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.

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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.

NCEJ Grant Enables JDC to Connect More Families to Judaism in Eastern Europe

Many people in Poland, Latvia, and other parts of Eastern Europe are only now discovering they have Jewish ancestry. Slowly some of them are starting to reclaim their Jewish heritage by attending programs at the Warsaw and Riga JCCs (partly funded by the Joint Distribution Committee). At the JCCs they meet others from similar backgrounds and learn how to incorporate Jewish practices into their lives.

Warsaw: The Warsaw JCC serves as the focal point of Jewish life in Warsaw. Activities include holiday celebrations, cooking clubs, and discussion groups. A fathers’ group and a women’s group meet monthly.

Participants posted pictures with the social media campaign #Shabbat hashtag

Riga: This past May, JCC Riga joined forces with Riga’s synagogue to create an explanatory brochure about Shabbat. Prior to its publication, JCC Riga launched a social media campaign, #ShabbatJCCRiga, in which community members were asked to “Gather your family, call your friends, and before the candle is lit, take a picture of your Shabbat.” Participants who posted pictures with the #Shabbat hashtag received a free copy of the colorful brochure.

In 2020, NCEJ will help support JDC programming in Riga and Estonia. For more information contact Sandy Katz, Director of Strategic Relations.

Project Kesher Uses NCEJ Funding to Expand its Global Jewish Women’s Holiday Celebrations Initiative in Russian-speaking Countries

Images of Simchat Torah from Project Kesher Russia

Project Kesher’s mission is to build Jewish community and advance civil society by developing and empowering Jewish women leaders in Russian-speaking countries and Israel, connecting them to each other and strengthening their Jewish identity. Project Kesher-trained leaders hosted Jewish holiday celebrations in 120+ locations throughout Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Georgia in 2019. Group leaders and facilitators of these programs were trained throughout the year via webinars by expert Jewish educators. The group gathered on Zoom before each major holiday to study together and to learn how to facilitate the new programs.

Each new curriculum created this year was added to an online program database featured on the Project Kesher Russian language website. Group leaders and Jewish activists throughout the region can access the database and facilitate a range of programs for their community. This year’s events used social media in new ways and were well attended by young people, ages 15 – 35.

“I live far from the central part of Russia. Despite the distance, the Jewish holiday training webinars gave me an opportunity to study among like-minded people, to ask questions and analyze the answers, and bring the lessons back to my community.”– Svetlana, Magnitogorsk, Russia

Eleonora, a community organizer in Vladimir, Russia, says:

“Project Kesher provides a big database of tested educational materials and programs for different audiences and different levels of familiarity with Jewish life. PK’s programs are an important and unique resource.”

For more information contact Shira Pruce, Director of Development and Communications.

An NCEJ Grant Helped Bet Shalom, a Progressive Synagogue in Barcelona, Offer Special Holiday Programming for Interested Individuals

Purim Celebration, Bet Shalom

Bet Shalom provided a series of special programs for Purim, Pesach, Shabbat, and other holidays designed for people who were studying in their conversion classes and others who wanted to know more about Judaism. Here are two examples:

Purim: Over 75 people attended the Purim celebration, which included a costume workshop and party for young adults.

Pesach: First, there was a class of 35 participants, led by a teacher who talked about the traditions of the seder. The organizer states that, “This experience was very meaningful for those who are not used to being in contact with Judaism from an experiential perspective. It also helped some people get more involved in the community and build bonds with the rest of the members.”

This was followed by the seder itself, open to anyone interested in celebrating and learning about Judaism, as well as members. There were games for the children and an opportunity for the families to get to know each other.

Why Congregation Sha’ar Zahav San Francisco’s Journey to Judaism Discussion Group is so Successful Year after Year

Artwork advertising Sha’ar Zahav’s Adult Education

Sha’ar Zahav, San Francisco offers a Journey to Judaism discussion group, as well as a Judaism 101 class. This discussion group explores issues that arise for people who are considering, are in the process of, or have recently completed converting to Judaism. Those with a Jewish parent, but raised with little or no Jewish experience, and who are interested in exploring their connection to Judaism, are also welcome to attend. Topics include questions of identity, community and family. This group is not an Introduction to Judaism course, but rather a place to ask questions and discuss issues with others who are also on this journey.

After ten years of annual groups the coordinators have learned that:

A minimum of 6 – 8 participants is necessary for the group dynamics to be effective

Of the six sessions, the group is closed to new participants after session 2 to foster the intimacy and confidentiality that makes the group work

Continuation of no cost barrier to registration has provided diversity and allowed for folks to explore with minimal commitment in advance

Beginning each session with the personal story of an invited guest who is a member of the congregation who has chosen Judaism is an effective teaching element

The mikveh visit demystifies this important part of the conversion process

Ending the discussion group with a Friday evening Shabbat pot luck increases the appreciation of ritual in Jewish tradition

Grant News

Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, WI received a grant for a 4-session course called “A Basic Understanding of Judaism.” The subjects covered were “How Jews view God”, “Holidays and Shabbat and Services”, “Jewish Ethics and Interpreting it in the Torah”, and “The Jewish Community and Israel”. Several participants wished the class had been longer than 4 weeks. The class was promoted in the local paper, the Jewish press, and on the temple website and Facebook page. For more information contact Cantor Deborah Martin.

Pictured: KI “schlep” tote bag (click to enlarge)

Congregation Keneseth Israel, Allentown PA regularly offers A Taste of Judaism® class. The latest class had 18 participants, most of whom who had heard about the class through advertisements in the local papers or the lawn signs surrounding the building. About half of the class said they would be interested in an Introduction to Judaism class. Last year’s Taste class had 40 participants, and 2 of those are in the process of converting. The coordinator said that participants especially liked sampling a different Jewish dessert each week. One distinctive take-away from the class – each participant received a KI “schlep” tote bag. For more information contact Martina Obenski.

Lawn sign for A Taste of Judaism® class offered by Congregation Keneseth Israel

Tidewater Chavurah, Virginia Beach offered a program similar to URJ’s Taste, entitled “Belonging, Believing, Behaving.” Rabbi Ellen Jaffe Gill taught the class through a Reconstructionist lens, emphasizing that there are myriad ways to be Jewish. One person who attended had recently converted but wanted to fill in gaps in her knowledge. For more information contact Rabbi Ellen Jaffe Gill.

Friends of Bnei Anousim is an Israeli-based nonprofit that just received a grant for a conversion program in Mexico for descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who were forcibly converted to Christianity during the Inquisition and who wish to practice Judaism. For more information contact Yaffah da Costa.

Jewish Learning Lab, Montreal will be offering a year-long “Raising a Jewish Family” geared primarily towards people who did not grow up Jewish to help them live a Jewish life and connect to the larger Jewish community. The Jewish Learning Lab is a group of informal Jewish educators who seek to provide the knowledge that will enable individuals to choose the kind of Jewish life that’s right for them. The JLL works closely with other Jewish organizations in Montreal, particularly the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA. For more information contact Rabbi Avi Finegold.

Recent Grant Renewals

• Union of Reform Judaism
• Joint Distribution Committee
• Jewish Federations of North America
• JHUB, Jewish Federation of Cleveland
• Temple Beth El, Charlotte, NC
• Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council, Denver

Special Passover Grant Bonus

Pesach Celebration, Bet Shalom

NCEJ is offering up to a 15% bonus* for grants for programs geared to people who are new to Judaism to help them prepare for Passover. Examples include workshops on how to choose a haggadah and lead a Passover seder. ** NCEJ grants are designed to welcome new people to Judaism, and support programs both in the US and abroad. For details visit our website or contact us: Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director, or call 301-802-4254.

*For grants up to $5,000
**Seders do not qualify for the bonus.

Featured photo above: from Bet Shalom, a Progressive synagogue in Barcelona.

The post NCEJ Expanding Funding Throughout the Nation and the World in 2020 appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

• A post-conversion program
• Introduction to Judaism for Spanish speakers
• Interfaith outreach initiatives
• PJ Library subscriber get-togethers
• Expand the Circle discussion groups
• Family to family connections

* For grants up to $5,000, NCEJ will award a 20% additional bonus on applications received before December 31, 2018, once approved by the foundation.

Apply today for an NCEJ Grant — tell your friends in the field, too. Simply fill out our short two-page grant application: Download Application. See a special mention of our funding bonus in eJewish Philanthropy.

Sign up for grant news to get ideas for how you can promote Judaism in your community and learn more about all the innovative programs NCEJ supports.

Recent Grant Highlights & Updates:

Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Federation recently advertised its innovative programming, supported by NCEJ. Each program was featured in the latest JFGI Connections magazine resulting in strong community interest and registrations. View a digital copy of the magazine here, where you can find the feature about Taste of Hebrew on page 13 and Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah on page 15. Program descriptions can also be found below:

Program: “A Taste of Hebrew”

A Taste of Hebrew is designed to teach Hebrew decoding skills to both Jews and non-Jews who cannot read Hebrew, with a focus on parents of children who are in the process of learning Hebrew. The class is intentionally designed only as a very basic introduction to Hebrew in order to make it easily accessible and open to everyone. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Program: “Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah”

Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah, aims to create a place for non-Jewish parents to deepen their understanding of b’nai mitzvah and feel supported as their children go through this important life-cycle event. Special outreach to interfaith families who are currently synagogue members along with unaffiliated interfaith families who may be seeking b’nai mitzvah outside the organized Jewish community will be made to identify participants for this seminar. Learn More

View Program Flyer

Grant News

Many other groups throughout the country are developing new approaches to welcome individuals, couples, and families who want to become part of the Jewish community. Here are a few examples:

Congregation Bnai Amoona, St Louis was awarded a marketing grant for its Introduction to Judaism class. Last year Bnai Amoona received a NCEJ advertising grant through the Rabbinic Assembly. It has offered a wide range of courses for newcomers to Judaism for many years.

The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City just received a grant for a post-conversion program that will provide support to new Jews by choice. This is in addition to the grant they receive every year to promote their introduction to Judaism class.

JCC of Pittsburgh received another grant to promote a series of family holiday camps, following up on the success of last year’s Chanukah and Passover programs which attracted over 200 participants.

Temple Aliyah, a Conservative synagogue in Needham, MA is a first-time NCEJ grantee for a program entitled “Exploring the Joys of Shabbat, Purim, and Pesach through Jewish Food”.

Have an idea?

Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

The post NCEJ Announces Bonus for Applications Received by December 31 appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

To apply for a grant, simply fill out our short two-page application which can be downloaded here. Submit your application at any time throughout the year. Notification is made within 45 days.

Anyone who applies by November 15 is eligible for an additional funding bonus. See a special mention of our funding bonus in eJewish Philanthropy.

Apply today for an NCEJ Grant—and tell your friends in the field, too.

Here’s what one of our grantees said about the NCEJ grant her organization received:

“It is clear that our sisterhood leaders accepted the (NCEJ) grants with a clear vision. These programs are able to be easily replicated and will serve as models for sisterhoods in the future as well. Your gift is truly one that keeps on giving.”

We welcome ideas for innovative programs, as well as proposals for events that can be replicated by others.

An NCEJ grant can help you attract more people to Judaism from all walks of life and backgrounds.

• Temple Beth Israel, Broward County, FL offers conversion classes for Spanish speakers. Two of the students who went through the conversion class are currently members of the synagogue board.
• West Suburban Temple Har Zion River Forest, IL just received a grant for an Introductory Judaism class for Spanish speakers.
• Women of Temple Sinai, Pittsburgh, PA hosted a “Pride Seder” program which reached women in the congregation who were studying for their conversion, as well as others, including many from outside the synagogue.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County / New York – Interfaith Family Engagement Project. This initiative will offer monthly two-hour conversations for parents (with children welcome) focused on building a Jewish home.

Have an idea? Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

Here are a few of our recent grants:

• Welcome to Judaism Course (Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine/Portland): Working collaboratively with all clergy in the community, the JCA will offer five sessions over six weeks.
• Finding Your Place in B’nai Mitzvah: The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis will hold a four-series seminar for Jewish/non-Jewish families in the bar/bat mitzvah stage to help them navigate some of the issues they may face.
• 2nd Nite Learners Seder for Conversion Students (Congregation Beth Tikvah, Toronto): This provided families an opportunity to celebrate Passover with others going through the same process.

Programs such as these can start participants on a Jewish journey. Here’s just one example:

“Our Taste of Judaism classes are a great way to introduce inactive and non-Jews to Judaism in a friendly, non-proselytizing atmosphere.”

Many students have continued on to other adult education classes. One Jewish retiree who had been unaffiliated took the Taste of Judaism® class a few years ago, got involved in the synagogue, and volunteered as an adult education chairman the past year. Additionally, a couple who attended the Taste of Judaism® class joined the weekly Torah study group.

In Other Grant News…

The NCEJ grant to the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) was recently renewed. URJ will use the grant for marketing Introduction to Judaism and A Taste of Judaism® classes. The funds will be used to support classes held by individual synagogues and for social media and other advertising for URJ-sponsored classes.

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) received an additional grant for 2018-19. This will enable more small- to medium-sized communities to receive sub grants for programming geared to interfaith families, including PJ library participants.

Want to Learn More?

To learn more about NCEJ’s activities and what we fund, click here to download our new flyer.

Have a program idea that needs funding?

Give us a call or send us an email, contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director or call 301-802-4254.

The post Start the New Year With New Programming—Apply for a Grant Today appeared first on National Center to Encourage Judaism.

Kudos to the leadership of the chapters who submitted winning applications and to the WRJ Outreach Committee for their work overseeing the process. As a result of their efforts, thousands of people were reached through WRJ’s weekly email newsletter, their social media sites, and at conferences. WRJ still has funds to allocate and will be accepting and reviewing outreach grant applications on a rolling basis until June 1st, 2018.

For more information on this program, contact WRJ Program & Communications Associate Micaela Sheinhait at msheinhait@wrj.org or 212-650-4060.

Awarded Affiliate Program Highlights

WRJ Sisterhood: Temple Israel Sisterhood, Tulsa, OK
Program: “A Taste of Jewish Life”

Temple Israel has planned an outreach program for women in interfaith relationships and interested non-Jewish women that will combine sessions about Jewish living and culture with a lunch featuring a traditional Jewish meal. Sessions will include learning about Shabbat, making challah; learning about Passover and making charoset; and a tour of the Judaica shop featuring items used in celebrating Jewish life.

WRJ Sisterhood: Women of Temple Beth Torah, Fremont, CA
Program: “Daughters of Miriam Seder”

The Women of Temple Beth Torah is hosting a women’s Seder before Passover. This event will bring together members of 3 local congregations and unaffiliated members, including those in the deaf community. (The California School for the Deaf is located in Fremont.) The event will include “teachable moments” including traditional and non-traditional rituals by seder leaders and Jewish educators.

WRJ Sisterhood: Women of Temple Sinai, Pittsburgh, PA
Program: “Pride Seder”

Temple Sinai will host a Pride Seder in May 2018, a few weeks before LGBTQ Pride Month. They are reaching out to non-Jews and interfaith families within the LGBTQ community beyond their synagogue walls by partnering with a variety of organizations including the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh, other nearby Reform Jewish congregations and the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh.

WRJ Sisterhood: Women of Temple Bat Yahm, Newport Beach, CA
Program: “A Shared Seder”

The Temple Bat Yahm WRJ chapter will be holding a “Shared Seder” for interfaith member families, university students, and those exploring Judaism through Taste of Judaism and Introduction to Judaism classes to help them prepare for Passover and feel more comfortable attending the synagogue’s 2nd night Seder.

WRJ Sisterhood: Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood, Dallas, TX
Program: “Navigating the Religion Decision: A Workshop for Interfaith Couples”

This is a 6 session workshop for interfaith couples, led by a counselor. For those that decide to make Jewish choices the sisterhood will encourage them to enroll in the synagogue’s “Goin to the Chuppah” program which will help them understand how to create a Jewish home and also provide a connection with other newly engaged/married couples.

WRJ Sisterhood: Sisterhood of Temple Shalom, Newton, MA
Program: “Becoming Miriam: A series of programs around Miriam and Passover”

Becoming Miriam is a program series for interfaith families, young couples still forming personal traditions and new Jews by choice, using the traditions of Pesach and the Seder to create greater personal and community engagement with Jewish life. This program involves a series of education and engagement events designed to build relationships as well as increase knowledge about making the Seder a rich and enjoyable experience for all.

From the March 9th WRJ Weekly Digest:

“WRJ will provide Outreach Grant funds of up to $1,000 to WRJ sisterhoods and women’s groups to fund programs within their communities that reach out to interfaith families, unaffiliated Jews, and non-Jews who are seeking information about Jewish life. Made possible by the National Center to Encourage Judaism, the grant is designed to encourage and enhance learning about Judaism and to engage participants in Jewish life. An interfaith seder not only engages the community around the holiday of Passover, it brings a larger community together to discuss how we can be more welcoming to others.”

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