Category: Programs & Partnerships

Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) invites us each year to ask a hard but necessary question: who feels fully welcomed into Jewish communal life and who still encounters barriers, even when our intentions are good?

When values outpace systems

In recent years, our community has begun to confront an uncomfortable truth., While many Jewish organizations deeply value inclusion, good intentions alone are not enough to create access, especially for young adults with disabilities. Inclusion requires skills, systems, and sustained commitment.

Learning what inclusion requires

That realization came into focus in 2023, when we partnered with Matan, a national leader in disability inclusion in Jewish life, to conduct a communitywide assessment. Matan works with Jewish organizations across North America to build the tools and confidence needed to create truly inclusive communities. One finding stood out clearly: Jewish professionals wanted to be inclusive of people with disabilities, particularly young adults, but many did not know how to translate that desire into practice.

That insight became a turning point.

Turning learning into action

In response, we launched the Lieberman Fellowship for Jewish Organizations Serving Young Adults, a yearlong cohort learning experience (2024–2025) led by Matan. The fellowship focused on moving organizations from intention to implementation, helping teams rethink policies, practices, and culture through an inclusion lens. At the conclusion of the learning year, participating organizations, along with one additional congregation, received grants to turn learning into action through concrete inclusion projects.

This JDAIM, we pause to take stock of progress at the projects’ midpoint. What we found was encouraging—not because the work was finished, but because it is becoming more thoughtful, more systematic, and more honest.

What’s changing across our community

Across the region, organizations are shifting away from ad hoc accommodations toward intentional, systems-based approaches to access. Some are redesigning how people request accommodations or improving digital and physical accessibility. Others are investing in staff training, inclusive employment pathways, peer support, or relationship-centered spaces like Shabbat tables and social programming. Again and again, we are seeing that small but deliberate changes—clear communication, accessible tools, sensory supports—can dramatically expand participation and belonging.

That progress has not come without challenges. Many teams underestimated how long it would take to coordinate across departments and partners. Staff transitions and technology limitations slowed timelines. In some cases, organizations intentionally slowed decision-making to ensure solutions would be sustainable and meaningful rather than rushed. These challenges are real, but they also reflect a growing sophistication in how our community understands inclusion: not as a quick fix, but as long-term work that must be built to last.

Inclusion, in action

Each organization is approaching inclusion differently, shaped by its mission, audience, and capacity. Together, these efforts reflect a shared shift toward more intentional and sustainable access.

Inclusive employment and workforce pathways

• Adas Israel is piloting a supported employment program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, envisioning a multi-year pathway to meaningful, paid work and vocational growth.

Accessible spaces, programs, and experiences

• Bender JCC is investing in accessible fitness equipment and assistive listening devices, alongside hosting sensory-friendly cultural programming.
• Edlavitch DCJCC repaired hazardous entryways and launched a visibility campaign highlighting accessibility across programs.

Digital communications access

• GatherDC transformed its community calendar to include accessibility information, mobile usability, and screen-reader tools, changing how thousands of young adults find Jewish experiences.

Peer support, community design, and belonging

• B’nai Israel Congregation is pairing a young adult inclusion peer program with accessible communication training for staff and lay leaders.
• OneTable supported hosts creating intentionally inclusive Shabbat tables, including spaces centered for autistic and Deaf/ASL communities.

Data-informed systems and long-term engagement

• Pozez JCC is building data-informed systems to track and strengthen engagement of neurodiverse young adults over time.

Training, capacity-building, and organizational practice

• Mem Global distributed social inclusion kits, launched accessibility microgrants, and is preparing to hire a Camper Care Director to support emotional and behavioral needs at immersive experiences.
• Sixth & I is preparing comprehensive social inclusion trainings for staff and volunteers serving young adults in less-structured Jewish spaces.
• Temple Rodef Shalom standardized its accommodation request process, shifting from informal responses to clear, transparent, and equitable access systems.

The lesson we’re carrying forward

Perhaps the most important lesson emerging from this work: inclusion is grounded in relationships, strengthened through training, and sustained by systems, not by individuals alone. When access is embedded into how organizations operate, it becomes part of communal life.

Beyond JDAIM

This JDAIM, we are not just raising awareness. We are witnessing growth—imperfect, iterative, and deeply committed. Our community is learning what it truly means to create Jewish spaces where young adults with disabilities are not merely accommodated, but genuinely welcomed, supported, and able to belong.

Ori is 23, and she carries something most adults twice her age still struggle to hold: the responsibility of representing Israel with honesty, heart, and humility—especially to kids. She’s one of 11 community shlichim (Israeli emissaries) bringing Israel to life across Greater Washington through Federation’s Shlichim Program.

Growing up in Moshavat Kinneret, a small community in northern Israel, Ori was surrounded by family, a strong sense of responsibility, and a beloved boxer dog she still misses. Before coming to Greater Washington, Ori spent two summers at a Jewish camp in upstate New York.

Teaching Israel in a Complicated Moment

Now living in Greater Washington, Ori spends her days with children, parents, and educators—teaching Hebrew, leading workshops, and helping our community deepen its connection to Israeli life and culture. But talking about Israel isn’t as simple as it used to be. She says it’s gotten harder in the last few years. Kids are asking deeper questions. There’s no single story to tell.

“I’m not saying Israel is perfect,” she says. “Like anything else, there are things that are good and things that are bad. I want to show them both sides.” Ori doesn’t pretend otherwise. She listens, brings her own questions, and creates space for kids to talk about Israel with curiosity, honesty, and care.

Pride Without Pretending

Ori loves teaching about Israel’s creativity—from everyday inventions to world-changing breakthroughs, like cherry tomatoes. “The best invention,” she says, laughing.

Through Made in Israel, an interactive Hands-on Israel workshop she leads, participants explore the Israeli innovations they’ve heard of and many they haven’t. They learn about the brilliant minds behind these inventions through games and challenges that spark curiosity and pride. Ori’s goal is more than just facts. She shows people that Israel is a place of ideas, impact, and imagination.

Teaching Joy, Too

For Ori, representing Israel isn’t only about navigating complexity—it’s also about sharing joy. She brings Israeli traditions into American Jewish life in ways that feel lasting and personal. “We’re not sitting sad and miserable in Israel—we’re happy,” she says. “We’re living.” That’s what she wants kids to see: that Israel is a home, full of celebration, tradition, and joy.

Ori’s work is part of a larger effort to build people-to-people connection through immersive, everyday experiences. Through Federation’s Shlichim Program, Israeli emissaries like Ori help bring Israel to life in schools, synagogues, JCCs, and more—creating personal, lasting moments of understanding and connection across Greater Washington.

Bringing Community with Her

Ori often talks about the community she grew up in—a kibbutz where kids moved freely, everyone knew each other, and life felt safe and shared. “It’s a very community-like place,” she says. “It’s a safe space… I really, really love it.” That sense of belonging is something she carries with her. And through her teaching, she hopes to help create more of that feeling for the children and families she meets here.

Leaving Something Behind

One of the biggest surprises for Ori has been seeing what Jewish life looks like outside of Israel. She didn’t know what to expect. But she’s found deep relationships, strong communities, and new ways of expressing Jewish identity that continue to shape her own perspective. Ori wants to bring more of Israel into Jewish spaces here, and she hopes the connections she’s made will last long after she leaves.

“I don’t want to just be a shlicha who came and left,” she says. “I want to leave something behind.”

Looking Ahead

When she thinks about the future of Jewish life in the U.S., Ori doesn’t hesitate. She hopes people feel safe being openly Jewish. She hopes for greater unity, more listening, and a community that remains a source of strength, even in uncertain times. Until then, she’s teaching, learning, and building relationships—one day, one conversation at a time.

Continue the Conversation at RE:Israel

Ori’s story reflects the honest, values-driven work of Israel education today—work that feels more urgent than ever. In the wake of October 7, educators, parents, and communal leaders are grappling with big, essential questions:

• How do we teach and talk about Israel with clarity and care?
• How do we support young people in holding complexity without letting go of connection?
• And how do we reframe Israel education for this new era, with tools that are honest, nuanced, and real?

These conversations will take center stage on Tuesday, February 24, at RE:Israel: Reflect. Reframe. Reconnect., a half-day learning experience for educators, communal professionals, lay leaders, and parents seeking thoughtful, practical engagement with Israel education in this moment.

More than $300 million in federal security funding is available this year to help protect Jewish institutions. Accessing that funding, however, is competitive, technical, and time-sensitive.

That’s where JShield comes in.

Funding Helps—But Access Isn’t Automatic

Federal security grants can make a real difference, but only if institutions are able to secure them. The process is competitive and complex, and without support, too many opportunities are left on the table.

This year, lawmakers have proposed allocating approximately $300 million to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), a $25 million increase over last year. It’s an important step but accessing that funding still isn’t simple or guaranteed. Applying requires time, technical expertise, and careful coordination—resources many organizations don’t have while also running programs, supporting families, and serving their communities.

Where Federation Leads

Through JShield, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington helps local Jewish institutions do this work with clarity and confidence. The support is practical and hands-on: advising organizations, preparing grant applications, and guiding them through a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming. This support is provided at no cost to institutions.

In 2025 alone, this work helped bring more than $5.25 M in security funding into our community. That funding helps institutions access resources they might otherwise miss and strengthens the safety of Jewish life across our region.

Security Is Ongoing Work

There is no finish line when it comes to security. It’s not a single grant or a one-time investment. It’s ongoing work that requires expertise, coordination, and strong relationships.

Through JShield, and with direct support from community donors, we help Jewish institutions prepare, apply, and stay focused on serving their communities.

We are excited and proud to share that JSSA, a longtime Federation partner, is expanding its hospice services to Northern Virginia—an important step in ensuring individuals and families in our region have access to high-quality, community-based end-of-life care when it matters most.

How this expansion came together

As part of our ongoing work to strengthen vibrant Jewish life in Northern Virginia, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington supported early feasibility work for this expansion, alongside additional donor support from the community. We continue to work closely with partners to ensure evolving needs across Northern Virginia are being addressed.

Building on decades of trusted service

For more than 40 years, JSSA has been a trusted provider of hospice care in Montgomery County, supporting patients and families with expert clinical care alongside emotional and spiritual support. This expansion builds on JSSA’s more than 45 years of serving Northern Virginia through mental health services, aging-in-place programs, and its Holocaust Survivor Program.

Care that centers dignity and family

JSSA’s interdisciplinary hospice team of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and trained volunteers provides care wherever patients call home. Their model includes smaller nurse caseloads and more frequent visits during patients’ final days, contributing to a higher-quality end-of-life experience for patients and families.

Families consistently share the impact of this care. As one son recently wrote:

“The genuine care and concern for my mom demonstrated by every member of the team was amazing. Their only goal was her comfort and quality of life. My family will always be grateful to JSSA.”

Serving families across Northern Virginia

Hospice services will initially focus on Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria, with the ability to respond to needs beyond this initial focus area.

To learn more about JSSA’s hospice services in Northern Virginia, call 703-896-7900.

Across Greater Washington, Israeli shlichim (emissaries) are part of everyday Jewish life—showing up in synagogues, schools, JCCs, and community spaces. They share stories, lead conversations, and build relationships that help make Israel feel present and personal.

Hands-On Israel (HOI) is one of the primary ways this connection happens. Led by Federation’s community shlichim who live and work in Greater Washington, HOI offers interactive workshops grounded in conversation and personal experience.

Creating Space for Real Conversation

Hands-On Israel creates space for people to engage with Israel through lived experience and open dialogue. Workshops focus on story, discussion, and shared reflection—helping participants connect in ways that feel grounded, human, and approachable.

Designed for Different Starting Points

HOI is built with the understanding that people come with different levels of familiarity, curiosity, and questions about Israel. Sessions are designed with that in mind, offering context and conversation without assuming prior knowledge or a shared point of view.

Reaching Communities Across the Region

Workshops take place across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, in partnership with synagogues, schools, JCCs, and community organizations.

Last year, the shlichim hosted 20+ Hands-On Israel workshops across Greater Washington. In the past five months alone, HOI has engaged approximately 150 participants through six workshops, with six additional sessions already scheduled. Several organizations that hosted workshops last year have invited HOI back to experience new offerings, and across settings, participants have asked for sessions to continue.

“After each of the classes, I received requests from our adult learners to please bring them back! Both Maya’s and Tamar’s presentations were thoughtful, engaging, exciting, interactive, and checked all of the boxes.”

A Steady, Long-Term Approach

Hands-On Israel reflects how we approach Israel engagement in Greater Washington: through relationships, conversation, and ongoing connection over time.
This work is part of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s long-term commitment to building meaningful, people-centered connections to Israel across our community.

Learn More About Hands-On Israel

Interested in bringing a Hands-On Israel workshop? Sessions can be tailored to different audiences, ages, and interests, with themes ranging from Israeli culture and identity to facilitated conversation and pre-Israel trip preparation.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how change happens. What experiences or events have a unique and significant impact on a person’s life? What are the drivers or enablers that can move a community forward? What is needed to shift a trajectory, to address a problem, or seize an opportunity?

I am thinking about this because we live in a moment when we, as a Jewish people, are facing a series of challenges (and opportunities) as our world changes in significant ways. We therefore need to consider our approach when it comes to our work to build a vibrant Jewish community in the DMV.

For the past many years, we have worked hard to identify new programs or strategies that would bring people in. We have sought ideas from the community and funded a variety of new initiatives. And many of these initiatives have been successful. We have partnered with incredible local agencies and synagogues to create new initiatives and bring ideas to life. This work has been eye-opening and worthwhile.

I also want to explore what it might look like for this next period of Jewish life, if we shift our focus from continuing to source new ideas to scaling the initiatives that we know for certain achieve the objectives we have in mind—the ones that over years of study and observation have proven successful in building connection, identity, and community.

We know that Jewish overnight camp, youth groups, Jewish learning, immersive experiences, especially to Israel, Jewish day schools, and Shabbat dinners all achieve these goals. Moreover, and just as importantly, they are scalable. These may not be the only experiences that have such an impact, but channeling our energy and creativity into each of these six areas could yield tremendous results.

For example, there are currently 3,500 kids in Greater Washington who go to Jewish overnight camp. What impact might we have on the Jewish future if we doubled that number over the next ten years and another 3,500 children and teens experience the joy and community of camp? What if for the next decade, we focus on the proven wins in Jewish life—those things we know to be both high impact and scalable—and bring in many more people to these experiences?

We are currently debating and stress testing these questions internally at Federation and I want to share our thinking with you as part of that process. How does our list of impactful Jewish experiences strike you? Where do you see challenges with our approach? In what ways can the broader community contribute to Jewish engagement?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Through it all, know that our core objective remains the same: working together to build a community where everyone feels they belong, can connect deeply to others and the Jewish people, and inspired to shape our collective future.

More to come.

For me, working to facilitate greater connection between our community and Israel feels like second nature. Since joining the Jewish professional world, it’s been a given that helping more people form meaningful relationships with Israel would be a core part of my work. Indeed, it’s a pillar of what we do at Federation and near to my heart as someone who knows and loves Israel.

A Changing Relationship Across Generations

In the current social and political climate, I am also recognizing how important it is that we articulate why we do this work and how we go about it. The Washington Post recently found that 68% of American Jews over 65 feels emotionally connected to Israel. For those between ages 18 and 34, that number drops to 36%. Stats like these abound.

There are a variety of reasons for this drop that I will not address at the moment (though I will in future reflections), but it’s clear we need to do more to support all Jews, and particularly younger Jews, in accessing one of the premier benefits that comes with their identity. Staying in relationship with Israel, even when we disagree or face different challenges, allows us to deepen our own Jewish experience. I’ve been fortunate to accompany many people on their first visit to Israel. It never gets old seeing them discover how special it feels to be immersed in a country with a Jewish rhythm, a thriving culture, Hebrew as a national language, and a clear sense of Jewish agency. It is an unparalleled mix of comforting and empowering.

Making Space for Complexity and Difference

Importantly, any successful approach to Israel engagement must honor the diversity of perspectives that exist in our community. I’ve seen the way October 7th and its aftermath has awakened people’s interest in and affinity for Israel. I have also seen the way many among us are struggling to figure out their relationship with Israel in this moment—and witnessed that struggle enrich our community by helping us all wrestle with what we believe and who we want to be as a people. The pathway forward must make space for multiple avenues of exploration, learning, and questioning.

How Federation Is Deepening Connection

To that end, Federation is undertaking a new phase in our Israel engagement work. Our goal is to strengthen the connective tissue—the infrastructure, programming, and partnerships—that will bring Greater Washington and Israel closer, year after year, in ways that resonate with each individual and organization. And to do so in partnership with Jewish organizations, lay leaders, educators, clergy, professionals, and philanthropists. We’ll be focusing on deepening everyday connections and building on the partnerships that have been forming organically these past few years.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Take our relationship with Kibbutz Nir Oz for example. A group of local synagogues came together to turn an emergency fundraising effort after October 7 into a genuine exchange. Kibbutz members have come to visit Washington, including former hostage Gadi Mozes, and some members of our community have visited the kibbutz in Israel. We are now supporting local lay leaders who are leading the partnership to shape opportunities for our community members to volunteer at the kibbutz and visit other Federation partners in the area.

There’s more to come, and I will be sure to keep you updated. For now, I’ll leave you with the thought that articulating the meaning that comes from a personal connection to Israel is a precious and urgent imperative. It’s on those of us who know and bask in that meaning to help others find it too.

Recently, a security concern was identified and reported quickly thanks to the awareness and vigilance of a few community members. Because they trusted their instincts and spoke up, the situation was addressed promptly and did not escalate.

While the incident itself was resolved, it offers an important reminder: training matters—and so does taking action when something doesn’t feel right.

Awareness Is a Skill We Can All Build

Every one of us has a role to play in maintaining safe, welcoming environments across our community and within our institutions. Sometimes that role looks like participating in a security training. Other times, it’s simply noticing what’s around you and trusting your intuition.

Small observations can matter more than we realize:

• An unfamiliar person lingering
• Clothing or behavior that doesn’t fit the setting
• A vehicle parked in an unusual way
• A conversation that feels out of place

Individually, these details may seem minor. Together, they can provide critical information—but only if someone chooses to say something.

As We Look Ahead

As we enter a new year, we know the Jewish community will continue to navigate complex and challenging moments. One of the ways we care for one another is by staying alert, informed, and prepared.

JShield supports this work by offering free security trainings for individuals and institutions across our community. These sessions help build confidence, sharpen awareness, and provide practical tools for navigating uncertain situations.

Just as importantly, we encourage everyone to:

• Trust yourself when something feels off. Your instincts are often the first line of defense.
• Speak up promptly. Timely reporting allows for effective response and mitigation, whether that means contacting JShield, your institution’s security team, a staff member, or local authorities.

Looking Out for One Another

Our strength as a community has always come from the way we look out for one another. This moment reinforces a simple but powerful truth: safety is a shared responsibility—a team effort. When we act together, we are more resilient.

Thank you for your continued partnership, your vigilance, and your commitment to keeping our community safe and welcoming.

When Omer returned to his classroom after October 7, he couldn’t breathe.

Five of his students were gone, killed in the attacks. Just stepping into the room triggered waves of panic, grief, and memory. He felt like he couldn’t go on.

But through weekly sessions with a JDC counselor, Omer slowly rediscovered his footing. Today, he’s not just working—he’s leading. Omer now runs a therapeutic gym in a Gaza-border community, helping fellow survivors rebuild physically and emotionally. “I found a way to move forward,” he said. “And to help others do the same.”

This is what your dollars make possible.

In the wake of the Iron Swords War, thousands of Israelis were forced to evacuate their homes. Many lost not just their sense of safety, but their livelihoods. The trauma was deep, the economic toll was devastating, and the path to stability felt out of reach.

That’s why Federation responded swiftly, providing a $500,000 grant to JDC to launch “Getting Victims of War Back to Work”, Israel’s first trauma-informed employment recovery model. More than just getting back to work, it’s about dignity, healing, and long-term resilience—about helping people get back to life.

With your support, here’s what’s already happening:

• 890 Israelis have received hands-on vocational training, career guidance, and access to real employment opportunities
• 131 participants have already been hired, earning more than 6% above minimum wage
• 500 trauma survivors are in employment rehab, double the original 2025 goal
• 40% of previously unemployed participants have found jobs; 100% of at-risk employees stayed employed
• 18 locations now offer specialized career recovery support (up from 11)
• 48 employers have been trained to support hires navigating trauma
• And early evaluations show a 14% decrease in PTSD symptoms among participants

This model is now informing national efforts to scale trauma-informed employment support.

A Bold Investment in Israel’s Future Workforce

Through this initiative, we’re supporting Israelis not just in healing, but in retraining and returning to work with purpose.

Beyond immediate relief, it’s recovery with resilience built in.

And this is exactly the kind of long-term, people-centered impact we’re working toward through Federation’s Israel strategy: investing in long-term recovery and deepening connection between our communities.

Photo: JDC

This summer, more than 1,300 Jewish community members from across Greater Washington participated in Federation’s Impact Index Pulse Survey, giving us a clearer picture of how Jewish life is experienced across our region. Through a 20-minute text-based survey, respondents shared their attitudes and behaviors across eight pillars of communal wellbeing: engagement, education, belonging, safety, activism, health, caring, and connection to Israel and global Jewry.

Conducting research like this is core to our role in the community. We invest in data projects like this to inform our strategies and investments, and to equip synagogues, schools, human service agencies, and community-building organizations with insights they need to strengthen Jewish life in alignment with their own missions.

While we are not a synagogue, this insight matters deeply for synagogue leaders to know that among 29% of individuals who are not currently engaged but want to be, affordability is real barrier. 78% of those individuals say they would participate more in synagogue life if membership were more affordable.

This finding is especially important for our human service agencies: only 44% of individuals who identified as financially vulnerable reported knowing where to find help in the Jewish community during a time of need—in comparison to 55% of more well-off individuals.

We do not exist in a vacuum. Our community is telling us clearly where the opportunities lie: deepening engagement, expanding belonging, strengthening care, and ensure that every Jew regardless of geography, background, or perspective has access to a vibrant Jewish life. The survey shows that 72% of Jewish adults in Greater Washington consider themselves engaged with Jewish life to some degree, and at the same time, 54% say they would like to be more engaged, including 62% of respondents under the age 35 who live in the inner core of Northern Virginia and D.C. proper.

Federation will continue to fund and lead studies like this because understanding our community is essential to strengthening it, and to stewarding our collective resources responsibly.