdam (modern-day New York) began despite Governor Peter Stuyvesant's attempts to ban the first Jewish people in North America from the settlement (until he would be overruled), and for the next 250 years; the Jewish community promised local governments they would not become a burden, by taking care of their own community. Throughout this period, as the Jewish community continued to grow in what would become the United States, they "established synagogues, burial societies, credit unions, and Hebrew youth societies in dozens of cities before there was a single federation."

According to Historian, Donald Feldstein in The Jewish Federation: The First Hundred Years:

″There is no single source where one can find a comprehensive history of the Jewish Federation in North America...The first Jewish Federation in the United States was founded in Boston in 1895, another was organized in Cincinnati, Ohio, and within several years federations sprung up around the country wherever there were significant Jewish communities."

The founding philosophies of the first Jewish Federations in America were based in secularism, but deeply influenced by Jewish tradition, like Hesed (loving kindness); and organized like the Kehilla, a communal organization found in diverse regions throughout Eastern Europe at the time; created to meet the welfare needs of Jewish communities in an inclusive and comprehensive way. However, unlike the Kehilla, which were usually formed under the authority of local governments to collect taxes from the Jewish community in support of services, the Jewish Federation in the United States has always been fully autonomous.[8]61-62

The first Jewish federation was founded in Boston in 1895 as Associated Jewish Philanthropies.[8][9] Cincinnati formed its federation, United Jewish Social Agencies, the next year. Chicago founded its federation in 1900 followed by St. Louis.[9] Federations were soon formed in many other cities with large Jewish populations. Initially (1895-1945) the federation system was focused on welfare needs of individual Jews with the goal of integrating them into the US. The Jewish federations inspired the 1913 formation of the forerunner of the United Way, the community chest in Cleveland, Ohio.[8]

Council of Jewish Federations (1932-1999)

[edit]

The National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds was formed in 1932 as the umbrella organization for Jewish federations in the United States.[10] "National" was dropped from the name in 1935 and "Welfare Funds" was removed in 1979 to become the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF).[11]

United Jewish Appeal (1939-1999)

[edit]
United Jewish Appeal
AbbreviationUJA
FormationJanuary 1939 (1939-01)
FounderArthur Loewengart.[12]
TypeNon-Profit organization
HeadquartersNew York City, U.S.
Israeli postal stamp, 1962

The United Jewish Appeal for Refugees and Overseas Needs (UJA) was founded in January 1939 to combine the efforts of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), led by Rabbi Jonah Wise; the United Israel Appeal led by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver; and the National Coordinating Committee Fund led by William Rosenwald. Its founders emphasized that the worsening crisis facing European Jewish people in Europe and Palestine would require three to four times the funds raised in the previous year. Under the unified campaign, each organization retained its distinct responsibilities: the JDC focused on aid to Jewish people in Europe; the United Israel Appeal supported the Jewish community in Israel, including incoming refugees; and the National Coordinating Committee Fund assisted refugees arriving in the United States.[13]

United Jewish Communities

[edit]

In 1999, the UJA, CJF, and United Israel Appeal merged to create United Jewish Communities. Amid declining influence and a shift toward donor-directed philanthropy, local federations gained greater control, selecting two-thirds of the new board. Philanthropist Charles Bronfman became volunteer chairman, leading the organization's strategic planning.[14]

Jewish Federations of North America

[edit]
Delegation of Jewish Federations of North America in Beit HaNassi, Israel. In the background is an Israeli volcanic ash artwork.

In October 2009, the UJC was renamed the Jewish Federations of North America,[15] and many local federations subsequently adopted variations of its new logo.[16]

After a couple of years of lower staff layoffs in February 2010, new CEO Jerry Silverman laid off three senior vice presidents that made an estimated $750,000 to $1 million combined.[17] JFNA declined to run the decennial National Jewish Population Survey in 2010 due to re-prioritizing.[18]

In 2021, it announced the $54 million LiveSecure campaign, which it described as the largest campaign to secure North America's Jewish communities in history.[19][20]

The aftermath of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018 included arguably the most ambitious and comprehensive effort, led by JFNA, ever taken to protect Jewish life in the United States, according to the New York Times. In addition to bringing in $100 million in federal grants through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NGSP), JFNA raised $62 million to secure every Jewish community in North America, overseen by the JFNA's Secure Community Network. By 2023, 93 Jewish federations had full-time security directors, a more than four-fold increase over the previous 5 years.[21]

In 2022, the JFNA pressured the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to fold their organization into a larger organization and mute its progressive politics or to break away and lose funding from dozens of Jewish federations across the United States. The organization refused to mute or repudiate their progressive politics, choosing independence and losing their ability to speak for 16 Jewish national organizations and 125 Jewish "community relations councils", almost all of which are part of local federations.[22]

After the October 7 attacks, JFNA launched the largest emergency campaign in its history, raising $908 million for Israel, with JFNA allocating $235 million. The largest share of donations went to the Jewish Agency, the Joint Distribution Committee, and non-profits in the Gaza Envelope.[23][24]

In December 2024, JFNA announced it opposed the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.[25]

According to The Forward, a common refrain at the November 2025 General Assembly conference was a greater emphasis on "Jewish education, Zionist identity, and Torah learning", according to Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.[26] Clips from the conference went viral, including a clip where The Free Press journalist Olivia Reingold argued that portrayals of Palestinian children starving due to the Gaza Strip famine were misleading due to them having pre-existing conditions and remarks by Sarah Hurwitz where she argued that Holocaust education was incorrectly teaching people to "fight the big, powerful people hurting the weak people".[27]

Structure

[edit]

Each federation within JFNA is autonomous from federations of other cities and they tend to focus on local concerns.[8] The federations typically have elected boards or trustees that are accountable to the community, paid staff, and volunteer leadership. Originally, the federations operated on volunteer only basis, but quickly turned to professional staffs. They engage in centralized planning for the needs of the local community, and may provide centralized administrative services for their constituent agencies.[8]

Depending on the size of the community, the federation may provide services directly or fund another agency to provide that function. For example, the federation may have a local as an arm or function, if not provided by a separate federation funded agency.[8]

Community Relations Council

[edit]

Most local federations are either affiliated with or host a local Jewish Community Relations Council, which deals with local antisemitism, Holocaust education support, and inter-religious or interracial community functions and organizations.[8]70-71 Depending on local preferences, the JCRC may be volunteer or professionally-staffed, and may have varying degrees of structural separateness from the federation itself.

Fundraising and spending

[edit]

Federations raise money for central, local campaigns that support the organizations of the entire local Jewish community.[8] Historically, with a number of Jewish institutions running their own fundraising campaigns, Jewish communities leadership felt it could be more efficient to instead have a single campaign that could centralize gift-making.

Between 30 and 50 percent of Jewish households in the United States typically contribute to their local federation.[8] Jfeds also raise money for the national United Jewish Appeal campaign that sends funding overseas and may combine the Federation annual and United Jewish Appeal into one campaign.[11] The federations or the federation system may hold special campaigns in addition to the annual campaign.[28]

Federation spending and efforts have adapted as the need for particular social services has changed—for example, from Jewish orphanage work in the early twentieth century to retirement homes in the late twentieth century.[8]

More than half of all funds raised by federations are earmarked for various local Jewish social service agencies, with the largest single allocation to Jewish education, typically constituting 25 percent.[8] After education, Jewish community centers, the local Jewish family and child services, homes for the aged, and campus Hillels are the next largest recipients of financial support. In some communities were the federation does not provide the service, a Jewish vocational service agency is usually funded to provide job related services.[8]

As an example, in 2008, the Overnight Camp Incentive Program provided grant money to 18 campers to attend Pinemere Camp. The program is a joint project of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and the Neubauer Family Foundation.[29][30][31] The program provided grants of $750 to $1,250.[29] The majority of the Pinemere campers who received grants chose to return the following summer.[29]

Super Sunday

[edit]

A significant feature of the annual federation campaign is the annual Super Sunday, a day designated for community-wide phone banking, seeking contributions from members of the community.[32] The fundraising event is held by many of the 155 Jewish federations located in North America. The phone-a-thons are typically expected to raise most of the budget for the federation and its constituent agencies and organizations.

The name "Super Sunday" is borrowed from the American football usage for the day on which the Super Bowl is played. Impliedly, the Super Sunday phone-a-thon is also the major annual event for the federation, as Super Sundays play a large role in the life of the local Jewish community. The results of a Super Sunday can have a major impact on the contribution intake of any particular federation, and thus can have a domino effect on the various entities that receive federation funding, such as social service organization, classes, scholarships, and family care. The success of Super Sunday holds substantial weight, as it directly influences the contribution intake for the federation.

Some of the largest and most visible Super Sundays occur in the major urban areas with large Jewish concentrations, such as Los Angeles and New York, but also through smaller federations, such as Seattle and Minneapolis. Super Sunday was created by Jerry Dick of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in 1980.

Role in community

[edit]

Jewish federations can wield a sizable degree of influence in the Jewish communities in which they are located.[33] Many of the local federations hold annual fundraising drives that are expected to raise most of the next year's budgeting for many community programs.[33] In return, in many communities the agencies which receive funding from the federation agree not to engage in major fundraising for themselves for a number of months often called the "primacy period" when the local federation's fundraising has primacy. Decisions made by the local federations can have a great impact on the community,[8] including the opening or closing of programs, staff hirings and firings, and land purchases and sales.

Jewish family and child services

[edit]

Jewish Family and Child Services (JFCS) is usually the general social service agency supported by the local federation.[8] A JFCS may have other names like Jewish Family Services, Jewish Family & Children's Service, Jewish Family & Community Services, Jewish Community Services, or other derivatives. Similar to the federation, a JFCS may be a part of the federation, the only Jewish service agency in a community, or may be several separate agencies.[34]

JFNA activities

[edit]

Walk With Israel

[edit]

The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto organizes the annual Walk With Israel, a pro-Israel fundraising and solidarity two-to-three-mile walk first held in May 1970 as the "Walk for Jewish Survival". The original event was a 22-mile walk that raised funds for the UJA-Israel Special Fund, and UJA later described it as the largest single community event in Jewish Toronto, with proceeds designated for Israel.[35] In the 2020s, the walk drew renewed media attention because of large attendance, pro-Palestinian counter-protests, and heightened police security; in 2026, organizers estimated more than 60,000 participants, while Toronto police reported six arrests at or near the event.[36] The Toronto walk is the largest pro-Israel event in North America, larger than New York's Israel Day Parade, and is the largest annual pro-Israel rally outside of Israel.[37]

National Jewish Population Survey

[edit]

JFNA administered the National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), a decennial census of the Jewish community in the United States. The 1990 survey indicated that the intermarriage rate was 52 percent, a claim questioned by demographers. The 2000-2001 edition of the NJPS used a different survey method, cost $6 million, and the data was lost. JFNA did not fund the 2010 survey due to re-prioritizing given decreased revenue given its limited direct benefits to local federations.[18]

JFNA helps direct hundreds of millions of dollars annually for Jewish programming and organizes an annual conference that is one of the largest gatherings of Jewish professionals in the world.[26]

Jewish DataBank

[edit]

In 1986, CJF established the North American Jewish Data Bank in conjunction with City University of New York's Center for Jewish Studies.[38] The Databank's purpose is to serve as a repository and to standardize research methods for academic studies and surveys about Jewish community. In 2004, the Databank moved to the University of Connecticut under the direction of scholar Arnold Dashefsky.[39]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "The Jewish Federations of North America, Inc." Division of Corporations, State Records, and UCC. State of New York. Accessed on December 31, 2015.
  2. ↑ Carroll, Ed (May 16, 2019). "Eric Fingerhut leaves top post at Hillel to head Jewish Federations of North America". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Jewish Federations of North America Inc. Guidestar. June 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Jewish Federations Of North America Inc - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  5. ↑ Berkman, Jakob (June 9, 2009). "UJC to Change Name". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  6. ↑ "JFNA Briefing: Registration Opens for the 2012 General Assembly". 54.164.202.34. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Building Flourishing Jewish Communities in Your Home Town and Around the World". Jewish Federations of North America. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Feldstein, Donald (1998). "The Jewish Federation: The First Hundred Years". In Linzer, Norman; Schnall, David J.; Chanes, Jerome A. (eds.). A portrait of the American Jewish community. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0-275-96022-3. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  9. 1 2 Memories of the Jewish Midwest. Nebraska Jewish Historical Society. 1985. p. 1. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  10. ↑ Elazar, Daniel Judah (1995) [1976]. Community and polity:the organizational dynamics of American Jewry. Jewish Publication Society. p. 413. ISBN 978-0-8276-0565-7. Retrieved June 14, 2011. This new phenomenon was incorporated into campaign strategy, particularly through "Super Sunday," a day-long happening featuring marches on behalf of some special financial need and massive telephoning of potential donors in a more exciting carnival-like atmosphere.
  11. 1 2 Karesh, Sara E.; Hurvitz, Mitchell M. (2006). "United Jewish Communities". In Melton, J. Gordon (ed.). Encyclopedia of Judaism. Infobase Publishing. pp. 534–535. ISBN 978-0-8160-5457-2. Retrieved June 14, 2011. In 1932 the National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds (NCJFWF) united the Jewish federations across the country. In 1935 the organization changed its name to the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds (CJFWF), and in 1979 the name became the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF). [...] In 1999, the United Jewish Appeal and the Council of Jewish Federations merged to become the United Jewish Communities.
  12. ↑ "ARTHUR LOEWENGART (Published 1973)". The New York Times. September 7, 1973. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020.
  13. ↑ "3 JEWISH GROUPS UNITE FOR REFUGEES; Combined Appeal to Be Offered to Nation for Fund 3 or 4 Times That Given Last Year HEIGHTENED CRISIS CITED Agencies to Retain Separate Duties in Pressing Common Cause for Victims". The New York Times. January 13, 1939. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  14. ↑ Abelson, Reed (February 14, 1999). "Merger Near, 2 Jewish Philanthropy Groups Pick a Leader". The New York Times. Accessed December 9, 2008.
  15. ↑ Elliott, Stuart (May 17, 2010). "You Don't Have to Be Jewish to Love This Campaign". New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2011. ...the Jewish Federations, which changed its name in October from the United Jewish Communities.
  16. ↑ "Jewish Federation of Greater Washington adaptation of JFNA logo". The Jewish Federations of North America. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  17. ↑ Berkman, Jacob (February 23, 2010). "Inside the top-level layoffs at Jewish Federations of North America". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Heilman, Uriel (July 12, 2011). "Is the era of national surveys of American Jews at an end?". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Amid antisemitism concerns, 101 local Jewish federations to spend $54M on improving security". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  20. ↑ Winer, Stuart (October 4, 2021). "Jewish Federations announces $54m plan to protect US communities". Times of Israel. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  21. ↑ Robertson, Campbell (May 29, 2023). "With Watchful Eyes, a Nationwide Network Tracks Antisemitic Threats". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Pressed over liberal politics, Jewish public affairs group declares independence". The Forward. December 19, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  23. ↑ Rosenfeld, Arno (August 29, 2024). "After 10/7, Jewish federations raised $850 million for Israel. 40% is unspent". The Forward. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  24. ↑ Eichner, Itamar (November 21, 2025). "'The ground beneath us is burning': North American Jews confront rising antisemitism". Ynet News. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  25. ↑ Lapin, Andrew (December 9, 2024). "Bucking Israel's far right, several large American Jewish groups say they oppose resettling Gaza". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  26. 1 2 Rosenfeld, Arno (November 21, 2025). "As young Jews move away from Israel, Jewish leaders are reluctant to change their approach". The Forward. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  27. ↑ Mustafa, Maysa (November 19, 2025). "Backlash after former Obama speechwriter laments young Jews' empathy over Gaza 'carnage'". Middle East Eye. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  28. ↑ Berkman, Jacob (July 7, 2009). "UJC taps Silverman as new executive". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  29. 1 2 3 Jason Collins (March 26, 2009). "Camp Incentive Program: Building Identity Along With Those Campfires". Jewish Exponent. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  30. ↑ "One Happy Camper of Greater Philadelphia; Summer 2013". Jewish Philly. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Think Camp: Grants Enable Jewish Overnight Programs". Jewish Exponent. December 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  32. ↑ Elazar, Daniel Judah (1995) [1976]. Community and polity:the organizational dynamics of American Jewry. Jewish Publication Society. p. 413. ISBN 978-0-8276-0565-7. Retrieved June 14, 2011. This new phenomenon was incorporated into campaign strategy, particularly through "Super Sunday," a day-long happening featuring marches on behalf of some special financial need and massive telephoning of potential donors in a more exciting carnival-like atmosphere.
  33. 1 2 Marcus, Jacob Rader (1993). United States Jewry, 1776–1985. Vol. 1. Wayne Station University Press. p. 797. ISBN 978-0-8143-2186-7. Retrieved June 13, 2011. The Jewish Community Center receives a very substantial part of its funding from the local Jewish social-welfare foundation, which controls practically all relief and welfare agencies in every Jewish community. All told, there are about 200 such federations[...]. Because of its financial support for many of the community's basic services and institutions, the federation was very influential everywhere.
  34. ↑ "Member Agencies". ajfca.org. Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Our History". UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  36. ↑ Ezekwesili, Sandra (June 7, 2026). "Walk With Israel draws tens of thousands in Toronto amid tight security". CityNews Toronto. The Canadian Press. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  37. ↑ Heller, Matilda (May 26, 2025). "Thousands take to Toronto in Giant Walk for Israel, surpassing even NYC parade". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  38. ↑ (July 19, 1989) "New Study Finds Strong Connection Between Intermarriage and Divorce", Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  39. ↑ Cohen, Debra (April 14, 2005). "New Brandeis Center To Trend-Spot In Novel Way". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
[edit]

Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to United Jewish Communities at Wikimedia Commons

Further reading

[edit]
  • Berkman, Matthew. "Transforming Philanthropy: Finance and Institutional Evolution at the Jewish Federation of New York, 1917–86", Jewish Social Studies 22#2 (2017): 146–195.
  • Berman, Lila Corwin. "How Americans Give: The Financialization of American Jewish Philanthropy" American Historical Review 122#5 (2017): 1459–1489.
  • Feldstein, Donald "The Jewish Federation: The First Hundred Years". in Norman Linzer, David J. Schnall, & Jerome A. Chanes, eds. A portrait of the American Jewish community (1998).
  • Liebman, Charles S. "Leadership and Decision-Making in a Jewish Federation: The New York Federation of Jewish Philanthropies", in American Jewish Year Book (1979): 3–76.
  • More, Deborah Dash. "From Kehillah to Federation: The Communal Functions of Federated Philanthropy in New York City, 1917–1933", American Jewish History 68#2 (1978): 131–146.
  • Nissim, Hanna Shaul Bar. "The Adaptation Process of Jewish Philanthropies to Changing Environments: The Case of the UJA-Federation of New York Since 1990." Contemporary Jewry 38.1 (2018): 79–105.
  • Wenger, Beth S. "Federation Men: The Masculine World of New York Jewish Philanthropy, 1880–1945", American Jewish History 101#3 (2017): 377–399.
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