Tag: philanthropy

More and more young adults aren’t waiting to be asked in. They’re showing up with questions, ideas, and a real desire to help shape a vibrant, inclusive Jewish future.

We’re also seeing this nationally: the latest Slingshot survey shows that Jewish young adults crave agency, community, and meaningful ways to live their Jewish values out loud.

That’s what NEXUS offers—a chance to explore identity, giving, and belonging in a way that’s personal, real, and rooted in what matters most.

More Than Belonging

If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you probably know the feeling: you care about Jewish life and want to live your values with intention, but it’s not always clear how to turn that into real impact. Where do you begin? What does it look like to shape the community when you’re still figuring out your own path?

That’s the space NEXUS fills. It offers a framework to explore personal values, community connection, and what meaningful participation looks like today.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

What makes NEXUS different is how it connects you to the full landscape of Jewish Greater Washington. At the center of that landscape is the work we do together through Federation to strengthen partnerships, power collective giving, and respond quickly when our community needs support.

When you plug into that ecosystem through NEXUS, your impact doesn’t stay in one corner. It ripples out.

NEXUS is the moment when people begin to see that bigger picture and understand the role they can play in it.

Where It Starts to Feel Real

One moment from a past cohort still stands out to me. Someone said, “I’m not sure I’m the kind of person who leads in the Jewish community.” Before I could respond, another person said, “You already do. You just needed a space to see it.”

That’s NEXUS in a single sentence.

This program creates space for meaningful conversations—about identity, belonging, philanthropy, and community responsibility—and gives participants tools to navigate them with empathy and authenticity. Not because we hand out answers, but because we build the conditions where people can explore them together.

Learning That Feels Real and Human

Throughout the experience, participants hear from people whose work embodies inclusive, values-driven impact. They see how belonging, purpose, and impact show up in real life—from organizations building accessible workplaces to those creating pathways for Jewish connection across the region.

It’s learning that feels grounded, practical, and genuinely connected to the needs of our community.

A Cohort That Becomes Community

Every NEXUS cohort becomes its own small ecosystem of support. People show up as individuals and quickly become a group that listens, challenges, questions, and encourages one another. Real friendships form. Real conversations happen. Real growth takes place.

By the end, participants don’t walk away with a formal roadmap. They walk away with something more lasting: a clearer sense of who they are, a better understanding of what they value, and a deeper confidence in the role they can play in shaping Jewish Greater Washington.

Stepping In—Together

NEXUS is one powerful doorway into that journey of connection and meaning—but across Next Gen, there are so many ways to step in, show up, and shape what comes next.

Big news: Sarah Klein, our Senior Director of FRD (Financial Resource Development), has been selected for Cohort III of JFNA’s Executive Accelerator, a national leadership program for the Federation system’s most promising senior professionals.

If you’ve worked with Sarah, you already know what makes her extraordinary. She builds relationships with heart and hustle. She leads with integrity, warmth, and a clear sense of purpose. And she brings deep experience and fresh thinking to everything she does.

This next step for Sarah is about all of us. Through this yearlong program, she’ll gain new tools, fresh perspectives, and a powerful peer network that will help move our work—and our community—forward. And with Federation supervisors and leaders actively engaged in the learning process too, we’re making sure that growth gets embedded across our team.

We’re super-proud to see Sarah recognized, and excited about what this opportunity makes possible for our Federation and our collective future.

Many have asked how they can celebrate this milestone. If you’d like to honor Sarah’s leadership, you can make a tribute gift in her name.

I want to put to words a couple things I’m feeling as we head into the end of the year.

The first is gratitude. Our community in Greater Washington is strong, passionate, caring, creative, and remarkably generous. Federation could not do the work we do to sustain and strengthen Jewish life without you. I have been repeatedly moved by the way this community has mobilized in the face of crisis, and continued the quiet, steady work of looking after one another and shaping a bright and vibrant future on our own terms. From the bottom of my heart, thank you and I cannot wait to continue our partnership.

The second thing I’m feeling is a bit harder to name but could perhaps be described as energized. A multitude of factors, ranging from longing for Jewish knowledge to a globalized feeling of uncertainty are inspiring people to want to connect with their Jewish identities and the Jewish community. As I referenced last week, a recent survey found that 60% of respondents within the DMV are interested in doing more within the Jewish community. People are looking to connect with Jewish content, Jewish practices, Jewish experiences, and with other members of the Jewish community.

Indeed, we have reached a consequential inflection point in Jewish life and we get to help determine what happens next. As Barry Shrage, former president of Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston (and my former boss and ongoing mentor) writes, “We are living through a hinge in history, a moment when the door to alternative futures is still open, the future is uncertain, and our actions can define our destiny.”

We have all the makings of a new Jewish awakening, but we need to help put the pieces together so that everyone coming to our door is met with the meaning, purpose, and belonging they seek. This will take a good deal of focused effort, and Federation is here to help drive it forward. In this new year, we are set to increase funding and work with our many partners across the region to expand programs to ensure everyone looking for connection finds a home within our community. This is vital work and even more so at this “hinge” moment when our collective efforts are guaranteed to echo.

It’s a weighty thing responding to a call for meaning. But it’s a privilege too. And we get there by working together to help more people access and explore the values, traditions, and relationships that enrich our lives and sustain our people.

As we move into the final weeks of the year, many in our community will step forward to support this work. I hope you’ll join them. A gift of any size helps ensure that everyone seeking connection, purpose, and belonging can find their place in Greater Washington. If this work inspires you, I invite you to help fuel the work ahead. A gift to our Annual Campaign strengthens the programs, partnerships, and pathways that welcome people into Jewish life and support them once they’re here.

Help our community step over the threshold of possibility. Please give today.

As 2025 winds down, many of us are thinking about the difference we want to make—and how to give in ways that matter most. With changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) taking effect on January 1, 2026, now is the time to plan ahead. New charitable deduction limits—including a 0.5% adjusted gross income (AGI) floor and reduced itemized benefits—may affect giving strategies in 2026 and beyond. That makes this year an important opportunity for strategic giving.

Below are five tax-smart strategies to consider as you make your year-end gift—whether you’re supporting The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, shaping your long-term philanthropic goals through the Jewish Community Foundation, or both.

1. Give Online

Give online for the fastest and most convenient option. Web-based platforms make strengthening Jewish life across Greater Washington simple, safe, and accessible.

2. Donate Appreciated Stock

Donating appreciated stock allows you to save on capital-gains taxes and receive a charitable deduction for the fair-market value of assets held more than one year. Your gift powers the programs and partnerships that keep Jewish Greater Washington strong.

Tip: Initiate stock transfers by Monday, December 15 to ensure a 2025 tax credit.

3. Create or Add to a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

Open or add to your fund using cash, securities, or complex assets such as business interests or real estate. You’ll receive a charitable deduction now, your fund can grow tax-free, and you’ll have the flexibility to recommend grants when you’re ready. A DAF can also streamline your giving and engage your family in meaningful philanthropy.

Many donors are choosing to contribute up to $108,000 to their DAFs in 2025 to maximize deductibility before 2026’s new limits take effect.

Example: If you plan to give $36,000 annually over the next three years, “bunching” that total into a single $108,000 gift before December 31, 2025 may allow you to take full advantage of today’s deduction rules—versus a reduced benefit spread across multiple years under the new law.

If you already have a DAF, recommending a grant to Federation’s Annual Campaign by December 31 is one of the quickest ways to make an immediate impact.

If you don’t have a DAF, you can still make your year-end gift directly online, through appreciated assets, or by choosing the strategy that best aligns with your goals. And if you’re thinking ahead, opening a DAF is an option you can explore anytime.

4. Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from Your IRA

If you are 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $108,000 directly from your IRA to Federation or the Foundation—tax-free.

A QCD

• Counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
• May reduce your adjusted gross income
• Remains beneficial even if you don’t itemize deductions

QCDs must be received by December 31 to count for 2025.

Example: A donor who makes a $108,000 QCD before year-end may reduce both their taxable income and future RMDs, while supporting Jewish community needs today.

5. Donate Appreciated Real Estate or Other Complex Assets

A gift of appreciated real estate or other complex assets allows you to avoid capital-gains tax and receive a charitable deduction based on the property’s fair-market value (with a qualified appraisal). You may give all or part of a property while retaining lifetime use and build a lasting legacy for Jewish Greater Washington.

We’re Here to Help

Our Federation and Foundation teams can help you identify the giving strategy that aligns with your goals and values before year-end. We encourage you to consult with your professional advisors to determine how these strategies apply to your individual situation.

If you’d like to understand more about how the new 2026 deduction rules work—including the 0.5% floor and the new ceiling for itemized deductions—you can find a full explanation here.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish Community Foundation do not provide legal, financial, or tax advice.

There’s more than one way to slice an apple, bake a challah, or make someone’s day. And there’s definitely more than one way to make a difference.

Every gift to The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington helps someone feel more connected, supported, and seen—whether it’s a teen finding their place in Jewish life, a family getting help in a moment of crisis, or a community strengthened by safety and care.

Curious what your impact looks like?

Explore how your giving shapes Jewish life across Greater Washington:

• Security: Protecting our community and preparing for whatever comes next.
• Northern Virginia: Building connection and Jewish life across the region.
• Teens & Young Adults: Empowering the next generation of Jewish leaders.
• Camp & Education: Sparking lifelong Jewish learning and friendships.

This season, consider the difference you want to make, then choose the giving path that fits you best. Whether it’s online, through appreciated stock, your Donor Advised Fund, or a charitable IRA distribution, your generosity powers real impact across our region and beyond.

Because there’s no single way to build a strong, vibrant Jewish community. It takes all of us. 

Tracking the impact of the federal government shutdown is like watching a storm roll in.

It’s already drizzling. As SNAP benefits expire and federal workers miss their first paychecks, the forecast is likely to worsen.

For many in our community, what started as financial uncertainty is becoming a true crisis.

To help address the rising tide of need, we’re allocating $150,000 to assist those affected by the shutdown.

• $100,000 will support Hebrew Free Loan’s Federal Unemployment and Furlough Loan Program, which helps those facing financial hardship access timely, interest-free loans.
• $50,000 will go to Federation’s Rabbinic Emergency Fund from which rabbis can access $1,500 grants to help community members cover essential living expenses.

These grants are part of our ongoing commitment to respond quickly and compassionately to community crises.

In coordination with local partner organizations, including JSSA (who runs our J-CARING hotline), we’re monitoring needs in real time to ensure help reaches those who need it most.

We’ve long been at-the-ready to respond to the needs of our community—the last few years have made us experts. From the pandemic to national protests, the war in Ukraine to October 7 and its aftermath, and now this shutdown, we’ve learned how to act swiftly and strategically when the need is urgent.

Today, we’re proud to help meet immediate needs while strengthening our community’s network of care for the future.

This work is only possible because of the trust and generosity of donors who give to our Annual Campaign, ensuring our community can weather the hardest days and prepare for the brightest ones.

It’s raining out. If you can help keep those around us dry, please donate today.

If you or someone you know needs support, call the J-CARING hotline or visit our Crisis Response resources page.

When the tax laws shift, people often ask: What does this mean for how I give?
But the real question is: What kind of impact do I want to make and how can I make it count right now?

If you’re thinking about how to give more intentionally, you’re not alone. Our Jewish Community Foundation works with community members every day to ensure their giving reflects their priorities and keeps making a difference, even as circumstances change.

What’s Changing and What it Means for You

A new law called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will change how charitable deductions work in 2025 and 2026. If you give regularly—or are thinking about how to give more intentionally—these changes could affect you.

In 2025: A Chance to Maximize Your Giving

The SALT (state and local tax) deduction cap temporarily increases from $10,000 to $40,000 (from 2025 to 2030). That means more people, especially homeowners, will be able to itemize deductions. Limits on charitable deductions coming in 2026 make 2025 a smart year to give.

Consider:

• Making a larger gift than usual: bunch several years of charitable gifts in 2025
• Opening or contributing to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
• Donating appreciated stock or property
• Accelerating a legacy gift or funding a named endowment: 2025 could be a smart year to fund a legacy gift or named endowment.

In 2026: New Charitable Deduction Limits

Two new rules may reduce how much you can deduct if you itemize:

• A new floor: You can only deduct charitable gifts that exceed 0.5% of your income
• A new ceiling: For those in the highest income brackets, the tax benefit of itemized deductions, including charitable gifts, is effectively capped at 35%

Some donors may choose to “bunch” their giving by consolidating multiple years of giving into 2025 to take advantage of more favorable deduction rules. One of the most effective ways to do this is by funding a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) now.

By contributing more to a DAF in 2025, you can maximize your deduction in a high-impact year while still supporting Federation and other causes you care about over time. It’s a smart way to align your giving with both tax efficiency and long-term impact.

The law also extends the 2017 tax rates, standard deduction levels, and estate and gift tax exemptions indefinitely, but these could change with future legislation.

If You Take the Standard Deduction

Even if you don’t itemize, in 2026, you’ll still be able to deduct:

• Up to $1,000 (single filers)
• Up to $2,000 (married couples)

For Those 70½+: A Powerful Giving Tool

If you’re 70½ or older, you can donate up to $108,000 in 2025 (indexed annually) directly from your IRA to a nonprofit like The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (with that limit expected to rise in 2026). These Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) reduce your taxable income and aren’t affected by the new deduction limits.

Note: QCDs can’t be used to fund DAFs, but they can go directly to support The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington or any qualifying nonprofit.

Your Partner in Purpose

Most people don’t give because of tax deductions. You give because you care—about Jewish life, about this community, about the future we’re building together.

Our Foundation is here to help you give in a way that’s aligned and intentional, even as the rules evolve. Whether you’re giving this year, advising others on giving, planning ahead, or thinking about a legacy, we’ll help you make sense of the options—and make the most of them.

Tax laws will likely keep evolving, and we’ll be here to help you adapt every step of the way.

Ready to take the first step? Let’s talk about your goals, your values, and how you want your giving to make a difference—this year and beyond.

For more information about how tax changes might affect you, join our Keys to Tax and Charitable Gift Planning Under the New Tax Law webinar on November 12.

This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Please consult your professional advisor. 

At a Federation program earlier this week, Dr. Tal Becker from the Shalom Hartman Institute urged us not to ask if the glass is half full or half empty in this moment but rather how do we add water to the glass?  All of our participation counts, the way we choose to be involved in Jewish life helps fill the glass and increase our potential for strengthening our society and our community.

In this way, to give to Federation is to be part of a community-wide effort to strengthen and secure the Jewish future and fill our communal glass. It is also a way to make an urgent difference in the here and now. SNAP benefits expire tomorrow. The government shutdown continues. Thousands of workers are furloughed. Others are facing layoffs. Our friends, neighbors, and people across the region are going to need a helping hand. We can and must be there with arms extended.

We also know from decades of research and experience that meaningful Jewish experiences have lasting effects on someone’s life. Jewish learning opportunities, Shabbat dinners, sleepaway camp, youth groups, day schools, Israel trips, and so on help Jews of all ages explore and find the joy in what it means to be Jewish. To give to Federation is to support the creation of a vibrant Jewish community by enabling more people to experience meaningful Jewish experiences.

There are just two months left in the year—and $8 million still to raise in unrestricted funds to support our partner agencies and strengthen vibrant Jewish life across Greater Washington. Make your gift today to help us carry the momentum through the end of the year.

At a time when so much feels out of our control, a favorite quote from Jewish novelist Isaac Bashevis Singer comes to mind, “We must believe in free will. We’ve got no choice.” So much is up in the air, but we still get to decide how to move forward and be there for one another.

Stake your claim in what comes next by giving to Federation and investing in community. Help us fill our communal cup to the brim.