Collaborative Youth Programming
$6,000

This initiative will create youth engagement opportunities for Jewish students across Rochester, specifically those in grades 3 - 7, providing a fun, welcoming, and engaging environment to grow Jewish identity and connect and cultivate friendships across denominations. The program will include a variety of activities tailored to the interests and developmental stages of this age group, ensuring meaningful and enjoyable experiences for all participants.

Middle School Holocaust Education Trip to Toronto

$5,000

Through this experiential learning opportunity, middle school students will take a day trip to Toronto, visiting the Toronto Holocaust museum, and participate in Jewish identity building activities. 

Implementing Reggio & Montessori Curriculum

$5,000

TLC will purchase and implement a rich Jewish curriculum inspired by the Reggio and Montessori systems of early childhood education, which places a strong emphasis on social emotional learning as well as experiential play-based learning, while also weaving Judaism, Parsha and Hebrew into its curriculum.

Jewish Teens Take Action

$5,000

The program will focus on community service, collaboration, personal growth, and the development of core values. Activities will include: community Service: such as creating “back to school” supply packages for children in homeless shelters, baking cookies and pastries for bake sales to benefit various causes, activities that show appreciation to essential workers and other community heroes. Chabad will also invite professionals from various fields to share their experiences and inspire teens.

Science and Judaics Curriculum

$1,000

Preschool, Kindergarten, First and Second Grade aged learners would participate in three on-site visits from Rochester Museum and Science Center to Temple Beth El. Immersive, hands-on science lessons from RMSC professionals would be taught together with cross-curricular materials. A live learning program on bats would be taught alongside Tu B'Shvat and Shomrei HaAdama learning, a dinosaur program would be paired with Ivrit learning and an immersive light and color spectrum program would be taught with Chanukah learning.

50 New Families
$18,000
Funding will support the continuation of efforts to renew the Rochester Jewish community
by raising awareness beyond Rochester of the benefits of living here (a wonderful place to
raise a family). This initiative seeks to attract new Jews to move to Rochester and
participate in our vibrant community through increased philanthropy and volunteerism.

Establishment of a Hillel at Alfred University
$10,000
Funding will support the establishment of Jewish programming (high holiday services,
traditional Jewish services and engagement activities) to support students, faculty, staff,
and community members who are Jewish or who want to learn more about Judaism in
Allegheny and Steuben County, including Alfred State College students and the larger
Jewish community from Wellsville, Dansville, Hornell, and Alfred.

"Brave Conversations" Archive
$10,000
Funding will support the creation of a “Brave Conversations” Archive, which will include
videos, audio recordings and podcasts that can be used as tools for teachers,
administrators, leaders, and other professionals to spark discussion, analysis, and
reference. The archive will also include discussion questions and other educational
materials.

Youth Mental Health Counseling (Renewal)
$25,000
Funding will support the second year of JFS Rochester’s focus on youth mental health
counseling, which includes partnering with school districts, synagogues, and local agencies
in addition to the increased mental health counseling for this demographic.

Employee Food Assistance Program (Grocery Store)
$10,000
Funding will support the establishment of an employee food assistance program (an
employee “grocery store”) to address food insecurity among at-risk employees which
impacts a large portion of their workforce who are from underrepresented, economically
disadvantaged communities. This includes female, single heads of households, Black, Latino
and Asian community members and inclusive of immigrant and developmentally disabled
employees, particularly those who reside in zip codes within the City of Rochester identified
by RMAPI as experiencing high rates of poverty and food scarcity/deserts.

Creating a Jewish Day Camp in Pittsford
$11,000
Funding will support Chabad of Pittsford’s first, end-of-summer camp (week of August
26-30) for children in Kindergarten through 4th grade, a week that traditionally lacks
camping options (JCC camp is not in session that week). By providing camp during this
week, parents will be supported and children will be able to attend Jewish summer camp.

N'Shei Women's Symposium
$10,000
Funding will establish, N’shei, a dynamic and inclusive initiative dedicated to fostering
community among Jewish women, empowerment and creating space for them to come
together, learn, grow, and support one another. N’shei will kick off with a Women's
Symposium (over the course of the year) focused on health, wellness, and Jewish
education, holistic well-being, spiritual growth and empowerment with programming --
larger scale and smaller group settings -- bringing together Jewish women from diverse
backgrounds for keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.

2024-2025 Micro Grant Awards (up to $5,000)

College Hillel Collaborative Programming
$1,950
Funding will support the creation of collaborative, Jewish programming open to students
from all of the Rochester-area college Hillels, fostering increased individual connections
and a sense of the larger community of Jewish college students.

Havadalah B'nei Mitzvah Celebration for Neurodiverse Individuals
$6,434
Funding will support a Havdalah B’nei Mitzvah celebration for neurodivergent individuals
(ages 13-30) in February 2025, coinciding with JDAIM (Jewish Disability Acceptance and
Inclusion Month). The B’nei Mitzvah celebration will be inclusive and allow each
participant’s unique abilities to be expressed and will be open to the community. This
program may serve as a starting point for developing a community and for creating
additional programs.

Jewish Soldiers Project
$3,400
Funding will support Monthly Shabbat Box and holiday care packages which will be sent
to Jewish military communities across the U.S. and around the world. The Shabbat Boxes
include grape juice , challahs , kosher baked goods and whatever else the Jewish military
community needs (such as Shabbat and Havdalah candles).

Havarabas
$2,500
Funding will support a pilot a pluralistic program connecting Jewish millennial fathers
through a modern iteration of a synagogue “Men’s Club” that involves networking,
professional development, and political engagement (e.g. fathers and child hikes, special
events, etc.).

Outdoor Event Equipment
$2,825
Funding will support the purchase of new equipment for outdoor activities, including a
new grill, speaker system that allows for a daisy chain of speakers wirelessly connected
by Bluetooth that can be spread around the perimeter.