Dear Colleagues,

Shira Hutt is off today, so I am filling in for her in sending out the Round-Up.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the largest pro-Israel rally in American history this week. Close to 300,000 people of all faiths and backgrounds thronged the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the March for Israel, which featured political leaders from both parties, family members of hostages, students from campuses that are experiencing antisemitism, top Israeli and American entertainers, and many more.

The event, which also attracted a quarter-million viewers on the livestream, was featured in worldwide media. Watch the interview that Eric Fingerhut did with CNN This Morning in advance of the rally. During the rally, Board Chair Julie Platt declared on Fox News that turnout “far exceeded our wildest dreams.” 

Following the March, more than four dozen lay leaders from across 23 different Jewish communities (representing National Women's Philanthropy, Advocacy Corps, and National Young Leadership Cabinet) stayed behind to meet with lawmakers, sharpen their advocacy skills, and join a hearing by the US House Committee on Ways and Means on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. For more, click here.

A new HarrisX poll shows that no fewer than 82% of Americans support the Israeli government’s sending troops into Israel to liberate the hostages and destroy Hamas. The survey found that most Americans also hold Hamas ultimately responsible for the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Gaza. For more, click here.

We have now raised a total of more than $659 million systemwide and allocated close to $200 million to a wide range of humanitarian organizations in Israel. For today’s update from the Israel office, click here. And for the updated list of volunteer opportunities, click here.

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to the war, rapidly disseminating resources, and mobilizing our local communities to ensure that Israel has the civic and political support necessary to defend herself. You can find the CMC’s dispatches and supports in the Resource Hub linked in our toolkit’s resource section. Contact the CMC for support in your community relations, political advocacy, and communications efforts. For the most recent CMC action dispatch, click here.

Please find here a link to a sample email template to share with your communities, with suggested language thanking them for showing up on the National Mall and action items for next steps to keep this positive momentum going.  You will also find in the email a link to a list of all Members of Congress that attended the march. Click here for additional action items you can share as you see fit.

The CMC is also holding a training on Tuesday, November 28 from noon to 1 pm ET on combating antisemitism in the K-12 education space. Click here to register.

Join with Jewish Federations, ADL, AJC, and Jews around the country to come together for a Shabbat of Unity this Shabbat, November 17-18. We ask that everyone light a memorial candle in honor of those who were murdered in Israel and those who have sacrificed their lives fighting for the Jewish State. We also suggest that you light an extra pair of Shabbat candles, that you recite prayers for Israel and for the hostages, and that you end Shabbat by reciting Psalm 121. Please refer to AJC’s Everything You Need To Know About The Attack on Israel. Find suggested discussion materials and copies of prayers at www.adl.org/unity-shabbat. Also, please visit BlueRibbonsforIsrael.org.

For additional updates and reminders, please see below.

Key Concepts in Zionism and the History of Israel: Join Rabbi Mike Uram, Chief Jewish Learning Officer of JFNA, on Tuesday, November 21 at 3 pm ET to unpack Israel’s history and gain a better understanding of the key features of Israel and Zionism. No prior knowledge needed; questions of all kinds are encouraged. To learn more and register, click here.

The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI): Daily webinars sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency are offered. A rotating team of analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system, and of the country’s diverse society will speak every Sunday to Thursday from 11-11:30 am ET.No registration is required. Join here.

Connect for Good: Jewish Federations’ Global Volunteer Hub is proud to launch a new virtual volunteering initiative that matches Ukrainians with English speakers for one-on-one conversation practice and cultural exchange. This program is open to any English speaker, with no prior teaching or tutoring experience required. Volunteers will participate in monthly Jewish learning sessions to ground their service in Jewish values. Join us for a virtual information session today, Friday, November 17 at 1:30 pm ET. For a flyer, click here. To volunteer, click here. For questions, contact Hannah Miller.

Executive Accelerator: We are accepting applications for the inaugural cohort of Jewish Federations’ Executive Accelerator. This year-long program for mid to senior level professionals will combine professional development, applied learning, cohort experiences, and coaching—all of which will support professionals as they chart their path forward in the Federation system towards executive leadership. Candidates are now invited to apply with a reference from a supervisor using the application link found here. Learn more about cost, eligibility requirements and the application process here. Applications are due by Thursday, December 7 at 5 pm ET. For more information, email Rebecca Ruberg.

Making Management Easier: A Two-Part Series: Join Rachel Wallins, Founder of Accelerate Talent Management, for a taste of the forthcoming Management Essentials Framework being launched for the Jewish Federations. In this two-part series, participants will experience best-in-class models, breakouts, surveys, and other hands-on activities to ensure they can immediately take back to their jobs. While we encourage participants to attend both sessions, each session also works as a stand-alone. Sessions will occur on Thursday, December 7 and Thursday, December 14 from noon-1:30pm ET. Please register here.

Launching a Giving Circle: Amplifier’s newest tool, Giving Circle in a Box, is a step-by-step guide to starting and running a four-session giving circle, including goal-setting, recruiting participants, and developing grant-making tools. Full agendas and facilitation guides will be provided for each session. We are offering an incubator cohort to help multiple Federations/organizations simultaneously to prepare leaders before each meeting and to serve as a guide from start to finish. Learn more about the cohort here including dates, time commitment, etc. Apply to participate here. For questions, please contact Dara Fersel.

JEDI Leadership Certificate Program: The JEDI Leadership Certificate Program trains and certifies Jewish lay and professional leaders in Jewish organizations by increasing JEDI leadership competencies, providing a national network of support, and furnishing JEDI Leadership coaching as organizations build a multiyear strategy.  You and your community will join 20 other Federation communities that are actively working on their local strategies and implementation plans. Applications close on Monday, January 8. Apply today!

Amazon Business Program: The Amazon Business Associated Accounts Program now has an exclusive arrangement with JFNA that allows Federations and their associated agencies and synagogues to receive special benefits. These include discounts on Business Prime membership plans, 10% off on over 2,100 Business Essentials, and pre-approval for a Pay by Invoice line of credit. The program is free and everyone who joins will still maintain their own business account. JFNA affiliate organizations that sign up will gain exclusive access to discounts on thousands of commonly purchased products. A Canadian program will be launched later this month. Join an informational webinar on Wednesday, December 6 at 1 pm ET. For the flyer, click here. For questions, email Stani Monova. If you would like to speak to an Account Executive about joining the program, please email Tucker Snedeker at tucksned@amazon.com.

Washington Conference: This gathering is being reoriented to address the current crisis in Israel. Please stay tuned for changes in the messaging and schedule. It's crucial that we rally as many participants as possible the conference, as this will enable us to present a unified front to the federal government and effectively advocate for our priorities. Click here to sign up for the conference.

We will not send out a Round-Up next Friday because of the Thanksgiving Weekend. We hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!

Shabbat Shalom,

Eric Fingerhut
President and CEO
Jewish Federations of North America