Funding for Virtual Programming Now Available

NCEJ is now funding virtual programming to educate and engage interfaith families, people who are considering converting or have recently converted, and others who do not identify as Jewish who are seeking spirituality and connections with the Jewish community in these challenging times. Our goal remains unchanged: We want to encourage Jewish organizations to offer programming that helps individuals and families establish a Jewish identity and create a Jewish home.

Apply for funding today; applications accepted year-round. For details about NCEJ’s eligibility guidelines visit our website. If you have questions about what might be reimbursed contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director, or call 301-802-4254.

Special Funding Bonus for Online Programming for Families

In addition to funding virtual programs that begin in 2021, NCEJ is offering up to a 10% bonus* for applications received by December 31 for online family programs that meet our eligibility guidelines.

*For grants up to $6,000

Planning for 2021

Now is the time to begin planning programs for 2021, including programs that help interfaith families and individuals beginning their Jewish journey prepare for Passover (which begins March 27th).

We have expanded the type of items that are eligible for reimbursement. In addition to marketing, we cover some program material costs, such as the cost of Take-Home Kits that supplement virtual learning. Check out our grants page to learn more.

View/Download our Funding Focus Guidelines as a PDF

Learn How NCEJ’s Grantees Use Technology to Creatively Connect New People with Judaism

Selected Grantee Programs

Here are some ideas that illustrate the variety of virtual programming being funded by NCEJ. Some groups are doing online-only programs, while others are finding ways to also have socially distanced limited attendance outside gatherings.

Westside JCC, Los Angeles received a grant in May 2020 for virtual Jewish engagement programming for interfaith families. Proposed online programming includes:

• Bi-monthly “Shabbat ShaZoom” – virtual community Shabbat programs facilitated by a Jewish educator
• Havdalah programs
• Zoom “tour” of Israel

For more information contact Melanie Litzer, Development Director.

Families pick up a “Jewish Celebration Kit” prior to each holiday.

The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) recently received a grant for 7 virtual holiday programs led by a trained educator, geared towards interfaith families and others who are marginally connected to Jewish life. According to Rabbi Ron Symons, one of the goals of the “Home to Home: Celebrations of Jewish Life” program is to “encourage families who have not yet made the commitment to raise Jewish children to engage in Jewish customs.” Each family will receive a welcome kit and then pick up a Jewish Celebration Kit for each holiday.

“We want them to raise their children as Jews with Jewish values, customs, traditions, foods, celebrations, holidays… as a part of their regular life cycle.”

Here are some highlights of the funded programs:

Sukkot: Guests in the Sukkah – This year guests could not be welcomed into a sukkah. Families who participated in the “Guests in the Sukkah” session were invited to use a wall in their home as an indoor sukkah. They were encouraged to fill their indoor sukkah with photos of family members and to share family stories throughout the holiday. Children used art materials to create their own Super Sukkah Guests.
Shabbat: Challah Detectives – The Challah Detectives experience aims to bring families together to make their own challah while learning some of the lesser known traditions surrounding this weekly treat. Together families will mix their ingredients to make dough. While waiting for the dough to rise, families will use their detective skills to discover the answers to questions such as “What does it mean to salt a challah?” Families will also create their own challah cover to be used as they build their own Shabbat traditions. While the challah is rising, families will practice braiding techniques using Play Doh. Families will bake their challah on their own following the program.
Havdalah: Grateful for… Havdalah – Grateful for… Havdalah will bring families together to experience Havdalah. Each family will create a Havdalah kit and will have the opportunity to use it in a virtual Havdalah service. Throughout the program, participants will brainstorm ways to make gratitude part of a Havdalah experience.
Chanukah: Donuts in the Dark – Shining a light on the determination of the Maccabees, families will be challenged to create a chanukiah using donuts, donut holes, frosting, and other edible treats. Once all families have completed their challenge, together as one community everyone will recite the blessings and “light” the chanukiyot using glow sticks for candles.

For more information contact Rabbi Ron Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life.

Over the summer they also had several Shabbat picnics at a local park, with attendance capped due to Covid. A local Kosher caterer provided Shabbat picnic meals for those families who did not want to cook. Many families ordered dinner, which had the added benefit of bringing more business to a Kosher caterer whose revenue had dropped substantially since the pandemic began. Debra Bulmash, the program coordinator, says:

“Through BI Neighborhoods, we are able to create a welcoming Jewish environment where families can learn simple and easy traditions, children can participate in Jewish crafts (usually related to holidays, Shabbat, etc), and families can connect with each other and with Beth Israel.”

For more information contact Debra Bulmash, BI Neighborhoods Coordinator.

Jewish& celebrates Family Day with a photo session. Photos courtesy of Ian Lawrence Photography

Miles Nadal JCC, Toronto sponsored a 6-session “Jewish Foundations” course taught by Rabbi Julia Appel, using the curriculum she developed. One student said:

“I loved participating in the class especially since I’m beginning the conversion process. I learned so much about living Jewishly and I feel more excited to take my next steps.”

Cara Gold, who oversaw the program, stated that “It is very clear to us that this ‘high touch’ approach goes such a long way in welcoming the wider community into Jewish learning together.”

In 2019 the Toronto JCC received an NCEJ grant for a series of holiday family programs under the umbrella of its “Jewish &” programming. The goal was to gather multi-faith and cross-cultural couples and families for Jewish exploration and education. The program was publicized via social media, newsletters, flyers, and word of mouth.

Jewish & – Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre Photos

Photos above courtesy of Jewish & – Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre. Thank you for sharing!

“In the first 6 months, and with the help of NCEJ we were able to launch the program and our corresponding social networks to build the project between events.”

They ran 8 events in 6 months that were attended by over 350 people. Examples included:

Crafternoons: Rosh Hoshanah, Sukkot, Tu b’shvat – an afternoon of holiday crafts, snacks, and fun inspired by the particular festival.

Challah Hang – participants gained some pre-shabbat bread-making skills while learning about the variety of Jewish& experiences Toronto had to offer, and took home a loaf of bread.

For details on the “Jewish Foundations” course, contact Rabbi Appel. For more on the JCC’s “Jewish &” programming contact Cara Gold, Manager of Downtown Jewish Life.

The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) – Rosh Hashanah and Welcome kit. Photo courtesy of Rabbi Ron Symons, JCC of Greater Pittsburgh

Activity Take-Home Kits

Many grantees are combining virtual programming with activity kits that are either delivered to homes or picked up by participants. Here are some ideas from recently approved applications:

Shabbat

  Shabbat Baskets: “Shabbaskets” – Congregation Beth Israel, Vancouver
The Shabbat kit contained items that families could use to create meaningful traditions in their homes. Items included:

• Grape juice
• Challah
• Candles
• Activities for either the children or the family to do together (story, coloring book, Shabbat matching game, craft, etc.)

After the kit was delivered, there was a Zoom group chat to read the story/make the craft and welcome Shabbat together.

  Challah Kit: – JCCPGH
The JCCPGH Shabbat Celebration kit will include items that will enable each family to easily make challah and a challah cover:

• Recipe
• Cloth for challah cover
• Decorative materials for challah cover
• Play Doh so that families can practice braiding
• Blessing
• Adult education materials

  Havdalah Kit: – JCCPGH
Families can use the items in the JCCPGH’s Havdalah kit to create their own Havdalah kits:

• Beeswax for candle making
• Spice bag materials
• Wine glass materials
• Blessings
• Adult education materials

Judaica Activity Baskets

  Activity Packages: Westside JCC, Los Angeles’ activity packages will include materials for families to make Judaica items at home, such as Havdalah candles and mezuzahs.

BI Neighbourhoods – Rosh Hashanah Take Home kit

Holiday Baskets

  Sukkot Baskets – JCCPGH: The JCCPGH provided baskets containing art materials to make a “Sukkot Special Guest” along with educational materials and information on making both an indoor sukkot along a wall and directions for making a traditional outdoor sukkah in future years.

Items in the Sukkah Celebration Kit included:

• A branded poster to create a sukkah wall
• Art materials to create a Super Sukkah guest
• Resources for building an actual sukkah
• Educational materials for adults

  Chanukah Celebration Kit – JCCPGH: The JCCPGH Chanukah Celebration Kit will enable families to create an edible chanukiah.

Items in the Chanukah Jewish Celebration Kit will include:

• Donuts
• Donut holes
• Frosting
• Glow sticks
• Chanukah blessings
• Adult education materials

Grant Updates

New Grants

Route 613 received a grant for advertising and other costs for a 3-part webinar series “Intermarriage: The Steep Challenges and Possibilities” for intermarried and interdating individuals who are interested in Jewish life but who may be hesitant to connect with the Jewish community in more formal ways, such as synagogue membership.

For details contact Rabbi Maury Kelman.

18Doors (formerly Interfaith Family) received a grant for a year-long program “Our Year of Firsts” which is open to all engaged or newly married interfaith couples to give them the opportunity to explore the meaning behind the Jewish holidays and create new traditions together. Couples will receive monthly emails, have monthly virtual discussions, and receive ritual gifts related to the discussion topics such as a Havdalah kit.

For details contact Mike Navisky, Director of Development.

American Jewish University, Los Angeles – Miller Introduction to Judaism classes. Credits: AJU, Hillel Smith (designer) & Esther Kustanowitz (copy editor)

American Jewish University, Los Angeles will be using a new suite of branded accessories to promote the Miller Introduction to Judaism classes.

“We are very happy with the final product and want to thank you and the grant from NCEJ that allowed us to develop these as a real service to our affiliates. I am full of gratitude to NCEJ for making this possible.” – Deborah Engel Kollin, Relationship Manager

Repeat Grantees

Temple Emanu-el, Tucson will be virtually hosting two 3-session sets of Taste of Judaism® this year. Instead of literal “tastes” as in years past, the program will include recipes for traditional foods. NCEJ has funded advertising for Temple Emanu-el’s Taste® program for many years.

For details contact Abby Limmer, Taste® coordinator.

Sha’ar Zahav, San Francisco has received multiple grants from NCEJ for Judaism 101 and related classes. This year’s 10-week class will be held via Zoom for the first time. The teacher chose Judaism 25 years ago at Sha’ar Zahav. The program is promoted via emails, social media, recommendations from previous students, and Sha’ar Zahav’s website.

For more information contact Liliana Peliks, Manager of Community Engagement..

Finchley Progressive Synagogue, London – “Delving into Judaism” Program Flyer

International Grantees

Finchley Progressive Synagogue, London was pleased with the response it received to its “Delving into Judaism” weekly program offered from Fall 2019 – Spring 2020. The purpose was to attract and welcome people to Judaism, and inspire them to continue their Jewish education after the class ended. Rabbi Rebecca Birk reports that the quality of the learning has encouraged connections to the synagogue, as well as to Judaism, and says that several students have committed to a conversion course. One participant stated:

“The ‘Delving into Judaism’ course has been a wonderful expansive experience.”

For more details contact Rabbi Birk.

Hillel Ukraine recently received a grant for a series of holiday programs, beginning in September 2020 and continuing through 2021. All activities are designed to help young adults learn about the meaning of the holidays in ways that are both engaging and entertaining. For example, for Rosh Hashanah Director Dina Libman noted that “Everyone who tasted the fruits of the knowledge of the holiday received a memorable gift – a jar of apple jam, as a reminder of one of the symbols of Rosh Hashanah.”

For details contact Dina Libman, Director.

Recently Renewed Grants

Project Kesher – NCEJ will be funding Project Kesher’s Global Jewish Women’s Celebration for another year. One of the goals of Project Kesher is to strengthen the bonds to Judaism among Jewish women and girls in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Georgia. In May, the virtual Shavuot celebration brought together over 150 Jewish women throughout the world, including the only woman rabbi in Ukraine, a US cantor born in Ukraine, and a Russian-born rabbi living in Jerusalem.

In 2019-20 NCEJ’s support (along with other funders) helped Project Kesher trained leaders host Jewish holiday celebrations in 120+ locations in Eastern Europe. Each new curriculum created this year was added to an online program database featured on the Project Kesher Russian (PKR) language website. Group leaders and Jewish activists throughout the region can access the database and facilitate a range of programs for their communities. PKR’s program database is searchable, arranged by holiday, and offers programs for people of all ages and levels of Jewish knowledge.

Below are highlights from some of the holiday celebrations:

Chanukah 2019 photos from Russia and Belarus – Project Kesher

Rosh Hoshanah 2019 – PKR spearheaded a High Holiday spiritual preparation campaign for the region via Facebook. Rosh Hashanah celebrations were held in 39 cities in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine and reached more than 1000 people of different ages.
Simchat Torah October 2019 – The Simchat Torah holiday was marked by group discussions on the significance of Torah and Jewish text study in Jewish life, and the crucial role of women in the continuity of Jewish life. More than 1,000 people studied, danced, and sang with PK Scrolls in 2019.

“Women’s Simchat Torah celebrations are a unique opportunity to be with Torah, to read from it and to rejoice in it together. Torah unites us!”– Tatyana К., Poltava, Russia

Chanukah December 2019 – PK Chanukah celebrations highlighted the role of women as advocates for Jewish life, leaders of the community, and keepers of Jewish heritage. Jews from 50+ communities participated in the celebration. Family celebrations and observance of Jewish traditions in the home are becoming more commonplace now, as younger generations who feel more comfortable with being openly Jewish learn about Judaism and have families of their own.
Women’s Global Passover Seder 2020 – Project Kesher’s Global Women’s Seder in March 2020 reached thousands of women. The seder was celebrated online for the first time via Zoom, with more than 240 participants from six countries gathering live. The video of the event has more than 2,000 views on Facebook.

For details contact Shira Pruce .

World Union for Progressive Judaism – NCEJ will be funding conversion and outreach activities in the Iberian peninsula for another 2 years, led by Rabbi Alona Lisitsa, a Russian-born Israeli Progressive rabbi. The prior grant supported conversion classes on-line and (pre-COVID) in-person visits, outreach, educational materials, and lifecycle and conversion ceremonies.

For more information Naomi Smook.

Apply Now

For over 35 years NCEJ has supported programs offered by established Jewish nonprofits (synagogues, JCCs, and others) that educate, engage, and connect people who do not identify as Jewish with Judaism. Now, due to COVID, we are funding virtual programs that meet our eligibility guidelines. Grants partially cover marketing, program materials, and other direct expenses for a variety of programs, including holiday workshops, introduction to Judaism classes, and family programs. Further information is available on our website.

There are no application deadlines, and decisions are made within 45 days. If you are not sure if a program you are considering will be covered, just reach out to us at 301-802-4254, or contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director. We welcome inquiries. To apply, visit our Grant Process page.

Featured photo above (top of page): Jewish Enrichment Center Chicago – 2020 Rosh Hashanah Take Home Kit.

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