News & Updates

Friends, Like many in our community, I recently crossed the threshold of 100 days spent mostly at home. These have not been easy days for our community as many people have faced significant challenges arising from COVID, the economic crisis, and the continuing racism and bias in our society. At the same time, this season

  The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, JSSA, and a network of DMV Jewish human service organizations have launched a support line to help Jewish community members access resources. July 1, 2020 (Washington, DC) – In response to the COVID-19 crisis and its pervasive effects on our community, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, in

Friends, This week, my calendar reminded me to drop off my children at Jewish overnight camp. Every year, I look forward to this special ritual of taking one or more of my children to the same summer camp that shaped my own childhood and that of my parents. I see friends that I have not

A reflection from Avi West, Master Teacher, Federation’s Department of Jewish Leadership & Learning  The coronavirus pandemic has upended our very way of life as a community and unleashed a cascade of crises affecting individuals and society as a whole. Throughout the public health emergency, economic fallout, and protests for racial justice, we have all been looking for sage leadership to help

How Greater Washington’s Jewish Day Schools Kept Children and their Families Engaged & Connected During COVID-19 The month of June marks the end of a tumultuous school year and the transition to an uncertain summer for children and parents throughout Greater Washington. To pay tribute to the great work of educators, administrators, and staff members

Friends, Like many of you, I have been thinking, reading, and talking about race and racism quite frequently in recent days. Our country and communities continue to grapple with explicit and implicit prejudices that have defined our history and helped create long-standing inequalities. One question has remained at the forefront: how have we built a

Friends, Over the past few months, I have written about the tendency to turn inward, to isolate in our homes and protect ourselves, our families, and our neighbors from the threats of the coronavirus pandemic. With the world outside seemingly random and uncontrollable, many in our community have built safe and contained bubbles. For some

Nearly 800,000 people in Greater Washington have sought jobless benefits. Within the Jewish community, we have seen requests for interest-free loans increase by six-fold. People are searching for support when it comes to immediate cash and food assistance as well as with longer-term challenges, including mental health and family counseling. In response, human service organizations

This is the time when the rubber meets the road. For the past several years, those with an eye toward the future of the Jewish community have been underscoring the need for collaboration. Stakeholders across the country have seen for some time how important it is that organizations of all types and sizes work together

    A couple of years ago, I started toying with the question, what is the next big American Jewish project? It was clear by then that we had a crucial and ongoing responsibility to stand up to hate and anti-Semitism.