Jewish Federation of Cincinnati

David Harris

By Sally and Marty Hiudt, 2016 Community Campaign Chairs, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati

As Campaign Chairs for the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s 2016 annual campaign, we want to take a moment—a breath—before we head into 2016, to remember some of the important work that the Jewish Federation has funded, day in, day out, to help the Jewish community in Cincinnati, in Israel, and globally. But first we want to thank everyone who has made this support possible. We are so proud of the more than 400 engaged volunteers, our thoughtful lay leadership, and their shared commitment to strengthening the Jewish community. In total, through our local and international partners, the Jewish Federation’s donors have helped more than two million people in 2015.

Here are just three of the many Cincinnatians we helped this year:

• Stephanie Marks, age 90, a Holocaust survivor and gifted storyteller, has taught over 11,000 Cincinnati students about the Holocaust. When she learned she could no longer walk unassisted, she needed help. The Federation was there for her, so today she has the help she needs, and continues to educate our community’s children.
• Due to a tumor at age five, Lauren is mentally impaired. Yet, at 41, her life has been enriched by services that help her live the independent life she wants, one filled with art, prayer, exercise, shared meals, and community.
• Sarah Kleymeyer deepened her connection to Israel on what she calls an “incredible” trip to Israel with a group of young adults from Cincinnati and a group from Netanya.

Here are just a few of the many areas of the world where we helped this year:

• Netanya (Israel): we helped immigrants, including many from France, get settled with multiple services.
• Israel: we brought young Jews from all over the world to Israel to see for themselves what Israel is like.
• Israel: early childhood and youth-at-risk programs gave underprivileged Israeli children the skills, knowledge, and sense of self to break out of the cycle of poverty and become tomorrow’s responsible citizens and leaders.
• France: we met the vital needs of Jews at risk and increased our staffing to accommodate the rise in applications for immigration to Israel.
• Argentina: in the country with the seventh largest Jewish population in the world, we provided destitute families with food through a pioneering supermarket debit card program. We also gave special assistance to at-risk mothers and newborns; vital care to seniors; and training, job placement, and new business loans to the unemployed.
• Ukraine: 70,000 impoverished and elderly Jews this past year received food and additional support in this war-torn region.
• Russia: we provided food, medication, home care, and winter relief for impoverished elderly Jews; and delivered critical nutritional assistance, health care, financial support, and child-development services to the neediest children and their families.

It is hard to summarize such diverse work, global in reach but local and individualized in impact; we have mentioned only a few of the many programs that the Federation helps fund. However, we will hold onto these two numbers as we move into 2016’s community campaign:

• Globally, this year our donors have helped more than 2 million people.
• Locally, one of those 2 million is likely to be someone you know.
  
  

And yet, impressive as they are, what is missing in a view focused on numbers is the fierce thoughtfulness behind the Federation’s funding process. We each know well the ongoing dialogues with organizations and agencies, the gathering of data, and the careful analysis, all brewed together for maximum impact. It is a thoughtfulness borne of expertise and belief in the mission. 

That thoughtfulness—that expertise—is why the two of us so completely believe in Federated giving. Just as a healthy person needs a general practitioner to keep an eye on their whole body to maintain their overall health, we need the Federation—accountable, transparent, and expert—to monitor the health of our overall community.

We plan to continue that shared commitment to our community’s health as we move forward from the successes of 2015 to the challenges of 2016.

Wishing you and your families a healthy, happy, peaceful New Year.