Many grantees use Facebook, Instagram, and Google ads to attract participants. Some have also found it effective to advertise in local media (both print and online) and hyperlocal media (such as online blogs). In addition, grantees have used postcards, lawn signs, and banners to publicize their programs.

We fund programs that have never been offered before…as well as programs that have been offered many times in the past–as long as our eligibility guidelines are met. Visit our Grant Process page for more details.

Taste of Judaism® – Congregation Keneseth Israel, Allentown PA

Keneseth Israel’s most recent Taste® class was in-person. NCEJ funds were used primarily for advertising. Staff provided their teaching expertise gratis. Some grant funds were also used to pay security costs.

Thirty-three students registered for this year’s course. In 2018 and 2019 almost 60 people took the 3-session class. For the synagogue the course serves as an entry-point for further engagement and hopefully membership into the KI community. The synagogue plans on offering Introduction to Judaism in spring 2022.

Marketing: Martina Obenski, Taste® coordinator, reports that the overwhelming majority of participants cited the advertisements in local papers as their primary source of information about the class.

“We would not be able to fund the advertising for the local media outlets without the assistance of the grant monies.”
– Martina Obenski, Taste® Coordinator

Information on the KI website accounted for the remaining registrants. Some also mentioned the lawn signs on the synagogue’s property.

Jewish Essentials Class – The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary (Fall 2021)

Jewish Essentials activity take-home kit (funded in part by NCEJ)

For the first time since Covid began, the Raleigh-Cary Federation offered its Jewish Essentials class in-person last fall. The class is taught by area rabbis, and offers an overview of Jewish holidays and life-cycle events for people interested in conversion, interfaith couples, and Jews wishing to refresh their childhood religious education.

Fifteen students registered for the class. Each participant received an “Intro to Judaism” kit that included the supplemental reading “Living Judaism” by Wayne Dosick.

Advertising: The NCEJ grant enabled the Federation to increase marketing and bring in more people. They increased the budget for Facebook advertising, and also advertised in other places.

Jewish Ritual Kits: Jorie Slodki, Grants and Content Manager, commented that the kits the students received made them feel more connected to the Jewish community. The kits contained candlesticks/candles, grape juice, challah covers, gelt, and dreidels.

Student Suggestions

“This class was a confirmation that conversion to Judaism is indeed the right path for me. My next step will be contacting a rabbi for further study.”
– participant

• Students would like a virtual option to always be available so that the class could be accessible for people with health concerns.
• They also said that they would like class materials to be available in languages other than English for students who need it.

For more details contact Jorie Slodki, Grants Manager.

Pop-Up Judaism – Kehillah Richmond (Jewish Holidays 2022)

Kehillah Richmond – Jewish Learning Cafe

Kehillah Richmond provides an entry point for Judaism for many people who would like to engage Jewishly but are not sure if the institutional Jewish community is right for them. The program is geared to people who do not identify as Jewish as well as interfaith families. For 2022 Kehillah plans on having pop-ups for the major holidays at an event space in a Richmond neighborhood and at other locations.

“I love being part of a community so welcoming to newcomers.”
– past participant/conversion student

Marketing: At each pop-up Kehillah will be promoting upcoming events. Marketing materials will include booklets, flyers, posters, and postcards. Print materials will also be available at public spaces and community events.

Program Materials: Kehillah will have give-aways at each event, such as inexpensive Judaica related to a specific holiday. In addition, there will be small desserts related to the holiday, such as hamentashen for Purim.

Conversion and Interfaith Programming for Interfaith Families – Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism

Israel Reform (IMPJ) has received several grants for holiday programs geared towards families from Russian speaking backgrounds. The newest grant is for year-long programming, and includes experiential learning, classes, and other outreach events to educate, engage and connect interfaith families and non-Jews with Judaism.

Marketing: IMPJ uses a variety of marketing methods to increase attendance for both virtual and in-person programs. These include social media (both organic and promoted), interviews on traditional media (Russian-Israeli TV and radio channels), articles posted on digital community platforms such as forums and blogs that have high readership, banners and flyers, and word of mouth/phone calls to invite local community members.

Program Materials: IMPJ plans on using the NCEJ grant to develop Jewish celebration kits that will include small food items for holiday customs, ritual items, games, and activities, and holiday blessings. A graphic designer will create downloadable mini-kits. The grant will also be used to purchase books and other printed materials that students can use in conversion classes. There will also be musical accompaniment for family-friendly prayer services.

See How Grantees Have Successfully Promoted Their Programs:

Our Marketing Gallery is chock-full of examples, ranging from Facebook and Instagram ads to print flyers, postcards, and brochures. NCEJ reimburses for some of the costs for graphic design and printing, and for email marketing campaigns directly attributable to a specific program. We encourage grantees to use NCEJ funds to expand their marketing efforts beyond their own networks and national online advertisers.

Recent Grants

United States:

• American Jewish University – Miller Introduction to Judaism program
• Institute of Southern Jewish Life – Conversion programming
• Jewish Federation of Central New York – Acquiring a linguistic link to Judaism
• Temple Beth Shalom, Hudson, OH – Judaism 101
• Congregation Har Hashem, Boulder, CO – Judaism 2.0

International:

• Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism – interfaith and conversion program for Russian-speaking families
• Hillel Poland
• Hillel Russia

Looking for ideas that you can use in your community?

Check Out Our New Programming Page:
“Introduction to Jewish Traditions”

It’s packed full of programming ideas and helpful hints to help you run a successful program. Learn about short overview sessions, full-fledged Intro programs, and programs to help individuals build a Jewish home. See our “Introduction to Jewish Traditions” page.

---

At the same time, take a look at our Interfaith and Intercultural Engagement page, which illustrates ways our grantees have helped interfaith and intercultural individuals and families connect to Judaism.

Have a question about what we might fund? Drop us a note

We encourage inquiries from synagogues, JCCs, Federations, and other Jewish organizations located in the US and many other countries. Reach out to us or email Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director.

To apply, go to our Grants Process page. Applications are accepted anytime. We are flexible on format – we fund online, hybrid, and in-person – or a combination! Plus, you can change the format after your grant has been awarded — we understand that circumstances change. Have a question as you go through the application? Don’t hesitate to contact us.  Applicants are generally notified within 45 days.

To be notified of the latest grant updates sign up for our grant news.

The post Grantees Use NCEJ Marketing Funds to Increase Attendance appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

The Jewish Enrichment Center in Chicago, an independent Jewish nonprofit, used an NCEJ grant to promote their Passover Book Fair and DIY Seder. The first part of the program introduced participants to formats and materials they could use to lead a personalized Seder. The Center also set up a display of over 30 haggadot. The event was publicized on Facebook and Instagram, as well as in the local Jewish federation’s online portal.

Tips for anyone considering offering a similar program:

• Advertising works! This was the first time the Center had a chance to market their program to a wider audience. Facebook and the federation portal were especially effective tools for reaching new people.
• Have handouts available, not just links to sources. For example, participants requested photos/artwork illustrating freedom to use at their Seders.
• Allow time for free-flowing discussion. Participants enjoyed sharing ideas about incorporating what they learned in their own Seders.

“This workshop gave me lots of ideas about how I can lead my Seder.”

– DIY Seder Participant

Contact Rabbi Rebecca Milder, Director, 773-234-9403 for more information.

Pathways to Judaism

Jewish Discovery Institute, in Newton, MA, offers the Conservative Movement’s “Pathways to Judaism” class at different suburban Boston locations for people who are considering conversion. An NCEJ grant helped pay for a flyer that publicized its programs. There were 50 students in this year’s class.

“The Pathways program has… allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of our respective backgrounds and the traditions we each grew up with. Today, we can confidently say that based on the content of this program… now have a clear and united vision for our future together.”

– Pathways Program Participant

What Worked? The colorful brochure was an effective complement to Facebook and advertising on JewishBoston.com.

Contact Rabbi Braham David, Director, Jewish Discovery Institute or call 617-219-9775 for more information about this program.

Introduction to Judaism Classes

Germantown Jewish Centre Philadelphia. An NCEJ grant enabled the Germantown Jewish Centre to expand marketing for its Introduction to Judaism class, using the Conservative Movement’s Goodblatt curriculum. For them, having one or two teachers worked better than a rotating set of speakers.

• Tip #1: Broaden the advertising and start outreach earlier.
• Tip #2: Create more intentional opportunities to plug the folks in the course into other synagogue programs and initiatives.

“For an aspiring convert such as myself, the Introduction to Judaism class has been an awesome and fulfilling experience.”

– Introduction to Judaism Participant

Upcoming Grant Program Spotlight: Holiday 101

Congregation Beth El, in Huntington, NY will be offering a program called “Holiday 101 – Celebrating Interfaith“, an educational 6 session program that will inform, teach and create discussion around several Jewish holidays and traditions. The program will facilitate conversations for interfaith households and help families embrace celebrating Jewish holidays together. Each session/class will be composed of learning about the holiday; as well as incorporate discussion of how to respectfully integrate those traditions into an interfaith household.

Contact Lisa Triacomin, Partnership Liaison at 631-421-5835 ext. 206 for more information.

How the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh used “Family Field Trips” to Connect Interfaith Families with Judaism

For the second year NCEJ gave a grant to the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh to enable it to expand marketing for its Family Holiday camps, geared primarily to intermarried families. There were 3 one-day family camps held in the fall, winter and spring of 2018-19: Shabbat on the Ark, Latke Bake and Take, and Shavuout. Each session consisted of numerous hands-on activities plus Jewish learning. The aim was to encourage the families to build a Jewish home and also engage with Jewish life in Pittsburgh.

The Model

• Each camp was advertised in the general (not Jewish) press (print and electronic).
• Each camp included family-centered fun experiential learning about a Jewish holiday.
• Each camp showed families how they could embrace Judaism.
• Jewish content was emphasized.

Program Summaries

Shabbat on the Ark immersed families with young children in the story of Noach and allowed them to connect with one another while experiencing a family-friendly Torah service. Families went on a boat ride, much like Noah boarded the ark. Most of the activities were animal-related, such as building animal toys out of paper towel tubes.

Hanukkah Latke Bake and Take took place at the JCC. Families prepared the latkes, played dreidel, and enjoyed potato latkes and sufganyiot. For safety reasons families were given the raw materials in reclosable bags to cook at home. Before leaving they all gathered together for music, singing and candle lighting.

The Shavuot at an Environmental Center camp provided an opportunity for families to learn about the meaning of a less well-known holiday, through Shavuot-themed PJ library books, station-based activities, and questions that related the receiving of the Ten Commandments to modern day rules.

Recent Grants

• Comunitat Jueva de Barcelona Bet Shalom, Barcelona
• Kehilat Birkat Shalom Israel
• Finchley Progressive Synagogue, London
• Jewish Learning Lab, Vancouver, Canada
• Sylvan YM-YWHA, Montreal
• Temple of Aaron, MN
• Temple Beth El, NY
• Congregation Ner Tamid, NV
• Temple Adat Elohim, CA

Articles of Interest

1. Syncing our Words and Actions to be a Welcoming Community
2. Serving Interfaith Families: Current Realities and Opportunities in Conservative Synagogues
3. My Very First Shabbat: Looking Back
4. Why My Introduction to Judaism Online Class Was So Valuable
5. Brandeis University Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies: Life Stages and the Needs of Interfaith Couples, Beyond Welcoming: Engaging Intermarried Couples in Jewish Life

Have Ideas for a Program that Meshes with NCEJ’s Mission?

If you offer programs geared towards interfaith families and others who do not identify as Jewish, NCEJ might be able to help you widen your audience and connect more people to Judaism. For more details, visit our grant page, or contact Ellen Gerecht to set up a time for conversation.

The post NCEJ Grants Support a Wide Range of Programs appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

JHUB was launched in 2014 to provide a way for interfaith couples and families to explore the meaning of Jewish culture and values in their lives, and strengthen their connections to Jewish communal life in Greater Cleveland. JHUB is a central resource for interfaith families to connect to each other and to Jewish Cleveland through social gatherings, holiday experiences, and Jewish learning. JHUB is a joint program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. It is also an affiliate of Interfaith Family.

NCEJ Funds Enable JHUB to Widen Audience

Program: “Interfaith Outreach in Cleveland”

The NCEJ grant will be used to support marketing and advertising for programs designed for interfaith families including Family Jewish learning, Young Adult programming, and innovative Shabbat experiences. This will enable JHUB to reach out to a larger audience and increase participation in JHUB programs, with the goal of engaging more individuals and families in the Jewish community.

For more information about this program contact Rabbi Melinda M. Mersack, Director of JHUB, via email here.

The post NCEJ Gives Out Grant to Support Cleveland Federation’s Interfaith Initiative appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

The grants were publicized via email in the RA’s newsletter and other avenues as well as announced at conferences. Below is a summary of the key elements and special features of each grant awarded.

About the RA Subgrants

Program: “Spanish Language Conversion Services”

Temple Beth Israel: Broward County, Florida – Rabbi Hector Eppelbaum

Temple Bath Israel offers Jewish adult education and conversion courses to Spanish speakers. They are the sole providers of Spanish language conversion services in Broward County. The curriculum is based on the curricula of the Conversion Institute of the Rabbinical Assembly of America Southeast Region. They run two 20 session courses each year. As students progress through the program they become active participants in the congregation and the Jewish community. Two of the students who went through the conversion class are currently members of the synagogue Board.

Program: “Introduction to Judaism, With a Mentoring Rabbi” 

RA of Philadelphia: Goodblatt Academy – Rabbi Neil Cooper

The Goodblatt Academy offers an Introduction to Judaism program that runs for 30 sessions. In addition to attending formal classes, students are paired with a mentoring rabbi who they meet with monthly. As part of the program, the Academy sponsors a catered Shabbat dinner and encourages students to bring their families. Traditionally the Academy has relied on local rabbis to refer prospective students to them. Increasingly though, prospective students are finding information online, which leads them to the Academy’s website. NCEJ grant funds have been used to advertise the program with a more sophisticated website and place ads in the Philadelphia Inquirer, community newspapers and on social media and to defray the costs of the Shabbat dinner and childcare.

Program: “Introduction to Judaism, With Program Alumni”

Temple B’nai Amoona: St Louis, MO – Rabbi Carnie Rose

The centerpiece of B’nai Amoona’s efforts to encourage interest in Judaism is the Introduction to Judaism course. This year B’nai Amoona has begun to match students in this course with other B’nai Amoona members who have gone through the conversion process and can serve as guides and mentors. Regular meetings also occur with the Senior Rabbi and the teacher. Marketing for the class includes information in the monthly congregational newsletter and the weekly Shabbat Bulletin sent via email along with the regular ads in the Jewish in St Louis website; the NCEJ grant also covered the cost of materials for the course.

Program: “Keeping the Faith”

Toronto RA Region: Rabbi Adam Cutler

Keeping the Faith is an initiative designed to maintain and deepen the connection between recent converts (their Jewish partners) and the Jewish community. There is a weekly Mommy and Me program for recent converts and partners with babies; a convert and mother-in-law cooking class is currently being planned; and a bi-monthly learning is also about to start. Under discussion is a Shabbat morning ‘increase your prayer fluency’ course targeted to recent converts but open to all (which is better for the converts’ ultimate integration into the community). The Toronto RA Region will soon be launching a website.

Program: “Learners Seder”

Congregation Beth Tikvah: Toronto – Rabbi Louis Sachs

The local RA region runs an Introduction to Judaism class, to which all the RA rabbis in Toronto send potential conversion students. Many current students, and some past students, do not have a place to go for a Seder. A learners Seder was hosted on the second night of Pesach for individuals going through the conversion process or recently having completed it. Even for those partnered, many of their families do not do a Seder on the second night, again leaving them without a place to go and celebrate. Some find these Seder “hosts” experiences can be intimidating and leave students feeling negative about the experience. Therefore, subsidizing the cost of meals for students looking for a “learners” Seder with other individuals going through the same process helps. The grant covered the cost of haggadot, food, and staff, making it affordable for them to attend.

Program: “Second Night Adult Seder”

Congregation Beth Israel: Vancouver – Rabbi Adam Stein

Congregation Beth Israel runs a conversion program from September to June each year which is being marketing on Facebook and in local media (Jewish and mainstream). The Congregation also hosts three Shabbat dinners a year for the conversion class, as well as a second night adult Seder to encourage conversion students (and their partners for those who have) to attend. Scholarships are also provided for those who request them for the Shabbat dinners and the Seder.

The post Rabbinical Assembly Gives Out 6 Grants to Support Conversion Programs in North America appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) came to NCEJ in 2017 proposing a series of family holiday camps to reach families with children from 5-10 years old who weren’t engaged in the Jewish community. The goal was that by learning more about the meaning of the holidays, feeling welcome, and making friends, they would be more likely to embrace Jewish living. With NCEJ funding the JCCPGH was able to increase its advertising and expand its audience. The program was led by Rabbi Ron Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life.

The Pittsburgh JCC Family Holiday Camps Experience

Program: “Hanukkah at the Carnegie Museum of Science and Snapology”

In November and December 2017, the JCCPGH prepared for Hanukkah at the Carnegie Museum of Science and at Snapology (a franchise that specializes in hands-on STEM projects using Legos and other building tools). At the Museum, families explored the meaning of light as they gazed into the Pittsburgh sky in the planetarium. At Snapology families learned how to make their own hanukiyot out of Legos and then how to light the hanukiyah.

Program: ‘Pirates, Perogies and Plagues’ – Preparing for Passover

In March 2018, families prepared for Passover through a program called ‘Pirates, Perogies and Plagues’. The JCC was the last group to rent the clubhouse of the Pittsburgh Pirates before opening day. One Shabbat morning was filled with explorations of the plagues represented in the Seder and how removing wine from our cups with each plague is equivalent to the ‘mercy rule’ in Little League baseball.

Over 200 people attended the family holiday camps and increased their connection to the Jewish community of Pittsburgh.

For more details about these programs contact Rabbi Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life, JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, via email here, or call: 412-697-3235.

The post Reaching Out to Families with Young Children: The Pittsburgh JCC Family Holiday Camps Experience appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.