Resilient and Secure Jewish Communities
Supporting the Safety and Well-Being of the Community
Safety and security are the most fundamental of human needs. We meet these necessities by increasing the physical and psychological safety at Jewish institutions, advocating on pressing issues, mobilizing during emergencies, and building capacity to ensure a strong Jewish ecosystem.
This work is accomplished by:
- Community Security Program: Today, even small incidents can erode our sense of security, both individually and as a community. We guide security planning, incident response, and emergency preparedness to protect the safety of local organizations, community members, and employees through training, consultation, and mutual support.
- Advocacy and Community Relations: In partnership with local and national organizations, devoted community leaders, and committed elected officials, we strengthen networks and advocate to address the issues most important to the community.
- Emergency Response: We provide a lifeline for Jews and non-Jews in distress, locally, in Israel, and across the globe, whether it’s urgent basics like food, shelter, financial assistance, or long term needs for recovery and future preparedness. We’ve been on the front lines, collaboratively working through the COVID-19 Pandemic, California wildfires, incidences of antisemitism and hate crimes, missile attacks in Israel, and natural disasters worldwide.
- Racial Diversity and Inclusion: Rooted in the values of tzedek (justice) and kehillah (community), we are committed to building capacity of organizations to become places where all people, including people of color, are thriving in the Bay Area Jewish life.
Cultivating Jewish Leaders
Well trained and engaged leaders are key to ensuring a resilient and secure Jewish future. We build a pipeline of diverse leadership, strengthen skills and competencies, and deepen understanding of the entire Bay Area Jewish ecosystem.
We do this work through:
- Federation Fellows which educates participants in nonprofit decision-making, cultivates relationships, and provides an understanding of how a board works to advance issues to move an organizational mission forward.
- Culture of Belonging helps more people in our community feel seen, valued, and part of something bigger, strengthening organizations’ outcomes and success.
- Convening 300+ Wexner Alumni and Delegates for participant-driven programming, educational opportunities, and networking.
- Funding leadership development programs community-wide, including Project Shamash, Voices for Good, and JIMENA Bay Area Sephardic Leaders Fellowship.
- Training leaders through the lens of belonging, sharing knowledge, and amplifying the voices of diverse community members.
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Providing Global Humanitarian Relief
Our global work is guided by the Jewish principle of “Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh La Zeh,” that all the world’s Jews are responsible for one another. We care for global Jewish communities by providing for basic needs and ensuring resilient leadership for the next generation.
We act on it by:
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Partnering with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) helping to provide more than 71,000 vulnerable Jewish individuals a day with essential services such as food, medical care, heating, and homecare, including children and elderly in the FSU, at-risk youth in Israel, and new immigrants. JDC also works to build new generations of leaders capable of taking on tomorrow’s challenges and shaping the future of Jewish life worldwide.
- We also work with communities in crisis to receive the support they need to navigate through emergencies, whether it be a natural disaster, a humanitarian crisis, or an unprecedented global pandemic. The Federation supports communities in need with emergency funding and working with partners like The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), JDC, and IsraAid to ensure that our resources reach those in need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
