The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven is proud to announce the eight new  collaborative programs that have been awarded Community Impact Grants for the year 2023. 

There was an increased request from many organizations and synagogues to fund creative partnerships that will strengthen the impact of Jewish engagement and programming  across Greater New Haven.  Seed money has been granted to develop new initiatives to programs based factors such as collaboration, long-term impact, and their ability to affect positive change in the Greater New Haven Jewish community. 
 

The Jewish Federation is grateful to task force members Linda Caplan, Dena Schulman Green, Sami Merit, Stacey Perkins, and Norman Ravski (chair), for their participation in this process. 

 

The 2023 Impact Grants have been awarded to the following programs and initiatives: 

 

Beth Israel Synagogue in Wallingford, in collaboration with Quinnipiac Hillel and local area libraries will offer a series of creative, interactive educational programs for children ages 3-8, to provide meaningful, Jewish experiences for affiliated, unaffiliated and interfaith Jewish youngsters in the Greater Wallingford area. 

 

The New Haven Jewish Historical Society, in collaboration with Quinnipiac Hillel, is creating a series of monthly programs hosted by JHSGNH. University Rabbi Reena Judd,  will present programs on thrifted Judaica and the history, religious significance, and ritual use of different types of Judaica. (See story this page.)

 

Cafe J — a community partnership between the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, Jewish Family Service, the Towers and Chapel Haven Schleifer Center — helps residents of Chapel Haven learn vocational skills at the newly re-opened Café J through a supervised internship opportunity. A JFS professional will provide training, with food sourced through the Towers catering. 

 

Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven, in collaboration with the Towers, is providing a program that aims to help different groups of people in our community incorporate Jewish values and traditions in their lives, as a part of their reinterpretation of life after loss. Greater New Haven adults of any age, who are experiencing different types of loss, may participate virtually in this program.

 

The Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation has established a new Jewish Seniors Task Force to assist the elderly in our community cope with their burgeoning needs. In partnership with Jewish Family Service, this project builds empowerment, connection, and belonging opportunities for and by aging adults. 

 

A true collaboration of learning between Ezra Academy, the Beverly Levy Early Learning Center at the JCC of Greater New Haven, and Jewish Family Service with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven PJ Library, is creating a new initiative to provide a series of events to educate young families about Jewish responsibility, social justice, and acts of kindness. Each experience will link families with interactive activities to feed the hungry, help those in need, and promote literacy. 

 

The Towers has initiated a Kosher Shabbat Meal delivery program. Those identified by Jewish Family Service, local synagogues and the JCC as isolated, at-risk, or in need of community connection, may benefit from this program. The goal is to make vulnerable older adults more connected socially and Jewishly; and better aware of resources available to them through the referral of a volunteer visitor with a kosher meal. This initiative will broaden opportunities for referrals to those in need and educate the community about events, resources and assistance. 

 

Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven, in partnership with the Greater Hartford Jewish community, will continue to provide a communication program for home-bound elderly to ensure ongoing connection to the community.