Our History

In 1936, Judge Jacob Weinberger united 2,000 Jews, three synagogues and several agencies in San Diego to form the United Jewish Fund (UJF) from the existing Federated Jewish Charities. The goal of the United Jewish Fund was to be on the frontlines helping Jews overseas, especially those affected by the start of the Holocaust. When the war ended and Israel was founded, UJF shifted its assistance to the formation and settlement of Israel.

In 1947, UJF suggested that all San Diego agencies merge into the United Jewish Federation, a name it held until 2010. Today’s Federation formed the heart of the merged agency, accepting new beneficiaries and taking the responsibility of funding the growing community.

Federation Support a Growing Community

From 1960 through the 1980s, San Diego’s Federation grew rapidly, adding new agencies throughout the county as the local Jewish population reached 18,000.

The organization’s annual funding also grew, from $200,000 in 1947 to over $2 million by 1977. As Federation’s budget increased, so did the need for its assistance. San Diego’s population was expanding every year, and Israel was seeing an increase in attacks, most notably the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Federation also assisted in all major rescues of Jews around the world – including those in the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, Yemen, and other Arab countries – and has a rich history of helping in areas devastated by natural disaster, such as during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

This is Federation: Today

Jewish Federation of San Diego is part of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) system, which represents nearly 400 independent Jewish communities that raise and distribute more than $2 billion annually – including through planned giving and endowment programs – to build flourishing Jewish communities domestically, in Israel, and around the world. 

Locally this includes providing opportunities for Jews of all ages to connect with their heritage, caring for Jews in need, supporting the state of Israel and building long-lasting relationships with her people, and ensuring Jewish life in San Diego thrives for generations to come. Federation also plays a central role in convening San Diego County’s diverse Jewish institutions to increase collaboration in serving the local Jewish community, which is now over 100,000 strong.