My Two Shekels: Finding the Light

FEDERATION’S STRATEGIC IMPACT BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER COVID; SECURING CRITICAL FUNDING TO MEET URGENT NEEDS

A Jewish proverb says, “A little bit of light pushes away a lot of darkness.” This has been true for Jews throughout history. Turning toward the light is what has given our people hope. While many continue to feel the devastating physical, emotional, and financial effects of Covid-19, treatments have improved and vaccines are being distributed throughout the country. We hope that this is a sign of good things to come.

Lately, we have been talking a lot about “Bright Spots” within our community. Our last “Bright Spot” featured the inspiring work of San Diego Jewish Day School educators and the gesture of appreciation our Federation extended them. Our newest “Bright Spot” shines a light on a community of philanthropists who continue to give hand over fist to support struggling Jews and Jewish organizations in San Diego. Incentivized by a national match led by the Jewish Federations of North America, and having an infrastructure in place that allowed us to mobilize quickly, our Federation was able to raise an additional $480,000 for our local Covid-19 Emergency Fund. The fact that these dollars came as NEW and INCREASED gifts is a testament to the generosity of our incredible community and your faith in Federation. Thank you!

Funds will be deployed by the Emergency Fund Task Force – managed by Jewish Federation, Jewish Community Foundation, and Leichtag Foundation - where the need is greatest: food, emergency financial aid, mental health, trauma, and other areas of immediate need.

But what happens when people in need can’t find their way to the light? Well, Federation finds our way to them. That’s what we’ve been doing in San Diego for more than 80 years. Covid-19 is just the latest example of our ability to act quickly to make a strategic impact when crisis strikes. We were able to be nimble because we have our pulse on the community. That means we already knew where the vulnerabilities were likely to be – among seniors, Holocaust survivors, Jewish day schools and pre-schools, Jewish Family Service, and elsewhere. We are proud, once again, to be able to leverage collective action as well as our national Federation system to bring critical dollars to San Diego to support our community’s most vulnerable. Together, we share pride in this effort to bring substantial resources to bear in the face of such major challenges. 

We have more work to do, but perhaps out of the darkness of 2020, we are starting to see a bit of light – a light made brighter by many of YOU. Please help spread the light by continuing to support Jewish life in San Diego in a way that is most meaningful to you.

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