Update from The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey • March 2018 • Volume 7
Strengthening the Jewish community locally and around the world
Inclusion: essential to our mission
“Welcome the stranger into your midst. Because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” This fundamental tenet of Judaism is the most often repeated commandment in the Torah and it underlies the Jewish Federation’s very mission. Strengthening the well-being and future of the whole Jewish community requires Jews of all backgrounds, leanings, and lifestyles pull together – both with those they perceive to be like them and those they see as different. This newsletter highlights some of the people and programs empowered by the Federation to carry out these values in caring for the vulnerable, connecting people of all ages to community, responding to crises,
and broadening commitment to each other. Those featured include:
• A Rutgers student who broke boundaries, empowering students like herself to improve their lives through Jewish sensibilities
• A man who saw a need others missed, summer camp for children who had few to no other options
• An Israeli crisis center that helps teachers, parents, and kids get past stigma and address sexual abuse
• An international program for teens expanding its focus beyond local borders
• A series of programs bridging interfaith interests to combat hate. This Jewish Federation is proud of its ability to combine what exists with what is on the horizon, continually forging new paths to an inclusive community for every Jew. These go hand in hand with its role as a convener within the Jewish community and as a leader in the wider community. And all depend on the participation — through donations as well as actions — of the people who live in the heart of NJ. Your actions, your words, your dollars make a difference every day in the lives of people near and far — including you.