Third Quarter 2014
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New Executive Director Daniel Staffenberg
By Scott Krieger, President JCF
On behalf of the search committee for the position of JCF Executive Director it is a pleasure to announce that Daniel Staffenberg, a second-generation Federation professional, has accepted our offer to become JCF Executive Director in September.
Daniel has been a Jewish communal professional for more than 14 years, primarily in the communities of Miami, Tampa Bay, and Pinellas County FL. Currently with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, he led the team that developed Create a Jewish Legacy Miami, a program that raised $24 million in legacy (planned) gifts on behalf of 17 local agencies and synagogues since it was launched in 2013. Create a Jewish Legacy Miami is one of the best in the country, and one of the models JCF studied before launching our own Create a Jewish Legacy program earlier this year.
He is the 2011 recipient of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s Myron J. Brodie Professional Excellence Award, and a frequent speaker at regional and national philanthropic conferences.
"The Greater MetroWest community is one I have long admired for its innovation, commitment and generosity,” said Daniel. “I am humbled by the committee’s selection and excited to build upon JCF’s impressive record of accomplishments. I look forward to working with the talented lay and professional leadership in this dynamic community to build upon our strengths."
Committee Chair Steve Levy joins me in expressing appreciation to everyone who assisted with this national search, but especially Federation COO/CFO Howard Rabner, and JCF Assistant Director Jessica Mehlman, who led the Foundation these past few months as Interim Executive Director with professionalism and grace. We greatly appreciate her dedication to JCF. We also want to express our gratitude to Rea Kurzweil of the JFNA Mandel Center, and Bonnie Sterling, Federation Human Resources Director, for their professionalism in finding Daniel and matching him with our community.
Daniel graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in psychology. In 2013, he was selected for the inaugural class of the Jewish Federations of North America's Fundraising University, a national program of executive training. His family includes his wife, Jill, a speech-language pathologist and lifelong Floridian, and three young boys.
One month, two meetings: the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ’s Grant Review Committee and Ness Fund Announce Grant Awards
In its June meeting, the Grant Review Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ (JCF) awarded over $184,000 to agencies serving people in New Jersey, Israel, and Ukraine, including $42,000 awarded to the Israeli communities of Rishon Letzion and Ofakim/Merchavim, longstanding Federation partner communities. (Please note: these decisions were made before Operation Protective Edge and the subsequent Israel Emergency Campaign*.)
“This year, JCF is proud to support Jewish continuity programs in Greater MetroWest, direct care for Jews in Odessa and Cherkassy, and more,” said Susanne Newmark, a JCF Board member and Grant Review Committee chair. “We are always so grateful to the families who established endowment funds at JCF; their legacy of philanthropy makes these grants possible.”
These grants awards are part of the more than $41 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, including $10.5 million in distributions from Donor Advised Fund holders, $1.5 million from JCF advisory councils and $21.5 million from supporting foundations.
The JCF Grant Review Committee funded projects in New Jersey, the Ukraine, and Israel, including:
- $22,000 to the Rutgers Hillel Center for Israel Engagement at Rutgers University
- $15,000 to Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Central NJ to implement the New York University’s Caregiver Intervention program (NYUCI). This evidence-based program decreases depression in people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia by helping them access social services and improve their physical and emotional health. Presented at both JFS Central and JFS Metrowest with the Alzheimer’s Association of NJ, the program received a matching grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey.
- $25,000 to One Happy Camper NJ for incentive grants for Jewish overnight camp. Matching funding provided by the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
- $30,000 for PJ Library®, the national, award-winning family-engagement program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, which sends about 3,000 families in our community free Jewish books each month. This funding leverages a match from the Gottesman Family Supporting Foundation.
- $17,952 to The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life to provide scholarships for NJ students attending Alexander Muss High School in Israel.
- $25,000 to Tikva Children’s Home (www.tikvaodessa.org) to provide free, nutritious, kosher meals to impoverished elderly and orphaned children in Israel.
- $25,000 to help subsidize a 10- day family summer camp experience in Cherkassy, Ukraine, for 100 people (children and their families). Participants will enjoy Jewish culture and learn with Israeli, American, and Cherkassian counselors. Programming provided by Federation’s Israel and Overseas Committee.
- $7,298 to the ISHA (women’s) Center in Ofakim, Israel, to provide tutoring, counseling, social support, and art and enrichment to needy women and at-risk girls.
- $4,483 to the Atzmaut (“independence”) Program, to help Ethiopian immigrant families integrate into Israeli life and achieve economic independence. Programming provided by Federation’s Israel and Overseas Committee.
- $3,620 to Israel’s Rishon Letzion Community Center soup kitchen, which serves the elderly and disabled.
- $ 8,580 to the Rishon Letzion Community Center for the Ma’as program, which offers adults with disabilities classes in music, nature and art, athletic competitions, and animal therapy.
- $522 to support the Pina Chama (cozy corner), which offers respite for Israeli soldiers on their way to the front. Run by volunteers, this haven in the town of Gush Etzion is serving more than 250 soldiers daily.
Also in June, the Ness Fund, a JCF Advisory Council, recommended grants totaling $783,170: $498,170 in new grants plus $285,000 in ongoing support for multi-year programs in Israel’s Negev region. Grants include:
- $30,000 to Alfa for an affordable housing project in Ofakim to help young adults build their own homes in Ofakim.
- $32,800 to the Mind Opportunity Project, to create a hub of scientists working in research and development in the Central Arava region.
- $28,500 to the Zuqim Artists’ Colony, to create businesses to attract tourists on the road to Eilat.
- $30,000 to the Ofakim Young Adult Center for expanded activities
- $40,000 to the Sderot Young Adult Center for continued support of a regional employment program in the Western Negev (in conjunction with IT works, below).
- $40,000 to IT works, which helps young adults with advanced academic degrees find appropriate employment in the Western Negev (in conjunction with the Sderot Young Adult Center, above).
- $300,0000, payable over three years, to the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), to create two new Young Adult Centers in Bedouin towns in the Negev. The Ness Fund’s commitment is enabling JDC to secure a matching grant from the Israeli government, giving the program $900,000 over three years.
- $60,000 to the create The Negev Council, new public-civic entity comprised of elected local leadership, activists, business owners and other public figures who will advocate for the Negev region.
- $40,000 to Project OR to support the development and integration of two “Seed Groups” of young families to settle in the Negev communities of Nitzana and Sapir.
- $46,870 to PresenTense for a partnership with Tor Hamidbar (the people behind Café Ringelbloom) to develop and launch 10-15 new social and/or business ventures in the Negev.
- $50,000 to become a partner organization in the Shahaf Foundation, a joint Social Investment Fund working to establish and support Shahaf Communities in Israel. Representing all sectors of the Israeli population, Shahaf Communities will work towards social and educational change to create a model for community values. The Ness Fund is just one of funders in this dynamic partnership. To learn more, please visit our web site [www.jcfmetrowest.org] call (973) 929-3113 or send an email to jcf@jfedgmw.org.
*Since it began in July 2014, Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign has raised over $1 million to date -- including $375,000 from JCF fund holders -- 100% of which has been directed towards Israel and her people. We understand this is in addition to everyone’s generous commitments to our community. Thank you.