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A Chanukah Song
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
On Tuesday, I was driving from the Atlanta airport to visit our member agency, Jewish Family & Career  Services. I was turning the radio dial, looking for some good music for the drive. I heard one DJ announce that since Chanukah was set to begin that evening, she was dedicating the show to a celebration of the music of the holiday. As I got settled in to listen to "I Made a Little Dreidel," "Rock of Ages," or maybe even Adam Sandler, she started playing Elton John's "Candle in the Wind." Huh? Now I know that Marilyn Monroe, "Norma Jean," was married to Arthur Miller for a brief time, but I was having some difficulty identifying this rock classic as a Chanukah song. Any candle in a storm?
But, then I thought, "What a wonderful idea." Chanukah is meant to be shared beyond the Jewish world. We put our Chanukiahs in the windows of our homes, in the lobbies of our buildings, so everyone can share in the light that signifies physical and spiritual resilience and the miracle of faith. What better way to open Chanukah to the world than to welcome Elton John into the tribe. Thank you Elton, for joining Peter, Paul, and Mary and scores of others in making sure we "don't let the light burn out."
Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom.
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AJFCA's 40th Annual Conference
Leading with Vision: Strategies for Excellence
We are loo king forward to seeing you April 22nd-24th in Houston, TX for the 40th Annual AJFCA Conference. Please visit Annual Conference on the AJFCA website for details about the Houston Intercontinental Hotel, where we'll be hosting the conference, as well as local attractions.
Stay tuned for more details and don't forget to mark your calendars, we can't wait to see you there! |
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Toward the Miraculous Future: A Chanukiya of Predictions for 2012
Toward the Miraculous Future: A Chanukiya of Predictions for 2012, December 21, 2011, by eJP, by Seth Cohen
"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."
Albert Einstein
"Daddy, how do we know it REALLY was a miracle, not just that somebody counted the oil the wrong way?"
Morgan Cohen, age 9
In his blog this week, Seth Cohen, Director of Network Initiatives for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, and Board President of AJFCA member agency Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta, shared eight bold predictions for 2012. Read Seth's blog as he wrestles with his daughter Mogan's insightful question and looks ahead to the Jewish nonprofit world in 2012.
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Latest Numbers Released on U.S. Jewish Population
Latest Numbers Released on U.S. Jewish Population,December 19, 2011, by eJP
The North Am erican Jewish Data Bank has released their latest estimates of the U.S. Jewish population (6,588,000). Looking in depth at several communities, the report includes comparison figures on number of families synagogue affiliated (by stream), numbers on Jewish education and numbers donating to the local federation compared to 2000.
The complete report, Jewish Population in the United States 2011, is available for download and posted on the AJFCA website. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Blackbaud Index Shows Modest Upward Tick in Giving
Blackbaud Index Shows Modest Upward Tick in Giving, December 15, 2011, by eJP
The Blackbaud Index of Charitable Giving, a broad-based fundraising index that reports overall giving trends of 1,264 US-based nonprofit organizations representing $2.56 billion in yearly giving on a monthly basis, today reported that charitable giving rose 2.2% for the three months ending October 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010.
The Blackbaud Index of Online Giving, comprised of actual revenue da ta from 1748 nonprofits representing $424 million in yearly online giving, reported that online giving rose 10.6% for the three months ending October 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010.
The Blackbaud Index of Charitable Giving and The Blackbaud Index of Online Giving are updated on the 15th of each month (or the next business day) and are based on a three-month moving average of year-over-year percent changes in US-based charitable giving.
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| Crisis into Opportunity
Reflections on How Families in America Are Faring at the Close of 2011 and Where We As A Sector Should be Heading in 2012
As a sector, we seek to ensure that the people and communities we serve have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.
Yet, currently, mil lions of Americans - the people we serve - are struggling just to make ends meet. Over 46 million people - that's 1 in 6 - in America face poverty every day. 1 in 4 people in America can't afford to pay for healthy foods. And more than 50 million people are living without health insurance.
For this reason, the National Human Services Assembly, of which AJFCA is a member, and specifically, the National Collaboration for Families - feels that as the year draws to a close and we begin to look towards 2012, we need to reflect on how families in America are faring in the continued wake of the Great Recession and what path forward we ought to be charting in the new year.
In this spirit, over the next two weeks, NHSA will be releasing a special series of e-publications looking at the current state of America's families and what the organizations in our network can do together to leverage our collective voice and strength to turn this moment of crisis into a time of opportunity. To read more about turning crisis into opportunity, click here.
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Rose Youth Foundation: 10 Years of Impact
Rose Youth Foundation: 10 Years of Impact, December 18, 2011, by eJP
Sarah Indyk, manager of Jewish Life Initiatives at the Rose Community Foundation, will share results of a newly released evaluation report on the Rose Youth Foundation, a teen philanthropy program, as we ll as the aspects of the program model she believes are most responsible for its success. The study found that the Rose Youth Foundation successfully educates and empowers teens, effectively transmits Jewish values, and promotes long-term Jewish engagement. Based on the report's findings, they will also discuss their recommendations for future work.
Participants are encouraged to think about implications of the study's findings on their own teen philanthropy programs.
Rose Youth Foundation: 10 Years of Impact - Conference Call - FREE
Thursday, January 12th, 12:30pm-1:30pm
RSVP for details.
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Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties is hosting the 4th Annual Special Needs Educational Conference (for parents, caregivers & professionals), which will be held on Sunday, Jan uary 29th from 10am-12pm at the Shimon & Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center (775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater). The Conference will focus on "The Student Solution: Answers and Solutions When Students Struggle with ADHD and Asperger's." There is a $10 registration fee. To register, or for more information contact JFS 908-725-7799 or Admin@JewishFamilySvc.Org. Scholarships are available upon request. Send check, payable to JFS, to 150-A West High Street, Somerville, NJ 08876. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Samost Jewish Family & Children's Service of Southern New Jersery is featured in a story on international media outlet, V oice of America in a piece entitled "US Faith-Based Organizations Increasingly Care for Poor, Elderly." Read the article and see the video to learn more about the difference Samost JFCS is making for people in their community. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Jewish Family Services of Collier County in Naples, FL is currently offering a free continuing education credits program and networking reception entitled, "Jewish Customs and Culture: Understanding and Addressing Cultural Barriers to Care." 
Meeting the physical, social, mental and spiritual needs of members of the Jewish senior community requires an understanding of practices, observances and traditions that relate to their life at home. This presentation will explain Jewish customs, observances and rituals as they pertain to Jewish holidays, the Sabbath and life cycle events. This course will provide professionals with an understanding of how to integrate nutritional guidelines and religious dietary customs, information about traditions surrounding major holidays and an introduction to spiritual traditions surrounding death and mourning. _____________________________________________________________________________________________  Jewish Fa mily & Career Services of Louisville, KY will present the first ever Canorah on Sunday, December 18th. The menorah made of canned goods was built in the JFCS lobby.
Everyone is invited to come finish the Canorah and see it lit on Wednesday, December 28th. All canned goods will be donated to the JFCS Food Pantry. |
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