Yesterday, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) released new data about the growth of interest in Jewish life that sparked after the October 7 terror attacks. Jewish professionals refer to this phenomenon as “the surge” and responding to it remains a top priority for Jewish institutions, including Federation.
In the weeks and months following October 7, we did not know how it would affect Jewish engagement due to the rise of campus protests and global antisemitism. Would people feel closer to their Jewish identity or increasingly shy away from it?
What we saw, however, was that when it felt difficult to be Jewish—to face the pain of 10/7, to navigate differing perspectives on Israel, to open ourselves up to being seen as different—that Jews stepped in.
In 2024, 43% of the American Jewish community wanted or were seeking more engagement in Jewish life. Everyone from young adults to midlife and older adults, to parents of young kids were eager to learn more about Israel and Jewish life, and participate in Jewish programs. Those who were least engaged before 10/7, were particularly eager to find new venues for learning, and above all, connect with others in the Jewish community.
It’s unclear how long the surge will last. But thus far, it seems to be sustained. The latest survey results show that 38% of Jewish Americans are part of the surge, a seven-point increase from last spring and a hint at a new normal.
Evident in the data is a strong desire for social connection. To me, this reinforces the idea that in a topsy-turvy world, the search for belonging will increasingly shape how people live and the choices they make. One number I’m noting: of those who were not previously engaged in the Jewish community, 41% have attended events but are still trying to find the right fit.
As you can imagine, this has important implications for our work at Federation. To help people find what they seek, we must continue investing in diverse programming that gives everyone access to rich and meaningful Jewish experiences and helps them meet, connect, and learn with other people. Shabbat dinners, deep dives, meetups, family-friendly events, all of it matters.
Whatever responses we pursue, they must be part of a community-wide effort to notice when people show up and help them connect and stay connected. We all know what it feels like to take a chance on something, to be the new person in a room. Which means we also know what a difference it makes to chat with friendly people and feel shepherded into the group. That’s a role every one of us can play.
Statistics—and our own human intuition—prove that demand for belonging is up. Our work now is to provide the supply.
One way we can help meet this moment is by supporting the organizations that make Jewish life thrive. Yesterday was DAF Day, a national day of giving through donor advised funds. If you have a DAF, I hope you’ll consider recommending a grant to Federation. And if you don’t yet have one, I invite you to open a DAF and direct a $1,800 gift to an eligible Jewish or Israeli nonprofit of your choice through our Jewish Community Foundation’s Open More Possibilities initiative.
Growing up, I never thought I’d work for a Jewish Federation. As a teen and young adult, I was heavily involved in Jewish life and in Zionist youth groups, but the Federation system hadn’t factored into my career plans. I surprised my younger self therefore when after some time in academia, I applied for a job at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in 2002.
The person interviewing me asked why it was I had chosen to take this step. I replied that if you want to create change, you must go to an organization that has the capacity to create change.
A couple decades later, I believe this more than ever. A Jewish Federation’s capacity to spur impact for and on behalf of a Jewish community is unparalleled. This is because the Federation structure allows us to operate on three levels at once: engaging individuals, partnering with organizations, and sparking community-wide action.
It’s for this reason (among many others) that whenever someone suggests a century-old system couldn’t possibly serve the needs of the future, I always push back. Federation is a legacy institution precisely because of our ability to evolve to meet the shifting challenges and opportunities we face. As Shira Hutt and Mimi Kravetz of the Jewish Federations of North America wrote last week, the Federation model isn’t static and never has been.
Of course, having the capacity to effect change doesn’t mean anything unless we put it to work. At Federation, we get to inspire, engage, and mobilize people to generate the resources and ideas that will help sustain Jewish life. Many organizations can raise funds, but only Federation can bring significant resources, a network of partnerships, talented staff and lay leadership, and the broader community together to tackle shared goals. We get to ask hard questions. Try new things. And work on the frontier of what’s next.
That’s another thing I love about the role of Federation—we are relied upon to serve as both leader and supporter. We have a clear vision for the future of Jewish life and take seriously our work to use our bully pulpit and to represent the needs and interests of Jewish Greater Washington. But it means just as much to us to operate in the spaces where we don’t have all the answers. Elevating important issues and bringing people together to have important conversations and express and exchange ideas is also a critical part of our work.
I was an enthusiastic job candidate back in the day, and my enthusiasm for what our community can accomplish has only grown. Especially now, as historic challenges mount, we must leverage the full extent of our capacity to create change. We have so much going for us as a community. It’s our job to convert that potential into forward motion for the sake of today and tomorrow.
We called it the Hopes and Dreams Fund, designated to support informal Jewish education, summer camps, youth groups, and Israel experiences. It was our way of setting the pace for our lives early on, using a joyful milestone to lead with philanthropy and show our peers that you don’t have to wait to make a real impact. That mindset didn’t start with a large bank account or a fancy background. I didn’t grow up wealthy. But I distinctly remember going to synagogue as a child and seeing my parents’ names at the top of the campaign donor lists. They walked the walk. They taught me by doing.
So when my tax advisor sat us down in our 30s and suggested we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), I knew there was no place I’d rather establish it than within the Jewish community. I wanted my giving to count toward our collective Jewish reputation for generosity, and I wanted to be a role model for my peers.
I could never have imagined that that early decision would eventually lead to me co-chairing the Jewish Community Foundation of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Open More Possibilities initiative today.
Looking back, what made all the difference for us was simply having the door opened and being invited in. The Foundation intrinsically understands that same need today—to create space for the next generation of donors to step into their own philanthropic power.
That is why this initiative is so close to my heart. To welcome 100 new fundholders into our Foundation family, the Foundation is making an $1,800 gift to an eligible Jewish or Israeli nonprofit of the donor’s choosing. It’s a true partnership, making it easier than ever for young donors and families to begin their own journey of giving. And once you begin, the impact ripples outward in ways you can’t even predict.
Philanthropy is one of the most powerful ways we put our Jewish values into action. Our values tell us to care for one another, to strengthen our communities, and to take responsibility for the world we hope to build. Giving transforms those values from ideas into action. It offers the next generation a tangible way to understand that their Jewish identity is not just something they inherit. It is something they actively must carry forward.
When my son, Evan, reached a milestone birthday, we told him we’d match him dollar-for-dollar if he opened his own DAF. He did. Helping him enter his own philanthropic journey was one of my proudest moments as a mother. Now, as a grandmother, I’m already thinking about my grandchildren. I plan to open Donor Advised Funds for them through Open More Possibilities because I want philanthropy to become part of their story, too. My wish for them is to grow up seeing generosity as a lifelong expression of their Jewish identity.
There is also a powerful statement made when you give through a Jewish foundation. Over the years, I’ve had non-Jewish charities call to thank me for a grant and mention, “We saw the check came from the Jewish Community Foundation.” Raising that visibility, showing the world how Jewish givers support the broader community, is more vital now than ever.
Since October 7, saying the world has felt heavy is an understatement. But we don’t have to dwell in the dark. The simple act of giving gives us the strength to say: We will persevere. We will not just survive; we will thrive. Giving fills you from the inside out. It offers energy, hope, and purpose. For me, philanthropy is a spiritual experience. It bubbles up in my throat. The more I give, the more I receive.
Becoming one of the 100 new DAF holders opened through this campaign means taking a step as a leader. Deciding to take your hard-earned resources and invest them in the future shows the world, and your family, exactly who you are.
I once read a quote that said you make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give. Looking back over my life, I know that to be true in my bones. I can’t imagine a world where I didn’t want to leave things better than I found them.
I know opening a Donor Advised Fund is an important decision that requires a meaningful commitment. That’s why Open More Possibilities matters so much to me. By making an additional $1,800 gift, the Foundation is recognizing the importance of that investment and taking the first step alongside every person who decides to open their first DAF. It’s a way of showing that our community is with you from the very beginning.
I hope these first 100 fundholders won’t be the end of the story. I hope they’ll become mentors, role models, and teachers. I hope they’ll inspire their children and someday their grandchildren to carry these values forward. That’s how we strengthen Jewish life, not only for today, but for generations to come.
I invite you to join us. Make an investment in philanthropy, in our community, and in the future we will build together. Let’s Open More Possibilities—for ourselves, for the next generation, and for the Jewish people.
This reflection was originally posted by Jewish Community Foundation of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.
The room was full of 300 Jewish leaders from different cities. Different careers. Different Jewish experiences. Different ideas about what comes next. And yet, as Cabinet members from Greater Washington looked around the room in Minneapolis, one thing kept becoming clear.
They weren’t as “different” as they might have imagined.
“We all have the same concerns,” said The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington Cabinet member Dana Klein. “It doesn’t matter which community we come from, what we do for work, if we have kids or not. We are all invested and concerned about the same issues facing our community. And that is very powerful.”
For three days in August, hundreds of Jewish leaders from across North America gathered for the Jewish Federations of North America National Young Leadership Cabinet Retreat, including a cohort of 20 members from Greater Washington.
They came to talk about philanthropy, security, Israel, and global Jewry. They heard from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Rabbi Arianna Gordon of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. They wrestled with how to talk across differences, how to serve their communities and how to become better leaders. But underneath all of it was a more personal question.
What does it mean to be a Jewish leader right now?
Antisemitism is rising. Security has become something Jewish communities have to think about in their own neighborhoods. Families are making decisions about how visible they want to be. And more than one Cabinet member spoke about the feeling of watching everything unfold and wondering what, exactly, you are supposed to do about it.
Gabrielle Witkin put it plainly. “This is a hard moment to be Jewish,” she said. “And hard moments are exactly when leaders get made or lost.”
Gabrielle is a Jew by choice, and that choice comes with a responsibility she takes seriously. “I want a world where every Jew can live a safe, vibrant Jewish life. I want to leave this world better than I found it for my children.”
That desire to do something, rather than simply watch, is part of what brings people to Cabinet.
For Dana, Federation has made being an active part of the Jewish community a priority. “At a time when our community is constantly at risk, locally and abroad, giving back and making ourselves stronger has never been more important,” she said.
And there is a recognition that, as difficult as this moment is, Jewish communities have something powerful to draw on. Each other.
They attended the Retreat hoping to learn, enhance their leadership skills, and grow their network. That was one of the most meaningful parts of the Retreat for Britney Wambold, Cabinet Co-Chair, who sits on Federation’s Next Gen Board. She has met people through Cabinet from different cities, careers, Jewish backgrounds and phases of life. “Everyone is driven, cares deeply about making an impact, and shares a commitment to philanthropy and the Jewish community,” she said.
“I knew I would meet some nice people, but I was not expecting to make lifelong friends,” Dana added.
Britney knows that feeling well. “There is also something really special about knowing you have so many people in your corner,” she said. “Cabinet is full of people who genuinely want to see each other succeed and support one another throughout life.”
Alexa Brown, Cabinet Advisor, has watched that happen over four retreats. “What makes Cabinet different is how personal it is,” she said. “You walk away with some of your closest friends.”
Three hundred people, and no one had to explain why they were there. That may have been the most powerful feeling in the room.
No one had to explain why security matters. Why Israel feels personal. Why the future of Jewish life is something worth worrying about. Why, even while building careers and raising families, they feel a responsibility to give their time, energy and resources to something bigger than themselves.
They didn’t have to explain why they were there because everyone else already understood. “It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by everything happening in the world around us,” Alexa said. “Being with chevre (friends) reminds us we don’t ever need to face anything alone.”
For Gabrielle, that realization brought clarity. “I expected to feel small in that room. Instead I got clarity.” She came home with a better understanding of where she can make an impact, not everywhere, but somewhere meaningful. “I came home knowing where I can serve best rather than trying to serve everywhere.”
One conversation in particular stayed with Gabrielle. Her caucus leader said something that reframed the way she was thinking about philanthropy:
“The only people giving to the Jewish community are the Jews.”
The idea, though simple, resonated deeply in a room full of people already asking themselves how much they should give, how much time they should devote, and how much responsibility they are willing to take on.
The conversation turned to giving beyond what feels comfortable. For Gabrielle, the discomfort was the point. Because leadership, she realized, isn’t necessarily about finding the comfortable thing you can do. Sometimes it is about deciding what you’re willing to sacrifice because you believe the community is worth it.
The three days end, but the conversations, friendships, and questions don’t. If anything, they become more urgent, because eventually, every Jewish leader has to decide what kind of role they want to play in the future they’re helping create.
What kind of Jewish community do we want to leave for the people coming after us?
For Gabrielle, that question is at the heart of Cabinet.
“The next generation of leaders will not be produced by accident,” she emphasized. “We need to be gathered, trained, challenged, and connected to peers who are carrying the same weight. That is what builds the bench our community will need in ten and twenty years.”
And that work cannot wait.
“It matters that we are doing it now, in our thirties and forties, while we are raising the generation after us,” she said. “Our kids are watching how we respond to this moment.”
To join us in building that future or to learn more about Cabinet, please reach out to Jeremy Frisch, Federation’s Philanthropy Officer, Donor Engagement.
There are certain tastes that make it feel like Rosh Hashanah.
An apple dipped in honey. The jewel-like seeds of a pomegranate. A round challah, golden and sometimes studded with raisins. Glazed sweet potatoes. A melt-in-your mouth holiday roast or brisket. And the simanim, the symbolic foods placed on the table with hopes and blessings for a sweet, abundant year ahead.
A Rosh Hashanah table brings magic to Jewish families. Candles flickering. Familiar recipes making their annual appearance. Plates being passed around. Full bellies, full hearts, and the simple joy of being surrounded by loved ones.
This Friday night, community members across Greater Washington will gather around their tables to welcome the Jewish New Year.
For families who keep kosher, especially larger households, preparing that table can mean buying significant quantities of kosher meat, produce and holiday staples, and the costs can add up quickly. For families already feeling financial pressure, the High Holidays can bring an added burden at a time that is meant to be filled with joy.
That’s where Yad Yehuda, a partner of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, comes in.
Thousands of individuals across the Greater Washington Jewish community rely on Capital Kosher Pantry, the region’s only kosher food pantry, for support provided in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. A program of Yad Yehuda, the pantry provides fresh produce, proteins, shelf-stable groceries and personal care items, restocked weekly.
But Rosh Hashanah requires something more. “We want people to be able to celebrate the holidays without worrying about how they’re going to afford them,” says Stephanie Savir, Director of Operations at Yad Yehuda.
In the days leading up to the holiday, Yad Yehuda mobilizes its entire network to make that possible. Kosher food providers, dozens of volunteers, companies, synagogues, other food pantries and community partners come together to help fill the pantry’s shelves and freezers.
Thanks to support from Federation, pallets of fresh produce have arrived by the thousands of pounds. Cold storage has been filled with roasts and chicken. More deliveries continue to arrive as the holiday approaches.
It takes an entire community to prepare for a holiday at this scale. And this is exactly the kind of work that happens when Federation’s partnership with a local organization extends into active community engagement.
Yad Yehuda expects this year’s Rosh Hashanah distribution to reach approximately 1,600 to 1,800 individuals.
The Capital Kosher Pantry has grown considerably since its beginnings as a small food closet. Today, the organization operates a dedicated facility with multiple refrigeration units, a 20-foot freezer container, pantry, and other services designed to meet the needs of the community. During the year, it runs much like a small grocery store, where patrons can confidentially schedule appointments and select foods for their households.
Supporting a thriving Jewish community in Greater Washington means making sure people can participate fully in Jewish life in ways that reflect who they are. For families who keep kosher, that means having access to kosher food.
For those celebrating Rosh Hashanah, it means having the ingredients to prepare the foods that carry generations of meaning.
And for all of us, it means making sure that financial circumstances do not determine who gets to experience the joy and traditions of the Jewish holidays.
That is why Federation is proud to support Yad Yehuda. By strengthening the organizations that understand the distinct needs of our community and are there to meet them, Federation ensures we are not only present in moments of crisis, but in the ordinary, deeply meaningful moments that make up Jewish life.
This is what it means to make room for everyone at the table. Together, we can make sure that, regardless of circumstance, anyone in our community can celebrate, participate, and create their own Rosh Hashanah memories.
Learn more about Yad Yehuda’s food pantry here.
When I look back at the arc of my life, I can trace the trajectory directly to a single summer when I was 17 years old.
Growing up in a Reform Jewish home in New Jersey, we celebrated a few holidays, I went to Sunday School, and I participated in my youth group, but being Jewish was not the engine driving my daily world. That shifted the summer I boarded a plane to Israel on a North American Federation for Temple Youth (NFTY) trip for six weeks, made possible by my Rabbi who helped me secure a scholarship from Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ.
I still remember the feeling of stepping off that flight into the Mediterranean heat. Out of nowhere, that classic teenage sense of independence collided with something vastly bigger than myself. A sudden, overwhelming realization that I belonged to a global family. I wasn’t just a teenager on summer vacation. I was part of a living history.
That single journey completely altered my path. It sparked a lifelong love for Israel and Zionism, inspired me to eventually buy a second home there, and set the entire course of my professional life in Jewish community work.
None of that happened by accident. Years before I stepped onto that plane, people I would never meet decided to invest in the Jewish future. They made sure a scholarship existed for a 17-year-old girl from New Jersey who didn’t even realize how much she needed it yet.
That summer shaped everything that followed. Fresh out of school, I took my first professional job at the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) in New York City (where one of my sons is currently working), launching my career in fundraising. Later, from 1988 to 1990, I worked right here as the Missions Coordinator for The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Having experienced the magic of an Israel trip firsthand, helping others embark on those same eye-opening journeys felt deeply full-circle.
Over the years, whether serving on the national Board of Directors for AIPAC or maintaining a home in Israel, my connection to our people has remained the heartbeat of my life.
What keeps me involved with The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington today is twofold: the remarkable dedication of the staff who steward this work every day, and a fundamental desire to pay my origin story forward. Because I was the beneficiary of a scholarship that changed my life, I want to make sure the next generation has those same opportunities to discover and deepen their Jewish identity.
When most people hear the word legacy, they think about looking backward, a summary of a life already lived. But as a mother, that’s not how I see it at all.
For me, legacy is entirely about what comes next.
It’s the same instinct that kicks in when we think about our children’s futures. We save, we plan, and we do everything in our power to ensure that when they step out into the world, the safety nets, opportunities, and communities they need will be waiting for them. We have an opportunity to make our own legacy—and for who better than our children?
Leaving a gift to the Jewish community in my estate plans is simply an extension of that same maternal care. Just as I think about my own children’s future, I feel a responsibility to invest in the community they will inherit years from now.
Today, you can make that same lasting impact on our community by creating a Jewish legacy. August is National Make-A-Will Month, a timely reminder that taking a few moments to outline your wishes is a powerful way to protect what you love most and secure our shared future.
When I think about the adversity the Jewish people continue to face, I recognize the strength, persistence and fortitude that all comes from being in a community. Federation plays a significant role in helping sustain and strengthen our community.
By leaving a legacy gift with Federation, you can spark a young person’s journey, inspire a lifetime of Jewish commitment, and ensure that when the next 17-year-old gets on a plane to Israel, feeling invincible and curious, a vibrant, welcoming community is right there waiting for them when they return.
To learn more and receive guidance on leaving a legacy gift, visit shalomdc.org/legacy or contact Natalia Straus, Senior Director of Major and Legacy Giving.
