President & CEO
I hope you had a light-filled Chanukah and as the solstice is upon us, have a chance over the coming week or so to pause, take a breather, and recharge. It’s a safe bet that many of us, myself included, would benefit from a few slow days with quiet phones and no meetings or appointments on our daily calendars.
The year 2020 seems like an unending storm, a confluence of crises that pushed our Jewish community into directions and choices that none of us could have anticipated. Nevertheless, resilience is in our corner. Your Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, our partner organizations, and the community at large have risen to meet the challenge—helping those in need, amplifying our strengths through collaboration, and inventing new ways to stay connected to Jewish life in this unexpected world of Zoom rectangles.
The work of reimagining and adjusting to serve the community throughout this past year was a labor of love, made possible entirely by generous people like you. Your support, especially in times like these, means the world to all of us at Federation, our lay leaders and professional staff. As we look ahead to 2021, we will need your support more than ever.
Let’s take a quick look back at a few examples of impact that you made possible in this year of challenge.
Emergency Grants
YOU enabled your Federation to make nine emergency grants totaling $450,000 to other Jewish organizations, both here and in Israel, in response to the impact of COVID-19.
Advocacy
YOU secured passage of important state legislation to combat antisemitism and hate crimes, protect immigrants and refugees, work for racial equity, and prevent gun violence. YOU successfully launched the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), a powerful forum for advocacy and fostering a more cohesive community.
Connecting
YOU gave hundreds of parents and children fun and uplifting virtual opportunities to gather for learning, storytelling through PJ Library®, and celebrating Shabbat and Havdalah. YOU brought community members together for amazing Jewish experiences like Finding Our Voices, PRIDE Shabbat, and Reset & Refresh.
Israel & World Jewry
YOU helped vulnerable Jews around the world secure food and other essentials in a year when the need was so great. YOU are helping 2,000 Ethiopian Jews to make Aliyah by the end of the year, reuniting families in a dream come true.
All this and more made possible by YOU.
In 2021, we will continue to be laser-focused on serving you and the community that we all cherish. Whatever the future holds in the coming year, whatever the new “normal” turns out to be, we will be there for you.
Your generous support will touch so many lives and do so much good. Together, we will build a brighter future. Please consider making your gift by December 31 and thank you for all that you do!
