Dear Friend,

Welcome to Federation’s new “Did you know…” newsletter. We’ll send these about once a month to highlight our key areas of impact. Of course let us know if you want more information about these items or other Federation efforts to create a more vibrant, caring, connected and enduring Jewish community.

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International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Along with ADL San Diego and The Butterfly Project, Federation marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day last week by releasing new educational resources, an online video library, and a Speakers Bureau of Survivors—all now available for teachers, educators, and administrators to incorporate into lessons and other conversations with young learners. Federation’s resource page for teachers and educators to display in their classroom included a designed image that says “Never Again–I stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism.” Federation representatives were featured in the San Diego Union Tribune and on CBS8 to mark the day and especially to call out its importance given the rise in antisemitism.

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Mental Health Survey for Teens and Adults
Jewish Federation, in partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation and Jewish Teen Education & Engagement Funder Collaborative, is funding and advancing the San Diego Jewish communal approach to teen mental health and wellbeing. We call this effort Jewish Teens Thrive. Federation has initiated a working group of professionals to address this issue and implement new strategies and programs to support teens and their parents, guardians, and educators. Federation is currently fielding two surveys to develop a baseline understanding of teen mental health and wellbeing in our community, one for teens and another for parents/educators/adults who work with teens. Please help us learn about teen mental health and wellbeing by sharing these surveys or simply direct members of the Jewish community to Jewish Teens Thrive | Jewish Federation of San Diego County (jewishinsandiego.org)

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Teen Peer Leaders Fellowship 
Jewish Federation also hired seven local teens to conduct research and focus groups about the hearts and minds of San Diego Jewish teens as part of the Peer Leaders Fellowship. These teens will work alongside the nationally recognized evaluation firm Informing Change to critically examine issues facing their peers, including antisemitism and mental health. They will also uncover what Jewish teens want from their Jewish community and what being Jewish means to them. This fellowship will culminate with a comprehensive report and recommendation on future teen engagement efforts to Jewish Federation Board of Directors in June.

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Pauline Foster Women’s Leadership Institute 
The 2nd cohort of the Pauline Foster Women’s Leadership institute started this month. Participants spent an inspiring day at Leichtag Commons building relationships and hearing from Federation President and CEO Heidi Gantwerk and community leaders Charlene Seidle and Rabbi Yael Ridberg. Throughout the program, participants learn from and are mentored by seasoned leaders, develop a better understanding of Jewish community and values, and build a stronger community through hand-on volunteerism. The women build a strong network among peers and, upon program completion, take on additional leadership roles throughout the Jewish and secular community. Meet the cohort, see if this program is right for you or someone you know, and learn how Federation helps inspire and develop local Jewish leaders so our community can thrive.