by Tiffany Fabing, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence
The Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence (JHFE) is pleased to announce more than $450,000 in first quarter grants to local Jewish organizations. The grants fund programs supporting Jewish education, health and human services and Jewish culture and identity.
“The Jewish Community of Louisville is truly grateful for the partnership we are building with the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, and their willingness to work together to build a strong and thriving Jewish Community,” says Stew Bromberg, JCL’s vice president and chief development officer. “The JHFE grant we have recently been awarded will enable us to continue offering many of the community’s essential services and programs.” In addition to enhancing community outreach programs such as Shalom Louisville and the PJ Library, JCL plans to use JHFE funds to provide scholarships for teens travelling to Israel and children attending overnight Jewish camps.
Funding from JHFE will enable Adath Jeshurn to offer the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning this fall in collaboration with the JCL. Deborah Slosberg, Adult Education Coordinator at Adath Jeshurun, says, “We are grateful to the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Grants Committee for their support and look forward to providing this wonderful Jewish education opportunity to our community.” Program details, including class schedules and registration information will be published later this year.
Rabbi David Ariel-Joel expressed appreciation for JHFE’s continuing support of The Temple. “Jewish tradition puts an emphasis on honoring the elders in our midst and caring for them, and we are grateful that the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence is supporting this great mitzvah so generously by giving us a grant to help our caring committee bring treats and gifts to our members in nursing homes and members that are home bound, and help us care better for members in need of support from the congregation, especially during holidays and special events,” he said. JHFE grant funding will also allow The Temple to present Israeli films to the community. Nine film showings are currently planned for 2013 and will be open to the entire community free of charge.
Jewish Family and Career Services will use funds granted by JHFE to send staff members to national professional conferences and provide support to community seniors. According to JFCS Executive Director Judy Freundlich Tiell, “Emergency funds for seniors are an essential ingredient in ensuring that our seniors, still living in the community, do so safely with the supports that they need. Many seniors cannot afford these services, and the monies from the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence allow all seniors to live independently but safely enriching their quality of life.”
A JHFE grant funded transportation for a High School of Jewish Studies trip to the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. “As the High School of Jewish Studies budget is small, grants such as the one provided by the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence makes it possible for use to expand our offerings for our students in a way that still keeps us on budget for the year,” said Principal Lisa Goldberg.
For more information about the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, please contact their office info@jewishheritagefund.com or 365-3209.