North American federations back Sharansky’s Kotel compromise

Published on June 3, 2013

The Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees passed a resolution supporting Natan Sharansky’s proposed compromise on egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall.

Oklahoma tornado: How you can help

Published on May 21, 2013

Jewish groups are joining the effort to help those displaced by the tornado in suburban Oklahoma City.

Security prep for Memphis Klan rally seen as national model

Published on April 4, 2013

Cantor Ricky Kampf descends from the bimah, adjusts his prayer shawl and strides up the aisle, cutting through the cavernous sanctuary to greet the familiar out-of-towner.

Two Surveys of U.S. Jewish Population on the Horizon - Finally

By Pini Herman
Published on March 11, 2013

Bill granting FEMA funds to Sandy-damaged shuls sparks uncharacteristic Jewish response

Published on February 19, 2013

How essential is a house of worship to a neighborhood?

Jewish schools, institutions join security conference call

Published on January 4, 2013

A conference call on school safety organized by the security arm of two national Jewish umbrellas drew over 800 participants.

ADL, Jewish federations regret failure to ratify disabilities treaty

Published on December 5, 2012

Two national Jewish groups expressed regret at the U.S. Senate's failure to ratify a disability rights treaty.

Jewish federations send $5 million to help Israelis in conflict zone

Published on November 16, 2012

The Jewish Federations of North America committed $5 million for an Israeli terrorism relief fund to help Israeli victims of the conflict with Hamas in Israel's south.

Reform leader Rick Jacobs slams Israeli gov’t discrimination against non-Orthodox

Published on November 14, 2012

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said American Jews should no longer acquiesce to Israeli state-sanctioned discrimination against women and non-Orthodox Jews.

As federations await new funding model, no big buzz at GA

Published on November 13, 2012

A year since its creation, the grandly named Global Planning Table (GPT) remains the great white hope of the Jewish Federations of North America, which held its annual General Assembly in Baltimore this week.

Baltimore Diary: An instrumentalist case for Tikkun Olam

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on November 13, 2012

From Madoff to Sandy and on eve of GA, federations retool when crisis hits

Published on November 5, 2012

The national headquarters of the Jewish Federations of North America could not have been in a worse location when Sandy struck.

Jewish community bears impact of Hurricane Sandy

Published on October 30, 2012

Less than a year into her job at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, N.Y., Rabbi Debbie Bravo sounded remarkably poised as she and her community faced one of their most powerful challenges together: Hurricane Sandy.

Homeland Security, other agencies distribute Jewish community primer

Published on October 3, 2012

American law enforcement and homeland security agencies are distributing a primer prepared by the Jewish community that details Jewish life and violent incidents directed at Jews in the United States and abroad.

Who knows who L.A.'s Jews are?

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on July 25, 2012

Susan Goldberg, rabbi of Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock, grew up in nearby Echo Park. “There were no Jewish families around when I was growing up,” Goldberg, 38, said. Now that these neighborhoods are being gentrified, and a young, creative crowd is moving in, the Jews are coming, too.

Jewish organizations raising funds to help victims of the attack in Bulgaria

By Ryan Torok
Published on July 19, 2012

Jewish organizations are reaching out to help the victims of Wednesday’s terror attack by a suicide bomber in Bulgaria, which killed five Israeli tourists and a bus driver and wounded more than 30 others. To help, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Orthodox Union all are soliciting funds to aid the wounded and the families of those killed.

‘We are Israelis saying that we have come of age’

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on July 6, 2012

JFNA rips chief rabbi’s criticism of state pay for non-Orthodox rabbis

Published on June 21, 2012

The Jewish Federations of North America slammed Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar's criticism of the Israeli government's decision to pay the salaries of some non-Orthodox rabbis.

JFNA rabbis talk Israel with U.N. envoys

Published on June 18, 2012

A cadre of 60 rabbis from the Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America discussed Israel’s treatment at the United Nations with delegations from 12 countries.

Finding their place [VIDEO]

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on February 22, 2012

Lauren Levine is settling in with a group of friends apartment to watch “American Idol,” when a look of panic comes over her face. She rummages around, finds her keys and darts out.“I left the hair thing on,” she says when she returns, breathless, from her own apartment downstairs. “I was straightening Jasmine’s hair before we came up here, and I forgot to turn it off. Wow. That was close.” Levine has wide blue eyes accentuated with sparkly eye shadow, and her voice is spiced with a sense of interested wonder.

Jewish groups praise security grants, despite major cuts

Published on February 22, 2012

Jewish groups praised the Obama administration and Congress for $10 million in new homeland security grants while noting that the allocation was nearly halved from last year.

Hundreds of volunteers help Federation kick off ‘Super Week’

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on February 15, 2012

On Feb. 12, more than 700 volunteers convened at sites from Manhattan Beach to the Conejo Valley for a day of community service projects and fundraising to support The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

U.S. lawmakers call on Cuba to release Gross

Published on December 5, 2011

Nearly 100 U.S. lawmakers called on the government of Cuba to release imprisoned Jewish U.S. contractor Alan Gross.

Netanyahu cancels GA appearance

Published on October 24, 2011

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled plans to address the Jewish federations' annual General Assembly.

JFNA criticizes jobs bill for targeting tax deduction

Published on September 14, 2011

The Jewish Federations of North America criticized how President Obama proposes funding his jobs bill, although it has praised other elements of the bill.

Jewish groups praise Obama’s jobs plan

Published on September 12, 2011

U.S. Jewish groups praised aspects of President Obama's jobs proposal.

Communal security group launches online training and resource portal

Published on June 7, 2011

The Secure Community Network, an initiative funded by Jewish Federations of North America, has launched an online portal to train staff at Jewish institutions on security issues.

Tribefest a hit with young federation donors, but reaching unaffiliated still a challenge [VIDEO]

Published on March 8, 2011

“Connect, explore and celebrate” was the tagline for Tribefest 2011 held this week in this desert gambling town. Drumming imagery aside, the new name for what was a re-branded annual convention of the Young Leadership Division of the Jewish Federations of North America accurately described the spirited atmosphere at the confab.

Federations launch $5.5 million campaign for Ethiopian aliyah

Published on January 24, 2011

The Jewish Federations of North America is launching a $5.5 million fundraising campaign for Ethiopian immigration to Israel. The campaign comes at the behest of the Israeli government, which agreed last November to bring up to 7,846 additional Ethiopians to Israel. Like Israel’s commitment, the federation’s campaign comes with an eye toward concluding mass Ethiopian aliyah; it’s called “Completing the Journey.” “It is our privilege and our obligation to help complete this historic aliyah,” Kathy Manning, chairwoman of the Jewish Federations’ board of trustees, said in a statement announcing the campaign. “The government of Israel says it intends to complete the rescue of the ancient Ethiopian Jewish community and has asked the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Agency for Israel to join this historic effort.”