Partner Profile: The Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida
The Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida (JFF) is a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to building a vibrant and inclusive community, and sustaining Jewish life in Northeast Florida (Clay County, Duval County, Nassau County and St. Johns County), Israel and the world.
The Jewish Federation is the only organization in the community with an annual campaign raising funds to support local and overseas agencies. Over the course of the past 10 years, JFF has allocated over $16 million dollars to the following outstanding agencies and schools:
The programs and services these agencies provide touch the lives of more than 17,000 Jewish people of all ages living in Northeast Florida. In addition, JFF helps many more people in Israel and more than 70 countries throughout the world.
Through collaborative partnerships, JFF aims to serve, to inspire, to connect and to galvanize the area’s growing Jewish population, further extending its reach and programming to a wide regional audience. JFF also funds trips to Israel for the younger members of the community.
JFF supports the local and global Jewish community to:
Strengthen the community
JFF works to lead, build and strengthen a dynamic local Jewish community as well as represent its interest and concerns.
Help those in need
JFF ensures that members of the local Jewish community facing difficult times, crisis or hardship can turn to us for help.
Expand Jewish life and learning
JFF supports, strengthens and builds a vibrant Jewish community through a wide range of cultural and educational offerings.
Support Israel and Jewish people overseas
JFF extends our help to the most vulnerable Jews in Israel, the Former Soviet Union and more than 70 countries throughout the world.
The Jewish Foundation was founded in 1995 with support from key leaders within the Jewish community, and merged with the Jewish Federation in 2017. The Foundation focuses on community support and share responsibility, nurturing partnerships between Northeast Florida area synagogues and Jewish agencies. The Foundation exists to provide charitable gift planning services to its partners and interested members of the community. Above all, the Foundation protects the financial interests of its partners and strives to ensure that the intent of all donors who wish to support Jewish organizations is always honored.
While having to balance funding cuts, JFF partner agencies are facing an increase in demand for services. JFF believes it is imperative to act before we are faced with the downsizing or loss of our community’s vital components.
The impact of the pandemic has shown the critical need for emergency funds. Long-term sustainable endowment is a critical part of this funding. Through a community-wide endowment campaign, the Foundation is working to ensure funds are available to preserve Jewish life in Northeast Florida.
Creating an endowment fund or other legacy gift at JFF establishes a legacy of Jewish giving in the community, which is also a key value of the Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation. JFF remains committed to helping perpetuate a living legacy of caring that will last long beyond our lifetimes and continue to inspire from generation to generation.
For more information about the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida, please visit: www.jewishjacksonville.org.
