Our Federation continuously identifies and addresses our community’s greatest challenges and opportunities — locally and globally. Below are just a few recent examples of the powerful impact your support makes possible.
Fighting Growing Antisemitism in Our Schools
Our Federation is vigorously engaged in the fight against the dangerous, rising levels of antisemitism and spread of misinformation about Israel in Los Angeles schools. We are specifically opposed to United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) members who are promoting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. In response, we have assembled a team of partner organizations and convened a group of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) parents to form the L.A. Parents Against Antisemitism (LAPAA) coalition. Together and with our direction, we will implement strategies to ensure that LAUSD and UTLA make long-term commitments against antisemitism. Our comprehensive approach in this fight also includes our Holy Land Democracy Project, where we take high school educators to Israel for an educational trip where they gain first-hand knowledge and facts about Israel that they can share with their students upon their return. To get involved with this vital work, please reach out to us by emailing Israel@JewishLA.org.
Supporting Our Essential Jewish Summer Camps
Our Federation is deeply committed to providing future generations with one of the most meaningful Jewish experiences of their lives — attending Jewish summer camp. Studies show that camp is one of the most crucial springboards for our younger generation to learn lessons and values that emotionally connect them to Judaism and lead to meaningful Jewish lives. Last year, the devastating COVID-19 pandemic wiped out an entire summer and our Federation responded with extra resources to help keep them running. Thankfully, with significant assistance from the Federation — including expanded support and reopening grants to camps and incentive grants to campers — our children and teens are back at camps this year and eager to spend time making wonderful memories with their Jewish peers. To help make it possible for families who otherwise could not afford to send their children to Jewish camp, our Federation has a robust support system including our One Happy Camper Incentive Award and our annual Tour de Summer Camps (TdSC) bike-a-thon. This year’s TdSC event is in person on Sunday, Oct. 31st, and we hope to see you there to ride for the Jewish future! TdSC registration is now open.
Improving Mental Health for Future Generations
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a severe mental health toll on our young Jewish community and our Federation is fully devoted to taking care of their emotional well-being. Among the most affected are teenagers who have experienced sharp increases in anxiety and depression over the course of the pandemic. To address this issue, our Federation’s Los Angeles Jewish Teen Initiative (LAJTI), in partnership with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA), launched our first-ever Teen Talk cohort. The 50-hour training teaches teens the essential tools to successfully support their distressed peers via an innovative phone app. Through this program, the teen trainees gain a better understanding of the importance of empathy, learn coping mechanisms to help with their own mental health challenges, feel more skilled in reflective communication, and have a greater sense of community with Jewish peers. Together, we are helping our future Jewish generations become healthier and more engaged members of our community.
Learn more about this essential work here.
Thanks to you, we are able to help the most vulnerable and ensure the Jewish future for generations to come. That’s what makes us the heartbeat of Jewish L.A.
