Fighting Antisemitism on Campus, Accelerating Gender-Based Giving Post-October 7th, and More . It’s Friday.

  • Alexa Herman
  • 24 May 2024

This time of year, you can feel the energy throughout our community. It’s marked by warmer weather, graduations, the countdown to summer camp, and my personal favorite – tending to my garden. Will this be the year my pomegranate tree finally produces fruit? I’ll report back.

At Federation, it’s a time of planning and strategy for the year ahead. As we consider this past year and prepare for the opportunities and challenges in front of us, we’re also considering how to best support the people of Israel and enhance our efforts at home. What do you believe is the most pressing issue facing our community as we look towards next year? Let me know.

In this week’s It’s Friday, I share how Federation and our partners are helping to fight antisemitism on campus, how Federation’s Jewish Community Foundation is accelerating gender-based giving in Israel following October 7th, and two opportunities to engage and make a difference in our community.

Shabbat Shalom,

Gil Preuss, CEO
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

Fighting Antisemitism on Campus, Gender-Based Giving Post-October 7th, Two Opportunities. It’s Friday.

Fighting Antisemitism on Campus

  • A Timely Conversation. This week, I moderated an important panel on antisemitism and anti-Israel activity on university campuses, featuring the JCRC’s Ron Halber, GW Hillel’s Adena Kirstein, and Hillel International’s Mark Rotenberg. As antisemitism continues to skyrocket on campuses and beyond, the panel noted the importance of university leaders, donors, and community members working together to help address problems as campuses move from a painful last semester into what will likely be an even more challenging fall. There are common interests across many groups. The key is being in ongoing relationships so that parties can work together even in complex situations.

Accelerating Gender-Based Giving After October 7th

  • Through Federation’s Jewish Community Foundation, the Fund for Women and Girls is working to raise awareness of and educate about the sexual violence and trauma of October 7th and its outsized impact on women and girls, and to support relief and healing efforts for the survivors. These efforts include providing unrestricted funding to under-resourced Israeli nonprofits addressing these needs.
  • A National Effort to Accelerate Gender-Based Grantmaking. This week, the Fund was able to amplify its impact by participating in a national collaborative effort. The Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund granted a total of $125,000 to five organizations doing this important work.
  • This is only the beginning. On both the local and national stages, our Fund for Women and Girls is a leader in gender-based grantmaking. More to come on their efforts.

Two Opportunities

  • Before Giving Week Ends this weekend, I want to thank you. Whether we’re tackling antisemitism, supporting the people of Israel, or uplifting Jewish voices and leaders, our team can only do this work because of you. We talk a lot about impact and outcomes, but it’s the people – including each of you – who make this happen. If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll take advantage of this matching gift opportunity to support Federation.
  • Next Wednesday, join me at Washington Hebrew Congregation (or online) for an intriguing conversation on what’s next for American Jews. I’m looking forward to hearing from this thoughtful panel: author Franklin Foer, Federation Board member Yolanda Savage-Narva, and American University professor Pamela Nadell, moderated by CNN’s David Gregory. Register here.