Jewish Funds for Justice

The Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ) is a national public foundation based in in New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Baltimore, MD. Since 2005, Simon Greer has been its President & CEO. [http://www.forward.com/articles/8375/]

Mission

The Jewish Funds for Justice creates a just, fair, and compassionate America.

The Jewish Funds for Justice is a national public foundation guided by Jewish history and tradition. JFSJ helps people in the United States achieve social and economic security and opportunity by investing in healthy neighborhoods, vibrant Jewish communities, and skillful leaders. Our holistic approach to social change includes grantmaking and loans, service learning, leadership development, organizing, education, and advocacy. [http://www.jewishjustice.org]

History

The original Jewish Fund for Justice (JFJ) was created in 1984. Its first board chair was Si Kahn and its first executive director was Lois Roisman. [http://books.google.com/books?id=luHvqF1CsO8C&pg=PA209&lpg=PA209&dq=si+kahn+jfj&source=web&ots=6JkKvUKW86&sig=80jPqnxpurfyIeN6AvTO-dHHwFg]

JFSJ was created in its current form in 2006 when the Jewish Fund for Justice [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1985_33470] merged with The Shefa Fund (founded in 1990). JFSJ then merged with Spark: The Partnership for Jewish Service in February, 2007. [http://jewishjustice.org/download/section42/Spark%20PR%202.5.07.pdf]

Divisions

*Through its Alliance & Base Building Division, JFSJ works to solidify the broad foundation of a Jewish social change movement. The activities of this division include Congregation-Based Community Organizing, supporting Jewish social change alliances, and online action.

*Through its Capital Programs division JFSJ mobilizes Jewish financial resources to create social change. This division makes grants to community-based organizations, invests Jewish dollars in Community Development Financial Institutions, and supports the post-Katrina rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.

*Through its Leadership Institute, JFSJ is training hundreds of Jewish social change leaders. Programs include the Selah Collaborative Leadership Program and the Rabbinical Leadership for Public Life programs.

*Through Spark: The Center for Jewish Service Learning, JFSJ inspires Jews to integrate community service into their lives through ongoing Jewish service learning programs and service and learning travel programs.

Activities

*In May 2007, Jewish Funds for Justice organized a coalition of more than 20 Jewish organizations in an attempt to focus the attention of the 2008 American presidential candidates on the domestic priorities of American Jews. The coalition produced an online survey, which received nearly 9,000 responses, and which identified health care as the top domestic concern of American Jews. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060802462.html]

*JFSJ has been called “a catalyst” of the synagogue organizing movement. [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071001/dreier_may] In February 2007, JFSJ brought together more than 300 leaders from 63 different congregations to discuss their involvement in community organizing. JFSJ has also published a booklet and a video on Congregation-based Community Organizing. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=dr3K8vxKw1c]

*Since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, JFSJ has frequently spoken out about the need for fair and rapid redevelopment of the region. [http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/20070827greerkatrina.html] [http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/ThisLaborDaycont.html] JFSJ co-sponsored the Blueprint for Gulf Renewal, published in August/September 2007 by the Institute of Southern Studies/Southern Exposure. [http://www.southernstudies.org/gulfblueprint.pdf]

*JFSJ maintains a blog, http://www.jspot.org. [http://www.jspot.org] , which serves as an online hub for Jewish netroots action and Jewish perspectives on contemporary issues of social and economic justice.

Recognition

*In October 2007, JFSJ was included in Slingshot, a Resource Guide to Jewish Innovation for the third consecutive year. JFSJ was one of only eight organizations to receive a grant from The Slingshot Fund in coordination with its inclusion in Slingshot. [http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c41_a500/News/Short_Takes.html]

*Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Rabbi-in-Residence at JFSJ, was included in The Forward's Forward 50 in 2006, for "almost single-handedly forc [ing] the movement to refocus on one of the oldest issues on the social agenda: workers' rights." [http://www.forward.com/forward-50/]

*JFSJ has been rated an “exceptional” charity (4 out of 4 stars) by Charity Navigator for its organizational efficiency and capacity. [http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6612]

*JFSJ Senior Vice President Jeffrey Dekro received a Community Impact Award from the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (NFCDCU) in June 2007. [http://www.cuna.org/newsnow/07/system062107-3.html?ref=hed]

External links

* http://www.JewishJustice.org
* http://www.JSpot.org