Women Microsite

Overview 

Welcoming women of all ages and backgrounds to take an active role in our Jewish community

Women’s Philanthropy empowers women and ignites their passion for meaningful giving, service, and leadership within the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund to secure the vibrancy and well-being of the Jewish community.

Our core values are:

  • Community

    We are a strong, inter-generational community of women that sustains and nurtures Jewish life locally, in Israel, and around the world. Our vibrant Jewish community of women forges friendships and lasting connections based on shared values.  

  • Jewish values  

    Our actions are guided by Jewish ethics and principles, including tzedakah (righteous giving), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and gemilut chesedim (loving-kindness). 

  • Empowerment  

    We value empowering women to play an active role in building a strong and caring Jewish community.  

  • Leadership

    We encourage women to engage in ongoing learning and to grow as leaders. We inspire women to step up and join together to make a difference in the world. 

Programs 

We encourage participation in multiple events throughout the year where women come together to schmooze, network, and do some good.  

Check out our community calendar and note these larger venues on your schedule:

The Lion of Judah (luncheon held annually in the fall) is a highly successful development vehicle and a symbol of today’s Jewish woman’s strength, of her esteem for the organized Jewish world, and of her financial commitment of at least $5,000 to the Federation's annual campaign. Almost 17,000 women around the world are Lions of Judah. Created in 1972 in Miami by Norma Kipnis-Wilson and Toby Friedland z”l, the Lion of Judah program has brought together women of all ages and from many walks of life in order to play an essential role in creating social justice, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, preserving human dignity, and building Jewish identity.

The Lion of Judah Endowment (LOJE) is an endowment component of the Lion of Judah Major Gifts program. A LOJE is created by establishing a minimum fund of $100,000 in the donor’s name, ensuring the perpetuation of a donor’s Lion of Judah level annual campaign gift. A LOJE is a permanent restricted fund, a component of the Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment program of the Federation. A LOJE is a powerful statement of a donor’s commitment to tzedakah, providing a legacy for herself, her family, and her community. Establishing a LOJE allows women to endow their gifts in perpetuity. A LOJE may also choose to enhance her Lion of Judah pin by adding a flame, known in Hebrew as or l’atid, to recognize this commitment.

Regional Events in Marin and the Peninsula include social gatherings, fireside conversations, campaign phone-a-thons, and events that spotlight Federation grantees locally and around the world.

Jewish Women’s Fund 
The Jewish Women’s Fund of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund is by invitation only and provides an in-depth philanthropic experience for 27 women (who have dedicated $10,000 each) to go beyond being donors, to become active participants in the entire lifecycle of their philanthropy. From exploring issues that affect girls and women to grantmaking and forming strategic partnerships, the Fund’s goal is to ultimately spark social change. This giving circle is separate from the Annual Campaign and is form of collaborative directed giving.

Leadership 

If you're a female leader in our community, we want to hear from you.    

If you're interested in joining a dynamic group of women with a worthy cause, please contact us.

Volunteer Leadership

  • Judith Goldkrand, Lion of Judah Chair
  • Carol Weitz
  • Jacqueline Shelton-Miller
  • Cathy Williams
  • Mimi Gauss

 

Membership 

As women, we set an example of tzedakah for our families by what we do as individuals.

Women’s Philanthropy offers women, through their participation in the Federation’s Annual Campaign and Endowment Fund, the opportunity to contribute financially to the well-being of the community. By making a donation, you are fulfilling the mitzvah of tzedakah.  

The Jewish community honors women who support the community at these significant contribution levels:

  • Lion of Judah – $5,000 per year or more
    Lion of Judah is an international group of women who make an annual minimum gift of $5,000 or more to the annual campaign. Special programs for Lions include a bi-annual International Lion of Judah Conference in Washington, D.C., as well as local events. Each event is tailor-made to suit the interests of the group. Over 14,000 women throughout North America and Israel contribute at this extraordinary level. In the Bay Area community, more than 250 women are Lion of Judah donors. The Lion of Judah pin, worn with pride by thousands of women worldwide, is one of the most recognized and distinguished symbols of shared commitment to the strength and vitality of the Jewish people. 
     
  • Lion of Judah Endowment
    The Lion of Judah Endowment (LOJE) is the endowment component of the Lion of Judah donation. Establishing a LOJE allows you to continue to contribute to what is most important to you throughout your lifetime, as well as into the future, by establishing a fund of $100,000. To learn more about how you can establish your LOJE, please contact Robyn Carmel, Philanthropic and Donor Services Engagement Manager, 415.512.6271.
     
  • Pomegranate Society – $1,800 per year or more
    According to the Midrash, each pomegranate contains 613 seeds, one for each of the mitzvot (commandments) enumerated in the Torah. Women who contribute at least $1,800 to the annual campaign sustain the Jewish people by helping to fulfill the mitzvah of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Pomegranate Society members may wear a sterling silver pomegranate pin. The pin is designed so that a ruby, representing the red seed of the pomegranate, can be added from year to year as additional gifts are made. 
Media 

 

Hear from a first-time Power of One attendee:

 

Many notable female speakers have spoken at Federation events, including Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook:

 

We've also had notable speakers such as: Randi Zuckerberg, Gloria Steinem, Madeleine Albright, Tiffany Schlain, Marlee Matlin, Jodi Kanter, and Barbara Bass Bakar:

 

 

 

Contact Us 

 

Contact us

Robyn Carmel
Philanthropic and Donor Services Engagement Manager
415.512.6271