Department Updates
Strategy and Impact
• The Strategy & Impact Department is thrilled to welcome Melissa Goldstein to our team as our new program associate. Goldstein has been working with Kehillot as a community engagement manager; she will be slowly transitioning to working full-time as the program associate over the next month. The team also extends its deep gratitude and appreciation to Program Officer Beth Razin who is retiring after 34 years of serving the Jewish community of Greater Philadelphia.
• Day and overnight camps have all been notified of their 2026 scholarship awards. This year, the Jewish Federation awarded over $600,000 in need based scholarship funding to 25+ camps.
• The Community Impact Committee has finalized funding recommendations of over $7.5M for FY27 for Israel and local Jewish Community Fund needs, including $150,000 to a new mental health capacity building initiative.
• Director of Israel and Global Operations Tali Lidar will be presenting on a panel at the Israel Presidents Conference.
Community Leadership Development / Engagement
• Leadership Development Workshop Series: On April 30, the Jewish Federation presented the last session in its community lay leadership training series. The Jewish Federation’s Sr. Director of Philanthropy Alix Caplan and Jewish Community Foundation Director Max Moline presented a workshop to 28 community leaders on What is Jewish About Fundraising?
Finance/IT/Operations/Real Estate/Donor Services and Data Services
• Signed a contract to migrate to an automated Accounts Payable Management System.
• Continue to work with Concourse to extend the hosting agreement for the Blackbaud CRM through February 2027.
• Working with Heller Consulting to develop and implement a scope of work to build the customization layer of the new CRM, Microsoft Dynamics.
• Finalizing unwinding the property and casualty insurance confederation.
• Relocating the food pantry to the Mandell Campus to expand operations and provide more opportunities for clients.
• Completing the annual tax returns for the Jewish Federation and the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools (FJDS).
• Continuing to monitor the ongoing work for the senior living facility. Foundation footers are being dug and installed.
JCRC and Government Affairs
• Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is hosting part two of its virtual summit on antisemitism in partnership with the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition. This session will focus on how the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is addressing antisemitism at the state level, highlighting current policies and enforcement efforts to safeguard Jewish communities and uphold civil rights. Speakers include State Representative Jared G. Solomon and Attorney General Dave Sunday.
• JCRC is participating in the Jewish Federations of North America DC Fly-In on May 18–19, joining communities from across the country in Washington in response to increasing attacks on Jewish institutions and spaces. This gathering will bring together leaders to strengthen our collective voice, engage directly with Members of Congress, and advocate for the Six-Point Security Agenda to better protect Jewish communities. JCRC is working to bring a strong Philadelphia delegation to demonstrate unity and urgency at this pivotal moment.
• JCRC is sponsoring Harrisburg Advocacy Day on June 9 in partnership with Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia and American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey. This coordinated day of advocacy will bring community members to the state capital to engage directly with lawmakers on key priorities, including antisemitism, security, and human services. Together, we aim to elevate our collective voice and advance policies that protect and support our community.
• JCRC Chief Jason Holtzman and Pastor Carl Day, co-founders of the New Golden Age Coalition, will be participating in a National Black-Jewish Alliance convening in Miami from May 28-30.This gathering, which is hosted by the Exodus Leadership Forum and the Redstone Family Foundation, will bring together a select group of leaders from across the country to renew and strengthen the Black-Jewish alliance. The convening will focus on deepening relationships and advancing collaboration between Black and Jewish communities at a pivotal moment.
Jewish Community Foundation
• The 2026 Edward N. Polisher award will be presented to Paul Feldman, Esq., founder of Feldman and Feldman LLP. Feldman has guided several clients to establish bequests for Jewish Federation and has been a constant go-to source of advice to the Jewish Community Foundation team. The award will be presented at the Bronstein Seminar on Sept. 9.
• On May 18, more than 50 estate, tax, wealth and financial planning professionals attended the Jewish Community Foundation’s Professional Advisors Network Multi-Generational Philanthropic Planning Panel with Eileen R. Heisman, Amy Holdsman and Daphne C. Rowe.
• The Etta and Bernard Weinberg Fund approved over $1.1 million in grants to support programs for older adults, geriatric counseling and care management and Jewish education.
Human Resources
Human Resources recognized our hard working Administrative Professionals on April 22 with an Afternoon Tea event in the Jewish Federation’s office cafeteria.
Supporting Israel & Global Jewry
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia firmly believes in the Jewish value of “All Jews are responsible for one another” or Kol Yisrael arevim zeh la-zeh. In enacting this vision of being connected with the Jewish homeland and to Jews around the world, the Jewish Federation forms deep-rooted, global partnerships, funds organizations that enhance Jewish life and pride, provides basic everyday needs, and deploys rescue and relief services in times of crisis.
Snapshot of Jewish Federation’s Impact*
426,500 older adults in Israel and around the world served
951,300 people in Israel and around the world received food assistance
57.3M meals and food packages provided in Israel and around the world
The Jewish Federation is with us in good times and in bad times…in times of peace and in times of war. [You] help us with long-term planning and with short-term needs, and you helped this community come back to life after [Oct. 7]. They were able to go back to their homes, back to their schools, back to their lives.”
– Tamir Idan, Head of the Sdot Negev Regional Council
About the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Since 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has been the cornerstone of Jewish life in our region. Whether it’s delivering meals to Holocaust Survivors, supporting students facing antisemitism, helping families afford Jewish summer camp or standing with the people of Israel in times of crisis – we are Here as One. For all generations. For 125 years.
jewishphilly.org/125
FRD/Affinity
Women of Vision Update:
• Women of Vision (WOV) members heard from seven grant finalists prior to voting on which organizations will receive funding from the endowment.
• On May 12, more than 100 women attended Women of Vision’s signature Spring Event, featuring Shaina Taub, a Tony Award-winning composer and performer. The event celebrated the theme of “Trailblazing Women: Reshaping Our Future,” which honored Jewish women boldly shaping the landscape of tomorrow.
Jewish Federation Real Estate Update:
• The Jewish Federation Real Estate (JFRE) Executive Committee has approved 32 grants (27 local and 5 Israel) totaling $682,915 ($530,056 local and $152,859 Israel). This comes after seeing a 72% increase in local RFPs and 60% increase in project dollars requested. Since October 7th, JFRE has allocated over $1.1 million in security infrastructure grants to the Greater Philadelphia community.
• On May 6, more than 100 JFRE members and sponsors attended JFRE at The Barnes where attendees heard from those intimately involved with the move from the Main Line to Center City. Attendees were also treated to a private viewing of Calder Gardens.
The Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Program launched its fifth cohort and recently returned from a retreat to Montreal. The mission brought together not only current cohort members, but also alumni and the program’s funders Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum. The trip was a particularly meaningful one as attendees had the opportunity to meet with inspiring Jewish community leaders, learn more about the Montreal Jewish community and deepen relationships within the Legacy community.
NextGen Update:
• The National Young Leadership Cabinet welcomes four new members in Philadelphia this year. Of these four new members, two members are brand new $5,000 donors, one member is a past NextGen chair and one member is a Legacy Philanthropy alumni. All four members are looking to build their lay leadership skills and network. Five current members
have just returned from the Cabinet Study Mission in Greece. NextGen continues to see engagement grow among local cabinet members.
• NextGen’s Pathway Fellowship (formerly known as LDP) concluded in early May after four sessions. Throughout their time in the program, this curated group of 20 rising leaders learned about Jewish Federation’s role in the community and heard from leadership. Over the next several months, the Fellows will meet with Sarah Lefkowitz, as well as work with their mentors, to determine their next steps and goals. Each Fellow will make at least a $1,000 donation to Jewish Federation’s 2026 Annual Campaign. From this group, we anticipate at least half will go on to participate in the National Young Leadership Cabinet in the next 2-5 years, and all will be placed in a meaningful leadership role.
• NextGen is taking couples of different faith backgrounds to Israel this November. The goal of this mission is to strengthen personal identity and shared couple identity through meaningful exploration of values and connection. If anyone comes to mind, please reach out to Sarah Lefkowitz at slefkowitz@jewishphilly.org.
Women’s Philanthropy held the largest Lions of Judah event ever, as over 300 women joined together for a powerful day marked by shared connection and hope at Har Zion Temple. The event featured activists Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin as keynote speakers.
Wexner Heritage Update:
• A gathering with Wexner Heritage for 38 registrants took place on May 5, and was hosted by Ruth Bluethenthal-Appel. The evening brought together current participants and alumni for meaningful conversation around leadership and Jewish life, featuring reflections from Rabbi David Ackerman. The gathering was designed to deepen connection, strengthen engagement and reinforce the Federation as a central home for ongoing leadership development.
• The current Wexner Heritage cohort (20 participants) will travel to Israel in July, with an option to extend their visit and spend a day in our Partnership2Gether area of Netivot and
Sdot Negev with Jewish Federation’s Director of Israel and Global Operations Tali Lidar. As not all participants can join the extension, a dinner has been arranged with Lidar to introduce them and strengthen their connection to this work, which has not been done in previous cohorts.
The Jewish Federation’s Ethics Committee Chair Jon Stevens hosted a Bucks County parlor meeting at his home on March 21 for 21 guests to learn more about the Jewish Federation’s impact in Bucks County. Jewish Federation President and CEO Michael Balaban shared highlights of our work, including community security, the Mitzvah Food Pantry, and local engagement through the Bucks Kehillah. The gathering sparked strong interest and meaningful conversation. Building on that momentum, Stevens will host a second parlor meeting on May 11, where Balaban will present the same overview to a new group of attendees.
Marketing/Events/PR
• Annual Report: The marketing team is honored to share the Jewish Federation’s FY25 Annual Report. You can view the report by clicking here.
• Spring Annual Meeting: The marketing team has created this marketing kit to aid professionals and lay leaders in spreading the word about our upcoming Spring Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 3 from 6 - 8 p.m., where we will vote on the Board of Directors slate for FY27.
• Strengthening Resilience in Jewish Teens and Families: the Jewish Federation entered a partnership with the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, which aims to equip Jewish teens and families with resilience-building tools rooted in science and Jewish values. The partnership included the launch of a digital resource site to provide teens and families with the tools to strengthen resiliency.
PR:
• In March, the marketing team secured 37 pieces of coverage, focusing on the Jewish Federation’s response to the attack on Temple Israel, the joint sentencing statement with the Weitzman, and highlighting the celebration of the annual Purim carnival. These stories included features in NBC10, KYW, ABC6 and JTA. Articles featuring the Jewish Federation were exposed to an estimated audience
of over 556 million and received an estimated 15 million views, reinforcing the Jewish Federation’s role in supporting the local community both in times of crisis and times of celebration and Jewish pride. To see the full report, click here.
• In April, the marketing team secured 16 pieces of coverage, highlighting the Jewish Federation’s Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration, the response to the continued antisemitism at Philadelphia district schools, and the statement response to the controversial UPenn EEOC decision. These stories included features in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 6ABC, PHL17, and Broad + Liberty. Articles featuring the Jewish Federation were exposed to an estimated audience of 15 million people and received an estimated over 940,000 views, reinforcing the Jewish Federation’s work to preserve the lessons of the Holocaust and to support a safe school environment for all. To see the full report, click here.
Social Media:
• In March, social media saw a decline in impressions and engagement with the exception of Instagram. This change indicates a period of normalization across all platforms following the significant engagement spike caused by February’s Philly Palestine Coalition rally post. On Facebook, engagement stabilized with a minor 8% decrease, highlighting a clear preference for authentic photography and Women’s Philanthropy group content over text-heavy graphics. Instagram saw impressive growth and virality driven by a CNN video, which netted 134 new followers and high interaction metrics, though the sentiment was notably mixed. Conversely, X and LinkedIn experienced sharp technical decreases in engagement — 93% and 73.68%, respectively — as metrics corrected from last month’s outliers. However, LinkedIn’s performance remains exceptionally strong for the year, with March engagement still sitting 263.04% higher than January levels, suggesting that while the February peak has passed, the overall baseline for reach and community interaction is trending upward. To see the report, click here.
• In April, the marketing team took a deep dive into the preferences of various platforms. Facebook and Instagram users are gravitating toward
“clean” aesthetics, favoring authentic photography and minimalist graphics over text-heavy designs. Furthermore, a shift in Instagram behavior suggests that followers are increasingly saving content for future reference, indicating a demand for high-value, evergreen information.Content effectiveness remains highly platform-specific, with Women’s Philanthropy and Women of Vision driving Facebook engagement, while audiences on X and LinkedIn respond better to news and leadership-focused content like the Cabinet and Staff Spotlights posts. The contrast between this month’s metrics and the previous month’s video’s success highlights an opportunity to incorporate more video, especially for LinkedIn. To see the report, click here.
Help Us Promote the Vital Mission of the Jewish Federation.
Check out the Board of Directors’ Marketing Toolkit for resources, messaging points and more.
Click Here u t
Finance Snapshot
Operating Results FYTD ............................................................................... March-2026 Compared to Operating Forecast Operating Surplus ............................................................................................ $90,720 Staffing Levels ................................................................................................... 85
Surplus (Deficit) from staffing levels
$29,281
Surplus (Deficit) from Bond Interest Expense ....................................... $7,986
Surplus (Deficit) from All Other Areas ...................................................... $61,439
JCF Pledge Accounts Receivable as of May 4, 2026 FY 2024 Campaign $280,073 FY 2025 Campaign ........................................................................................... $1,712,110 FY 2025 Campaign ........................................................................................... $1,992,183 Total ...................................................................................................... $3,984,366 Operating Cash Balance ................................................................................. $11,000,000 Provisional and subject to final audit adjustments
Summary by Calendar Year Campaign (BBEC Gift Year Specified by Donor)
BBEC Pace By Designation 5/5/2026
Same Donors Compared Year over Year (Card for Card)
Pacing Report
Pacing Current Year to Prior Year Same Period
BBEC Pace By Designation 5/5/2026
