Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago 2018 ANNUAL REPORT OUR YEAR in REVIEW
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Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago 2018 ANNUAL REPORT OUR YEAR IN REVIEW The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago amplifies our collective strength to make the world a better place—for everyone. Community powered, we consider the totality of local and global Jewish needs and how to address them. From generation to generation, we help people connect to Jewish life and values, fueling a dynamic, enduring community that comes together for good. Chicago’s Jewish community runs on the passion, gen- • $87,672,775 allocated to charitable ventures world- erosity and commitment of its members. Together, we wide in partnership with our Donor Advised Funds lifted the 2017 Jewish United Fund Annual Campaign and Supporting Foundations. to a record $86.97 million to support the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s vital With these funds, we helped sustain Jewish life and network of agency partners. The $2.6 million increase Jewish lives, identifying and addressing the complex over the 2016 Annual Campaign made it possible to needs of our Jewish community in Chicago, in Israel care for additional Holocaust survivors, people with and worldwide. disabilities and other vulnerable community members; to more effectively fight anti-Semitism and hate; and to engage more people in Jewish life and learning. The JUF Annual Campaign is the foundational com- munity component of JUF/Federation’s multi-faceted financial resource development efforts, which secured $379,411,478 in total revenue in FY2018. In addition to donations from individuals and corporate partners, this total includes grants from foundations, the government and United Way, plus distributions from Donor Advised Funds and Supporting Foundations. It also includes generous bequests and endowment gifts which will support the Jewish community in the years to come. This incredible generosity from our community made possible the allocation of $229,871,044 during the fis- cal year ended June 30, 2018. Highlights include: In 2018, the Jewish community marked a miraculous • $28,485,537 through the Jewish Federation of Met- milestone: the 70th anniversary of the modern State ropolitan Chicago to fund local human services; of Israel. With Lester and Renee Crown serving as $18,408,642 to fund Jewish education, continuity, Chairs of the Israel@70 Celebration, JUF partnered with identity-building, outreach and advocacy programs; and synagogues, schools and other Jewish groups to host a $995,050 in Breakthrough Fund grants to support 15 in- calendar of events across the metropolitan area com- novative initiatives that break new ground in Jewish life. memorating the occasion. The festivities kicked off on • $29,251,746 through the Jewish United Fund of the eve of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, Metropolitan Chicago devoted to help millions of Jews with Israeli icon David Broza headlining a concert at in Israel and 70 countries across the globe. the Harris Theater, chaired by Skip and Lynn Schrayer. 2 Another troubling trend is the weaponization of inter- sectionality. True intersectionality calls for members of marginalized communities—such as people of color, women and individuals who identify as LGBTQ—to lift each other up through cooperative action. Sadly, on some campuses and civic spaces, the concept is being perverted to demonize Israel and exclude Jewish stu- dents from many conversations. Under this construct, pro-Israel voices are seen as antithetical to progressive causes and Jewish students epitomize white privilege. Despite these disturbing realities, there was still good news on campus in 2018. JUF’s Hillels of Illinois con- The following day, the City of Chicago raised the Israeli tinues to pioneer impactful ways to engage Jewish stu- flag in a moving ceremony in Daley Plaza, while PJ Library dents, creating dynamic, thriving Jewish communities and jBaby Chicago celebrated Israel’s birthday with a on 16 campuses that enhance students’ Jewish social Pop-up Pita Party in Highland Park. That evening, JUF’s networks, sense of Jewish identity, and relationship Young Leadership Division toasted the Jewish State with Israel. Following the tremendous success of the at its annual Blue & White Bar Night. Celebrations of Silverstein Base Hillel in Lincoln Park—which in just two Israeli culture and contributions continued in the weeks years has become a major hub for young adult Jewish that followed with a Family Concert & Celebration in life—this summer Hillel opened a second Silverstein West Rogers Park, hosted with JCC Chicago; a lunch- Base Hillel in the South Loop. Plans are underway to time celebration of Israeli culture at Daley Plaza; the bi- open a third Base Hillel at Loyola University in 2019. annual Greater Chicago Jewish Festival; and an Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center program examining how Holocaust survivors helped to build a new nation while rebuilding their own lives. These 70 years have been challenging and inspiring, terrifying and triumphant, heartbreaking and hopeful. Israel has emerged as a vibrant democracy with a flour- ishing society and a mind-boggling number of advances in technology, science and medicine to her credit. But the harsh reality is that throughout these seven de- cades, Israel has never experienced uninterrupted peace. With enemies bent on destroying the world’s only Jewish State, the attacks continue to this day. The battle to defend Israel takes place at borders, in the air, underground, in the court of public opinion, at the United Nations and, increasingly, on college campuses. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a According to a recent ADL report, there has been an 89% divestment referendum was defeated by a resound- increase in reported anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. cam- ing two-to-one margin. Working in tandem with Hillel, puses in the past year. Too often there is a pronounced JUF’s Israel Education Center served as a critical re- double standard: University administrators rightly show source for pro-Israel Illini students, coordinating and no tolerance for hate speech directed at race, sex and developing the messaging, social media strategy and ethnicity, but fail to address anti-Semitism, claiming anti- outreach plans to defeat that referendum for the second Semitic slurs fall under the category of “free speech.” time in as many years. 3 To ensure that more campus leaders have an informed more than 22,000 people at synagogues, day schools, understanding of Israel, there is no substitute for visit- preschools, agencies, camps and colleges across the ing and experiencing the reality on the ground. In 2018, metropolitan area. IEC brought nearly 125 interfaith student leaders on a week-long trip to Israel, drawing from the four major In addition, JUF provided security grants to assist Illinois Hillels and University of Wisconsin/Madison, Jewish institutions in the Charlottesville Jewish com- helping to lay the groundwork for more nuanced cam- munity in the wake of the white supremacist march last pus conversations about Israel in the years to come. summer. Even as JUF makes strides in taking back the Israel nar- As horrifying as anti-Semitism is in the U.S., it pales in rative on campus, the Socially Responsible Investment comparison to anti-Semitism across the globe. Jewish arena is emerging as the newest BDS front. JUF/ schools, synagogues and community centers are be- Federation has invested $1 million in JLENS, serving as ing vandalized and Jewish shop owners terrorized in an anchor investor in this network of nearly 10,000 in- locations across Western Europe. Jews on the streets dividuals and institutions using their financial holdings of Brussels and Stockholm are attacked for wearing to express Jewish values and support Israel. This has kippot in public. Military policy threaten Jewish schools enabled JLENS to become shareholders in a wide-rang- in Caracas. A frightening number of Jews in Paris have ing portfolio of influential companies, thus positioned been murdered. to counter efforts to de-legitimize Israel in key corpo- As these incidents of terror are accelerating, so are rate boardrooms and via shareholder votes. the number of Jews immigrating to Israel. In countries like Venezuela, South Africa and Belgium, what was once aliyah of choice is becoming aliyah of necessity. Compared to last year at this time, the number of Jews coming to Israel from Russia is up 24 percent and the number coming from Central Asia is up 33 percent. More than 29,000 Jews immigrated to Israel last year, and thousands more are expected in the year to come. Through our support of the Jewish Agency for Israel, JUF is helping bring them to Israel and delivering ser- Photo by Ouriel Morgensztern vices to help them adapt once they arrive. JUF also has invested millions of dollars in another criti- In addition to new immigrants, JUF helps tens of thou- cal arena: keeping Chicago’s Jewish community safe. sands of disadvantaged Israelis break the cycle of poverty. In 2018, JUF supported extensive education, Last spring, when there was a sharp uptick in anti- enrichment and mentorship programs for at-risk youth, Semitic hate crimes, JUF swiftly convened a Security including the Israel Children’s Zone® in our Partnership Summit, drawing 180 participants from 70 Jewish Together region of Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir. For the schools, agencies and synagogues in the Chicago area. last five years, this flagship program has provided a When it became clear that some local Jewish com- deep intervention impacting all 6,500 public elemen- munal organizations needed enhanced security, plus tary school students in the Partnership region. The assistance marshalling the funds to make these im- project has brought together local municipalities, provements possible, JUF launched a Security Grant family foundations and individual donors, leverag- program, expediting $1.2 million in matching grants— ing JUF funding to provide multi-faceted educational, and leveraging an additional $1.7 million—for a total of emotional and creative therapies that have dramati- $2.9 million devoted to better security at 61 Jewish fa- cally narrowed scholastic gaps for underperforming cilities.