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Weathering the Storm until a Budget is Passed

Friday, November 6, 2015
There has been much in the press about the lack of a Pennsylvania state budget and the impact that has on the nonprofits that serve some of the neediest in our midst.  This budget impasse impacts many of our Federation agencies that work in the social service area.  Our Federation made an offer to all […]
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Shabbat Shalom

Monday, November 2, 2015
“Talk the talk and walk the walk”.  This expression is used to say that if you are going to say something you actually have to believe and do it.  Our Federation leadership has been talking about our commitment to Jewish identity building and Jewish education for many years.  And, I think we have done some […]
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Shabbat Shalom

Friday, October 23, 2015
It’s hard to pick just one memorable moment from this frenetic week to highlight.  There was the opening of the new Holocaust Center space on Sunday with a huge crowd in attendance including, most importantly, our local Holocaust survivors.  The first session of this year’s Wechsler Young Leadership program began with an overview of the […]
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A Hope for Quiet in Israel

Friday, October 9, 2015
The news from Israel has been so disturbing this past week.  I kept reading about each terrorist incident targeting Israelis and Jews.  This violence has shaken all of Israel.  Our national organization, the Jewish Federations of North America, sent an update yesterday to the Federation system reporting: In one tragic attack, gunmen shot and killed […]
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Supporting Our Survivors

Friday, October 2, 2015
A news story came out in the JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Association) entitled, “Obama Administration Earmarks $12 Million for Holocaust Survivors”.  The article goes on to say, “The allocation from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Jewish Federations of North America, to be disbursed over five years…” I invite you to click here to read the […]
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Shabbat Shalom

Friday, September 25, 2015
While sitting in my synagogue during Yom Kippur services, I reread the “Al Cheyt” prayer in English. As you probably know, during this prayer we ask for forgiveness for the transgressions WE have made. They are recited in the plural, not the singular. It is done so because we are a community apologizing for our […]
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Break Your Fast and Bridge the Future

Friday, September 18, 2015
On Wednesday we fast for Yom Kippur.  On Thursday at our Annual Meeting, our Federation will celebrate accomplishments for the past year and look towards the challenges we hope to conquer in the coming year.  And the only comparison I’ll draw between the two is that, in a sense, Yom Kippur is the Annual meeting […]
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Thinking about the New Year, Remembering 9/11, on this Shabbat

Friday, September 11, 2015
9/11, Shabbat and Rosh Hashana are all smooshed together in my mind. I’m thinking about the New Year with new possibilities.  The apples and honey and my wife’s honey cake will all be devoured starting on Sunday night in the expectation of a sweet year.  But today, hours before the restfulness of Shabbat settles in, […]
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Looking at all sides of the Iran Deal

Friday, September 4, 2015
Iran.  The last month and a half has all been about how to keep Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.  Our Federation has taken a very deliberate approach to provide information representing all sides around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to the community.  We do so within the following context that was established […]
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Over $25 Million is quite a feat in a single year. But, those four young people are what we should be celebrating.

Friday, August 28, 2015
At our Foundation Annual Meeting this week, we announced the most successful year in our history, adding over $25 Million to our assets under management.  We distributed more than $13 Million back to the community from our Foundation.  By all accounts, this was a truly remarkable year of success. While the announcement of this record […]
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