Insider Report AUTUMN 2026
Department Updates Strategy and Impact • New Chief Strategy & Impact Officer Brian Rothenberg has been busy meeting with grantees and other stakeholders in order to better understand the community and gain deeper insights into community needs and the operations of local organizations. • FY26 reporting closed on October 15. Once all reports are reviewed, the Strategy & Impact team will begin working with the Marketing Department on creating the Annual Report for 2026. • FY27 is underway with many local grantees having received their first payments in September. This is the start of the first year of a new funding cycle for the Jewish Community Fund (JCF) which will be reviewed later this year for a potential second year of funding. • RFPs for the Jewish Federation Real Estate Fund, Women of Vision Fund, and the Bernard and Etta Weinberg Family Fund opened on October 19, with the submission window running until November 19. • Learn more about the grants process for the Jewish Federation’s various funds by clicking here.
Jewish Community Foundation • One hundred professional advisors attended this year’s 31st Annual Solomon and Sylvia Bronstein Seminar on September 9 at the Ballroom at Ben in Center City. Keynote speakers James I. Dougherty, Esq. and Stephanie Loomis-Price, Esq. presented on “SLATS: Ethical, Practical and Tax Considerations with Planning for Married and Divorcing Couples.” Paul L. Feldman, Esq. was honored with the Edward N. Polisher Award.
• Richard Peck, a nationally known presenter on philanthropy, will be the keynote speaker at the next Professional Advisors Network event on November 17 at Fox Rothschild in Center City. His topic will be “Ten Charitable Mistakes Made by Donors and their Advisors.” • As of September 29, the Life & Legacy initiative has secured $16.7 million in endowment commitments to support the 12 synagogues, day schools and organizations in the cohort. The initiative is in year three out of four. • This fall, the Jewish Community Foundation has awarded over $428,000 in scholarships to 113 medical, law, clergy, musical and yeshiva students across seven different endowed scholarship funds. • Steve and Robin Katz will host a parlor meeting for members of the Circle of Partners, donors who have been giving to the Jewish Federation for at least 25 years and live in communities along the Old York Road corridor and in Northeast Philadelphia. The meeting will aim to forge deeper connections with the Jewish community, update donors on the work of the Jewish Federation and share ways in which they can continue their support.
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INSIDER REPORT
AUTUMN 2026
JCRC and Government Affairs • JCRC Chief Jason Holtzman testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee at a public hearing on combating antisemitism. His testimony focused on the impact of rising antisemitism on Jewish students and families, calling for stronger administrative accountability, actionable safety measures and proactive state leadership. • JCRC continues to press the School District of Philadelphia regarding antisemitism, curriculum oversight and the protection of Jewish students. Following recent revelations involving teacher and activist Hannah Gann, JCRC reiterated concerns it had previously raised directly with Superintendent Tony Watlington and district leadership regarding her conduct, rhetoric and classroom activity. • JCRC helped coordinate the Jewish community’s response around the third anniversary of October 7. This included co-sponsoring community commemorations and working closely with law enforcement, local authorities and security partners regarding planned hostile rallies in the region. • On October 8, JCRC hosted Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday for an invitation-only briefing with Jewish communal leaders that was focused on antisemitism and community safety. The program followed Attorney General Sunday’s recent support for the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism and is part of continued JCRC engagement with state leadership on combating antisemitism. • On October 29, JCRC will host its second annual K-12 Day of Learning at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with Brandeis University, Gratz College and Boundless Israel. The full-day professional development symposium will equip educators and school leaders with tools to better understand Jewish identity, recognize and address modern antisemitism, and foster more inclusive classroom environments.
INSIDER REPORT
Human Resources
• The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia was named a Top Workplace by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The organization also earned 8 additional “Best Of” awards: Compensation & Benefits, Employee WellBeing, Employee Appreciation, Work-Life Flexibility, Professional Development, Leadership, Purpose & Values, and Nonprofit Industry. • The Jewish Federation is excited to welcome six new team members: > Jordyn Bloom, Events Coordinator > Jonathan Nguyen, Accounting/EITC Associate > Joshua Karp, Senior Major Gifts Officer > Jared Rosenbloom, Director of Community Engagement and Governance > Emma Einheber, Junior Graphic Designer > Genna Miller, Community Engagement Manager • The Jewish Federation is also excited to announce the promotions of: > Jessica Ghosh (Strategy and Impact) from Program Manager to Director of Impact Systems > Samantha Holzer from Community Engagement Manager (External Affairs) to Donor Engagement Manager (FRD) > Isabella Durate (Community Engagement) from Community Engagement Events Coordinator to Community Engagement and Grants Manager > Melissa Goldstein (Strategy and Impact) from Program Associate to Program Officer > Tali Lidar from Director of Israel and Global Operations to Senior Director of Israel and Global Operations • The Jewish Federation would like to recognize several employees celebrating milestone work anniversaries: > Treasury Director Helen Rao celebrated 39 years on July 27 > Development and Research Manager Dani Slon celebrated 24 years on August 19 > Network Operations Manager Anu Skariah celebrated 14 years on July 17 > Helpdesk Specialist Ryan Albert celebrated 14 years on August 13 > EITC Director Ellen Matz celebrated 13 years on August 26 > Senior Director of Events Strategy Holli Elgart celebrated 11 years on August 24 > Creative and Production Specialist Jonathan Silbert celebrated 10 years on September 12 > Director of Data Services Lindsay Weicher celebrated 10 years on September 19 AUTUMN 2026
Growing Tomorrow, Together: 125 Years Building a Strong Jewish Future
Growing Tomorrow, Together: 125Philadelphia Years has recognized that securing a vibrant Jewish For 125 years, the Jewish Federation of Greater future relies on passing down our shared traditions and historical resilience from generation to generation — Building a Strong Jewish Future l’dor v’dor. The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Philadelphia, a branch of the Jewish Federation, partners with individuals and families to transform their philanthropic visions into lasting legacies.
For 125 years, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has recognized that securing a vibrant Jewish future relies on passing down our shared traditions and historical resilience from generation to generation — l’dor v’dor. The Jewish Community Foundation As the Jewish Federation its 125th anniversary, reaffirmsand its families commitment to building of Greater Philadelphia, a branch ofcelebrates the Jewish Federation, partners withitindividuals to transform their philanthropic visions into lasting financial legacies. resources that will sustain, protect, and inspire our regional Jewish community for permanent
to come. As thegenerations Jewish Federation celebrates its 125th anniversary, it reaffirms its commitment to building permanent financial resources that will sustain, protect, and inspire our regional Jewish community for generations to come.
1902
Today and Tomorrow
The Jewish Federation receives endowment funds a year after its founding, establishing a permanent endowment model to provide sustained, long-term funding for Jewish institutions and programs.
Through the Next 125 Campaign, the Jewish Community Foundation is building a lasting legacy for Jewish Philadelphia. Driven by a $300 million goal, the Foundation is growing its endowment to ensure a sustainable, vibrant and resilient community for generations to come.
Thinking About the Future
125 Years of Impact. Infinite Possibilities Ahead.
2023
Building Endowments for the Local Community
The Life & Legacy program is established, which promotes after-lifetime giving to secure the future of local Jewish day schools, synagogues and social service organizations. Through training, support, and monetary incentives, 13 institutions in the program are working together to embed legacy giving into their philanthropic culture.
2001
Supporting Jewish Women and Girls
1985
A Legacy of support for Jewish Education
The Women of Vision Endowment Fund allocates its first grant, marking the start of its ongoing philanthropic mission. Through its endowment fund, Women of Vision has collectively distributed more than $2.3 million to nonprofit organizations in Greater Philadelphia and Israel.
The Morton Stein Fund is created to support Jewish education and, in 1992, begins issuing scholarships to help students attend an Orthodox Yeshiva in Israel. The Fund has provided nearly $2 million in grant support to students.
1997
Caring For Older Adults
The Jewish Federation distributes the first grants from The Bernard and Etta Weinberg Family Fund, focusing on older adults and Jewish education. Since its inception, the Fund has distributed almost $19 million to the community.
What’s Your Legacy? The future of our community will be shaped by
the choices we make today. To learn more about the Next 125 Campaign or how to make a lasting impact for generations to come, contact Chief Planned Giving Officer Jennifer Brier, Esq. at foundation@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0528.
FRD/Affinity/Missions
NextGen Signature Event
Women’s Philanthropy
Excitement is building for NextGen’s Signature Event, which brings together nearly 200 young professionals from across the community. The evening will also provide an opportunity to celebrate and hear from this year’s Young Leadership Award recipients, Sarah Taitelman and Adam Klazmer. The team is also excited that the Ben Gurion Society Mission to Colombia has launched and aims to bring in many new faces and leaders.
• On October 8, Women’s Philanthropy welcomed over 60 Ruby Lions to The Pump House in Bala Cynwyd to participate in a conversation with jeweler and entrepreneur Freida Rothman. The event was moderated by former Women’s Philanthropy Chair Sheree Bloch. It was a wonderful luncheon that left the Ruby Lions feeling celebrated, energized, proud of their impact and inspired by the work they make possible through the Jewish Federation. Thank you to the event co-chairs, Debra Magerman and Beth Reisboard, and Women’s Philanthropy Ruby Lion Chair, Margie Perlstein Wargon, for all of their efforts in making this event such a success. • Over 60 women from Greater Philadelphia will be heading to Austin, Texas at the end of February for the International Lion of Judah Conference where Gail Norry will be honored as the local Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award recipient. Gail will also be honored locally at the annual Lion of Judah event on May 5, 2027. • Women’s Philanthropy will be launching a new Journey’s cohort for 2027 and is currently in the process of requesting suggestions for participation. The previous cohort was amazing; many of the participants have taken on leadership roles within Women’s Philanthropy and Women of Vision. The team cannot wait to engage another meaningful and impactful group of future leaders for the Jewish Federation. • Members of the Board of Directors are invited to join an exclusive evening on November 18 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., celebrating the Jewish Federation’s 125th anniversary and the extraordinary leadership and generosity of Prime Minister’s Council donors. Chaired by David and Hallee Adelman, the evening will feature a rare and intimate conversation with Van Jones, an influential advocate and ally in the fight against antisemitism, and reflection on community impact and the opportunities ahead.
Upcoming Travel Opportunities Being Organized by the Jewish Federation • JCRC and New Golden Age Civil Rights Mission to the South (November 9-13) • Joshua Society Mission to Israel (January 9-15, 2027) • NextGen’s Ben Gurion Society Goes to Colombia (March 18-23, 2027) • Women’s Philanthropy and Women of Vision Civil Rights Mission to the South (April 13-15, 2027) • Community and Synagogue Mission to Israel (May 6-14, 2027) Women of Vision • Women of Vision will be distributing $218,000 to four local agencies and two Israeli agencies that impact the lives of self-identifying Jewish women and girls this fiscal year. • Over 120 people attended the Women of Vision Fall Event, featuring author and podcast host Zibby Owens. • Women of Vision’s Executive Committee approved its five-year strategic plan, which is now moving into phase two and is led by a dedicated implementation task force: Miriam Silberstein, Marci Hackel, Lauren Gladstone and Terri Soifer.
125 Challenge Update As of October 12, $720,332 has been raised, which surpasses the goal of $500,000 for the 125 Challenge. FRD continues to do outreach to their donors, with an additional strategy to reach out to those who have registered for the Main Event but have not participated in the 125 Challenge yet. The team is hoping for 100% Board of Directors participation. Community members can participate in the challenge by clicking here.
INSIDER REPORT
Help us promote the vital mission of the Jewish Federation. Check out the Boards of Directors’ MARKETING TOOLKIT for resources, messaging points and more.
AUTUMN 2026
Jewish Federation Real Estate (JFRE): • JFRE Legends and Leaders: The first email invitation for Legends and Leaders went out on September 17 to the JFRE mailing list. PMC Property Group President Ron Caplan will be inducted into the JFRE Hall of Fame at this year’s event. The team is anticipating 500-600 real estate professionals from Greater Philadelphia to attend this premier networking event. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about topics that include: Conversions, Infrastructure, Mall Redevelopment and Data Centers. Some noted speakers include: Dean Adler, Ron Caplan, Benjamin Kirshner, Carl Dranoff, Lindsey Scannepico and Debbie Ferraro. • JFRE September Networking Event: JFRE held its Fall Networking Event at AVE Navy Yard, hosted by Brad Korman and Korman Communities. Over 100 real estate professionals attended to network and hear from Brad and Mark Seltzer about the project and the trajectory of the Navy Yard in the coming years. This event also saw multiple renewals, new JFRE and young JFRE members, and a new annual sponsorship lead. • JFRE Honor Roll: JFRE has officially launched the JFRE Honor Roll. This new tiered giving program helps steward those that go above and beyond the minimum JFRE membership giving level ($1,000) and to encourage those who are able to give more to increase their giving. The new levels include: Blueprint ($2,500) and Skyline ($5,000+) with the hope to add higher giving levels in the years to come. A person’s giving level is based on total household giving to the Jewish Federation and its restricted giving campaigns (ie. Annual Campaign, JFRE Fund, Mitzvah Food Program, Center to Combat Antisemitism, etc.). • JFRE Grants Process: JFRE held a Grants Process Information Session on September 2, where synagogues, camps, schools and agencies heard from JFRE Vice-Chair Jeremy Fogel along with Jewish Federation Security Directors Scott Kerns and Cortney Vorhees from Secure Community Network (SCN) on the funding priority of security infrastructure for the JFRE Allocations Committee and what to expect when applying for a JFRE grant. The RFP opened on October 15.
INSIDER REPORT
Marketing/Events/PR Events Events Attendance: From May 1 through September 28, 1,607 unique constituents registered for and attended Jewish Federation events. While many participated in multiple programs, this figure represents the total number of distinct individuals engaged across the Jewish Federation’s events portfolio. This strong level of engagement highlights both the breadth of community reach and the success of Jewish Federation events in attracting and retaining participants across multiple touchpoints throughout the organization. High Holiday Campaign • High Holiday Stewardship: For the High Holidays, the marketing team deployed a holistic and comprehensive High Holiday campaign that included emails, video, text messages, direct mail and more. • High Holiday Guide and Jewish Federation Booklet: The Jewish Federation’s digital 2026 High Holiday Guide featured a variety of services and programs from over 50 Jewish organizations and agencies in the area. During the submission procession, 37 congregations and organizations opted in to receive 3,142 Jewish Federation booklets to disseminate to their communities during the High Holidays. Digital Marketing • August: August showed strong organic efficiency and web growth despite a drop in paid advertising spend. While reduced paid promotions led to an expected drop in overall social impressions (-78.88%), organic reach and engagement surged on platforms like LinkedIn (+124.87% engagement) and X (+135.32% impressions). Website activity grew steadily across all hosting systems, including WordPress (+3.12% views) and HubSpot (+3.63% views), and was driven largely by seasonal resources like the High Holiday Guide. Overall, the data demonstrates that core audiences are deeply engaged with organic content and primary web touchpoints, reducing reliance on paid campaigns to drive meaningful interactions. To see the full report, click here. • September: September delivered reliable growth across digital channels with a +10.58% rise in HubSpot web traffic and increased fundraising momentum on Engaging Networks (+37.48% views, +30.55% event conversions). This was driven by key landing
AUTUMN 2026
pages including the High Holiday Guide, Main Event and Mitzvah Food Program. Social performance saw steady follower growth (+129 net new across platforms) with standout organic gains on Instagram via partnercollaborations and LinkedIn (+29.19% impressions). However, overall social impressions (-36.02%) and engagement (-48.37%) dipped following the pause of paid Facebook CHOP campaigns. Meanwhile, email deliverability remained healthy overall, with hyper-targeted segments driving peak click-through rates. To see the full report, click here. Press Relations Key results of PR performance over the past three years showcases strong, sustained visibility for the Jewish Federation’s work, leadership and advocacy efforts. This included 2,056 total media placements, 14.59 billion estimated audience reach and 7.57 million average monthly article views. Year-over-Year Performance • September 2023 - August 2024: 687 articles | 4.29 billion estimated reach | 7.26 million average article views • September 2024 - August 2025: 629 articles | 3.76 billion estimated reach | 6.29 million average article views • September 2025 - August 2026: 740 articles | 6.54 billion estimated reach | 8.84 million average article views Monthly • August: In August, the marketing team secured seven pieces of coverage, highlighting the Jewish Federation’s demographic data, partnerships with local organizations and a feature on Jonathan Korman. These stories included features in Hoodline and the Jewish Exponent. Articles featuring the Jewish Federation received an estimated 214,000 views and were exposed to an estimated audience of 1.5 million, underscoring the importance of the Jewish Federation’s work to support and secure local organizations and serve as the data source for the local Jewish community. To see the full report, click here.
This report reflects news of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Through October 5, 2026. INSIDER REPORT
• September: In September, the marketing team secured 23 pieces of coverage (excluding the 90+ syndications of the CNN article), highlighting the Jewish Federation’s response to the Macklemore controversy, the JCRC’s continued work to address antisemitism in schools and staff profiles. These stories included features in CNN, the Philadelphia Inquirer, CBN and 6ABC. Articles featuring the Jewish Federation received an estimated 14.5 million views and were exposed to an estimated audience of 1.66 billion, furthering the Jewish Federation’s work to strengthen and support the local Jewish community. To see the full report, click here.
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Community Leadership Development/ Engagement • New Director of Community Engagement & Governance: Jared Rosenbloom has joined the Jewish Federation and has begun meeting with people throughout Greater Philadelphia to build relationships and gain a deeper understanding of the unique needs of each community. • Federation in Your Neighborhood Microgrants: The Community Engagement Department and lay leaders have successfully launched the Federation in Your Neighborhood microgrants program, awarding nearly $17,000 in funding to more than 40 community programs and events across the region. • Leadership Development Advisory Board: The Leadership Advisory Board held the first meeting of the year for the Leadership Development Advisory Board, where the focus was on strengthening and enhancing existing offerings, with plans to offer several of them again this winter. The next meeting on November 2 has the goal of being a working session to identify and plan new sessions that complement existing leadership development programming.
AUTUMN 2026
Finance Snapshot Operating Results FYTD................................................................................ August-2026 Compared to Operating Forecast Operating Surplus............................................................................................. $526,480 Staffing Levels.................................................................................................... 82 Surplus (Deficit) from staffing levels.......................................................... $395,604 Surplus (Deficit) from All Other Areas....................................................... $78,649
JCF Pledge Accounts Receivable as of Spetember 15, 2026
FY 2024 Campaign........................................................................................... $11,740 FY 2025 Campaign............................................................................................ $938,187 FY 2025 Campaign............................................................................................ $2,501,352 Total....................................................................................................... $3,451,278 Operating Cash Balance.................................................................................. $7,200,000
Provisional and subject to final audit adjustments
Summary by Calendar Year Campaign (BBEC Gift Year Specified by Donor) BBEC Pace By Designation 10/1/2026 Same Donors Compared Year over Year (Card for Card)
% Change
CY2025
CY2026
Change
Allocable - Income for Operations & Allocations
$7,048,853
$6,945,722
$(103,131)
-1.5%
Designated - pass through
$4,276,893
$4,333,098
$56,205
1.3%
Total Allocated & Designated
$11,325,746
$11,278,820
$(46,926)
-0.4%
Other - Emergency - Pass through
$5,378
$4,648
$(730)
-13.6%
Totals
$11,331,124
$11,283,468
$(47,656)
-16.4%
Pacing Report Pacing Current Year to Prior Year Same Period
BBEC Pace By Designation 10/1/2026
Closed 2026
Pacing
Change
% Change
Allocable - Income for Operations & Allocations
$8,306,789
$8,809,508
$(502,719)
-6.1%
Designated - pass through
$5,919,466
$7,273,581
$(1,354,115)
-22.9%
Total Allocated & Designated Emergency Totals
$14,226,255 $4,648 $14,230,903
$16,083,089 $111,481 $16,194,570
$(1,856,834) $(106,833) $(1,963,667)
-13.1% -95.8% -12.1%
INSIDER REPORT
AUTUMN 2026