WHY?

ON JULY 1 2022, THE FEDERATION LAUNCHED ITS 2023/5783 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. IT WILL RUN OVER THE COURSE OF OUR FISCAL YEAR AND CONCLUDE IN JUNE 2023, RAISING CRITICALLY NEEDED FUNDS TO SUPPORT LOCAL PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES.

THE FEDERATION’S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN IS OUR LOCAL JEWISH COMMUNITY’S OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE LARGEST AND BROADEST IMPACT WITH FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOCUSED ON IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING AND INITIATIVES. ONE MIGHT ASK, “WHY IS AN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF DIRECT GIVING TO SPECIFIC CAUSES?”.

All charitable gifts are demonstrations of support; moreover, tzedakah in any way, shape or form is a mitzvah in every sense of the word. Your gift to the Federation supports local initiatives that will directly affect this community today and into the future. Combating antisemitism locally, bringing our entire Jewish community together regardless of affiliation and supporting those vulnerable jews locally and abroad are impactful initiatives.

The Jewish Federation prides itself on its long-standing experience and expertise for proactively identifying financial needs within our community, in Israel and abroad. And, in doing so, the Federation prioritizes and ensures that those financial resources reach those in need – when needed most. In essence, the Federation maintains a pulse of critical philanthropic causes under one umbrella.

Supporting your local Jewish Federation has never been more important. The Federation is part of a vast network of Federations across the world, working together with hundreds of partner agencies. This connected network for good allows the Federation to have the foresight and knowledge of many of the most pressing issues facing our Jewish community today. Furthermore, the Federation’s philanthropic model is nimble and flexible enough to shift allocations every year, as needs change, to fund the programming that addresses the most current, urgent needs that face our Jewish community.

The Federation is accessible by every local agency, synagogue, and organization. On a yearly, rolling basis, the Federation receives more than seventy (70) grant applications. These grant requests remain separate and, in addition to, the numerous funding requests that the Federation receives to meet the financial needs for humanitarian aid that arises when a crisis occurs. Examples of grant requests range from funds to ensure Holocaust survivors have medical care to at risk Jewish senior citizens who have difficulty affording food. Grant requests also include communitywide educational events, and teen and youth engagement initiatives. Additionally, the Federation receives grant requests from organizations focused on helping those most vulnerable in Israel and abroad. Examples include fund requests to help victims of terror, at-risk youth, and financial assistance for families and senior citizens.

The Jewish Federation also considers granting allocations for initiatives that keep our Jewish community safe, fight hate against Jews, and that proudly celebrate our Jewish heritage. We collaborate closely with local and national law enforcement agencies, as well as local Jewish institutions, to assess on-going security needs, establish an alert system to notify our community in real time of any threats, and hold security training sessions open to the community. The Federation focuses on education advocacy to fight antisemitism, mobilizes rallies, and holds briefings and lectures. Additionally, the Federation works with elected officials to plan for and hold a yearly Jewish American Heritage Festival.

The Federation truly serves as the umbrella organization for this community. We are the Jewish eyes and ears on the ground. We see the whole picture and work tirelessly to best serve a majority of our Jewish community’s needs. So, the next time you are deciding how to best allocate your philanthropic commitments, we ask that you please consider directing a portion of your philanthropic giving to the Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks. Your financial support of the Jewish Federation is invaluable.

If you have any questions about the Annual Campaign and Federation’s impact, please reach out to Mark Merkovitz, Executive Director at give@jewishpmb.org or (609) 524-9910.

GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE SUBUMITTED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

ADDITIONAL GRANTS ARE CONSIDERED TO SUPPORT FEDERATION LED INITIATIVES THAT AIM TO UNIFY COMMUNITY, COMBAT ANTISEMITISM AND CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE. ADDITIONAL GRANTS ARE CONSIDRED WHEN A CRISIS ARISES AND HUMANITARIAN AID IS NEEDED.

1. Visit jewishpmb.org/donate to give online.

2. Call 609-524-9910 if you prefer to give your credit card payment over the phone or to discuss stock transfers.

3. Mail a check payable to Jewish Federation PMB to: The Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks 213 Carnegie Center Box 2157 Princeton, NJ 08543

Katie Couric, an award-winning journalist, addressed the gathering. During her keynote address, she became a Lion of Judah and was pinned with the symbolic brooch.