Weekly Roundup Oct 2-6
Dear Colleagues,
Jewish Federations mourn the passing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who was the first Jewish woman—and the longest-serving woman—to serve in the Senate. For more, click here.
This week, Rep. Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker of the House to be ousted from his office. The House is unable to pass any legislation until it has a new Speaker in place. We are following this situation closely and will provide updates as they become available.
McCarthy’s removal was precipitated by his last-minute decision to strike a deal to avert a government shutdown, at least until November 17. A shutdown would have a wide-ranging impact on our work; we continue to prepare in the event that it does take place shortly before Thanksgiving. Please contact Jonathan Schrag with any questions.
Benny Gantz, the leader of Israel’s opposition National Unity Party, arrived in Washington on Wednesday to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The visit comes as efforts are being made to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. For more, click here.
If you missed our Town Hall last week, the agenda focused on the response to the war in Ukraine, the status of the judicial reform proposals in Israel, LiveSecure, and what we are doing to bolster our professional talent system-wide. For a recording, click here. For your reference, here is our slide deck on Ukraine as well as helpful talking points on our work in Israel.
Also, don’t miss our upcoming webinar on the status of judicial reform in Israel, which will take place on Wednesday, October 11 at 2 pm ET and will feature Times of Israel correspondent Carrie Keller-Lynn. Register here.
The Jewish Future Pledge has now reached a total of 25,000 pledges. The JFP is supported by the Jewish Federations of North America, by local Federations, and by other major Jewish organizations. Including pledges from major Jewish foundations, the total pledged has risen to almost $2.5 billion. For more, click here.
National Young Leadership Cabinet is thrilled to share the latest podcast episode, Chevre Connect: Behind the Scenes of the Fly-in to Ukraine, featuring Cabinet members who participated in the exciting August trip. Click here to listen.
For additional updates and reminders, please see below:
Shine A Light 3.0 Community Microgrants: The deadline for this year’s Shine A Light microgrants is Monday, October 9. Shine A Light draws inspiration from Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, to champion the message that light can dispel darkness and hate. Apply for a community microgrant to create and host a local event. Click here for application details. Consult our website for grant criteria and for examples of previously funded events. For questions, contact microgrants@shinealighton.com.
JEDI Learning Circle: During a seven-week immersive educational opportunity on racial identity and Jewish equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI), participants will engage with experts on questions that are relevant to modern Jewish life. The course begins on Monday, October 9. Register here.
Addressing Bullying’s Impact on Teens: Join Jewish Federations on Thursday, October 11 at 1 pm ET for a conversation with experts in the mental health and advocacy space to understand the impacts of bullying on teen wellbeing and efforts to address it. This panel will focus on adolescents with disabilities who, studies show, are bullied far more than their nondisabled peers. To register, click here. For more information, email Aaron Kaufman. This is a correction to previous language about this program; in a previous communication, we mischaracterized an incident in Nevada. We apologize for the misunderstanding.
Executive Accelerator: We are accepting nominations 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. To nominate a colleague, click here. Nominations close on Friday, October 20. Learn more about cost, eligibility requirements and the application process here. For more information, email Rebecca Ruberg.
Virtual Orientation for Newly-Hired Professionals: Please encourage new hires to attend our upcoming virtual orientation scheduled for Wednesday, October 25 at 1 pm ET. More information and registration can be found here. We have also designed several resources to support new professionals. Contact Rebecca Zuck Sowers with any questions.
Wexner Field Fellowship: The Wexner Field Fellowship is a leadership learning opportunity for high-potential, full-time Jewish communal professionals to deepen their leadership skills and develop a rich network of colleagues. Up to 15 exceptional professionals will be selected for a three-year program with a cohort of lifelong professional learners. To learn more about program content and eligibility requirements, and to start a pre-application, please click here. Applications are due by Thursday, October 26 at 1 pm ET.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,
Shira Hutt
Executive Vice President
Jewish Federations of North America