Jewish Causes BFF Grantees

The foundation seeks to strengthen the Jewish community of Washington, DC through its support of spiritual leaders, synagogues and community programs that educate Jewish children and adults and support the development of Jewish identity. Priority is given to leaders, institutions and projects that use innovative tools to examine the current state of Jewish identity; foster dialogue and bridge cultural divides; and expand Jewish culture in a modern way. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

For more information about the foundation’s grant-making process, visit Grant Guidelines.

2020 Jewish Causes Grantees

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

image of a ballerina jumping in the air in a split

2239 inspires Jews to fall in love with Judaism.

In a day and age when Shabbat observance is down, intermarriage is up, and declining percentages of Jews participate in the Jewish community, send their children to Jewish day school, summer camps, or join congregations, 2239 seeks to light a flame in the Jewish soul. 2239 is pioneering a model of deep engagement for otherwise unaffiliated Jews that successfully plants the seeds for lifelong involvement. Over the coming year, we hope to expand our local impact and help guide and support other 2239-inspired models around the country.

Locally, 2239 is the only Shabbat designed from start to finish for unaffiliated Millennial Jews. From how we greet people at the door to how we study Torah, from the singing community we create during our standing-room-only Shabbat services to our Newcomer’s Tables at dinner, participants may have stepped away from Judaism for a decade or more, but through 2239, rediscover their Jewish home.

Website

Capital Jewish Museum seeks support for the design and testing of three model educational experiences for families and school groups, each of which will be tested multiple times with audiences in preparation for implementing them in the new Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum when it opens in 2021. The target audience is 5th-10th grade students, Jewish and non-Jewish, in the DC region. Programs will cover three key themes:
• Immigration – Immigrant stories of the Jewish experience in Washington provide a springboard to a greater understanding of immigration debates/experiences/reality today. We want to create a welcoming, experiential programs for first- and second-generation immigrants to put their own family’s experiences in a broader context.
• Civil discourse and tolerance/combatting antisemitism — Using historical context, we seek to engage students in civil dialogue around difficult issues. Programs will focus on critical moments in DC Jewish history and their current relevance, including General Grant’s Order #11, Justice Louis Brandeis’ Confirmation Hearings in 1916, and the Supreme Court case Shaare Tefila v. Cobb.
• Civic engagement — Workshops will encourage students to (1) identify key community needs/social action issues aligned with their personal values, (2) examine the context around their issue through exploration of primary documents and historical examples, (3) explore the issue through discussion/debate, and (4) take action by identifying and implementing tools of change.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world’s top-ranked multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 3,800 scientists, students, technicians, and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include searching for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials, and developing new strategies for protecting the environment. The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science is a community of dedicated people who share a common vision in support of the Institute. The generous assistance the Institute receives from individuals, foundations, and corporations is vital for its future to advance the Institute’s goals by becoming partners in the search for answers to the most difficult challenges facing humanity.

Website

2019 Jewish Causes Grantees

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

2239 inspires Jews to fall in love with Judaism.

In a day and age when Shabbat observance is down, intermarriage is up, and declining percentages of Jews participate in the Jewish community, send their children to Jewish day school, summer camps, or join congregations, 2239 seeks to light a flame in the Jewish soul. 2239 is pioneering a model of deep engagement for otherwise unaffiliated Jews that successfully plants the seeds for lifelong involvement. Over the coming year, we hope to expand our local impact and help guide and support other 2239-inspired models around the country.

Locally, 2239 is the only Shabbat designed from start to finish for unaffiliated Millennial Jews. From how we greet people at the door to how we study Torah, from the singing community we create during our standing-room-only Shabbat services to our Newcomer’s Tables at dinner, participants may have stepped away from Judaism for a decade or more, but through 2239, rediscover their Jewish home.

Website

Capital Jewish Museum seeks support for the design and testing of three model educational experiences for families and school groups, each of which will be tested multiple times with audiences in preparation for implementing them in the new Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum when it opens in 2021. The target audience is 5th-10th grade students, Jewish and non-Jewish, in the DC region. Programs will cover three key themes:
• Immigration – Immigrant stories of the Jewish experience in Washington provide a springboard to a greater understanding of immigration debates/experiences/reality today. We want to create a welcoming, experiential programs for first- and second-generation immigrants to put their own family’s experiences in a broader context.
• Civil discourse and tolerance/combatting antisemitism — Using historical context, we seek to engage students in civil dialogue around difficult issues. Programs will focus on critical moments in DC Jewish history and their current relevance, including General Grant’s Order #11, Justice Louis Brandeis’ Confirmation Hearings in 1916, and the Supreme Court case Shaare Tefila v. Cobb.
• Civic engagement — Workshops will encourage students to (1) identify key community needs/social action issues aligned with their personal values, (2) examine the context around their issue through exploration of primary documents and historical examples, (3) explore the issue through discussion/debate, and (4) take action by identifying and implementing tools of change.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world’s top-ranked multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 3,800 scientists, students, technicians, and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include searching for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials, and developing new strategies for protecting the environment. The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science is a community of dedicated people who share a common vision in support of the Institute. The generous assistance the Institute receives from individuals, foundations, and corporations is vital for its future to advance the Institute’s goals by becoming partners in the search for answers to the most difficult challenges facing humanity.

Website

2018 Jewish Causes Grantees

Though Lubavitch Chassidim had been living in Maryland since at least 1891 (the date of incorporation of the first Chabad synagogue) the modern presence and outreach work of “Chabad Lubavitch of the Maryland Region” began with the arrival of Rabbi Shmuel and Rochel Kaplan to Baltimore in 1974 as emissaries of the Lubavitch Rebbe. The remarkable growth and expansion evidenced below is a testament to the vision and inspiration of the the Rebbe and the confidence he placed in a fresh young couple.

Website

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

For over a decade, Mesorah DC has been bringing Jewish spirit to our nation’s capital, enhancing the Jewish experience of young professionals each year . Mesorah DC programs provide educational and social opportunities for Jewish professionals in their 20’s and 30’s.Jewish people of all backgrounds and affiliations feel comfortable and welcome to come meet new people at our events; as well as to explore how Jewish tradition interfaces with the 21st century.

Website

2239’s Metro Minyan has reshaped D.C.’s Shabbat scene for Jewish 20s and 30s and made Shabbat accessible for young Jewish professionals living and working in Washington, D.C. Once each month Rabbi Miller and Rabbi Skloot go to where the young Jews are—near the Metro—at a rotating list of locations. The services draw between 150-250+ young Jewish adults every month. The evening begins with “A Shot of Torah”—an opportunity to study the weekly Torah portion and dive into some serious (and not so serious) Jewish discussion. The service itself is engaging, guitar-led, and “come as you are.” Participants dine together at a Shabbat dinner catered by an on-trend restaurant and end the night with a social gathering at a nearby location.

Website

NCSY Connects with Jewish teens through innovative, cutting-edge social and recreational programs to develop a positive Jewish identity. NCSY Inspires Jewish teens and their connection to Israel through informal Jewish education, retreats and summer programs.

Website

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

2017 Jewish Causes Grantees

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

Though Lubavitch Chassidim had been living in Maryland since at least 1891 (the date of incorporation of the first Chabad synagogue) the modern presence and outreach work of “Chabad Lubavitch of the Maryland Region” began with the arrival of Rabbi Shmuel and Rochel Kaplan to Baltimore in 1974 as emissaries of the Lubavitch Rebbe. The remarkable growth and expansion evidenced below is a testament to the vision and inspiration of the the Rebbe and the confidence he placed in a fresh young couple.

Website

Jerusalem U is committed to strengthening the emotional and intellectual connection of young Jews to Judaism and Israel. Jerusalem U is breaking old molds, forging new approaches to Jewish and Israel education through the creative use of film and technology all distributed via the Internet, social media, television, grassroots campaigns and partnerships with mainstream pro-Israel and Jewish organizations.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

For over a decade, Mesorah DC has been bringing Jewish spirit to our nation’s capital, enhancing the Jewish experience of young professionals each year . Mesorah DC programs provide educational and social opportunities for Jewish professionals in their 20’s and 30’s.Jewish people of all backgrounds and affiliations feel comfortable and welcome to come meet new people at our events; as well as to explore how Jewish tradition interfaces with the 21st century.

Website

2239’s Metro Minyan has reshaped D.C.’s Shabbat scene for Jewish 20s and 30s and made Shabbat accessible for young Jewish professionals living and working in Washington, D.C. Once each month Rabbi Miller and Rabbi Skloot go to where the young Jews are—near the Metro—at a rotating list of locations. The services draw between 150-250+ young Jewish adults every month. The evening begins with “A Shot of Torah”—an opportunity to study the weekly Torah portion and dive into some serious (and not so serious) Jewish discussion. The service itself is engaging, guitar-led, and “come as you are.” Participants dine together at a Shabbat dinner catered by an on-trend restaurant and end the night with a social gathering at a nearby location.

Website

2016 Jewish Causes Grantees

Though Lubavitch Chassidim had been living in Maryland since at least 1891 (the date of incorporation of the first Chabad synagogue) the modern presence and outreach work of “Chabad Lubavitch of the Maryland Region” began with the arrival of Rabbi Shmuel and Rochel Kaplan to Baltimore in 1974 as emissaries of the Lubavitch Rebbe. The remarkable growth and expansion evidenced below is a testament to the vision and inspiration of the the Rebbe and the confidence he placed in a fresh young couple.

Website

Jerusalem U is committed to strengthening the emotional and intellectual connection of young Jews to Judaism and Israel. Jerusalem U is breaking old molds, forging new approaches to Jewish and Israel education through the creative use of film and technology all distributed via the Internet, social media, television, grassroots campaigns and partnerships with mainstream pro-Israel and Jewish organizations.

Website

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

For over a decade, Mesorah DC has been bringing Jewish spirit to our nation’s capital, enhancing the Jewish experience of young professionals each year . Mesorah DC programs provide educational and social opportunities for Jewish professionals in their 20’s and 30’s.Jewish people of all backgrounds and affiliations feel comfortable and welcome to come meet new people at our events; as well as to explore how Jewish tradition interfaces with the 21st century.

Website

2239’s Metro Minyan has reshaped D.C.’s Shabbat scene for Jewish 20s and 30s and made Shabbat accessible for young Jewish professionals living and working in Washington, D.C. Once each month Rabbi Miller and Rabbi Skloot go to where the young Jews are—near the Metro—at a rotating list of locations. The services draw between 150-250+ young Jewish adults every month. The evening begins with “A Shot of Torah”—an opportunity to study the weekly Torah portion and dive into some serious (and not so serious) Jewish discussion. The service itself is engaging, guitar-led, and “come as you are.” Participants dine together at a Shabbat dinner catered by an on-trend restaurant and end the night with a social gathering at a nearby location.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

2015 Jewish Causes Grantees

American University Hillel serves one of the largest Jewish populations of any private university in the nation. We offer a diverse range of exciting programs that meet the social, cultural, religious and educational needs of our vibrant and diverse community. The mission of American University Hillel is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.

Website

BimBam is a nonprofit organization that creates free videos and apps to serve the Jewish community BimBam’s mission is to increase Jewish literacy.

Website

Though Lubavitch Chassidim had been living in Maryland since at least 1891 (the date of incorporation of the first Chabad synagogue) the modern presence and outreach work of “Chabad Lubavitch of the Maryland Region” began with the arrival of Rabbi Shmuel and Rochel Kaplan to Baltimore in 1974 as emissaries of the Lubavitch Rebbe. The remarkable growth and expansion evidenced below is a testament to the vision and inspiration of the the Rebbe and the confidence he placed in a fresh young couple.

Website

Jerusalem U is committed to strengthening the emotional and intellectual connection of young Jews to Judaism and Israel. Jerusalem U is breaking old molds, forging new approaches to Jewish and Israel education through the creative use of film and technology all distributed via the Internet, social media, television, grassroots campaigns and partnerships with mainstream pro-Israel and Jewish organizations.

Website

The Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts, now in its sixth year, is an innovative Jewish Day School in Silver Spring. LBJA is a STEAM school with focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Music and Math in a small class environment. LBJA is responsive to every child’s needs.

Website

2239’s Metro Minyan has reshaped D.C.’s Shabbat scene for Jewish 20s and 30s and made Shabbat accessible for young Jewish professionals living and working in Washington, D.C. Once each month Rabbi Miller and Rabbi Skloot go to where the young Jews are—near the Metro—at a rotating list of locations. The services draw between 150-250+ young Jewish adults every month. The evening begins with “A Shot of Torah”—an opportunity to study the weekly Torah portion and dive into some serious (and not so serious) Jewish discussion. The service itself is engaging, guitar-led, and “come as you are.” Participants dine together at a Shabbat dinner catered by an on-trend restaurant and end the night with a social gathering at a nearby location.

Website

ShalomLearning aims to meet the evolving educational needs of today’s Jewish community in a way that is engaging, relevant, affordable, and accessible. Shalom Learning strives to instill a love of lifelong learning and to create an environment in which students, teachers, parents, and the community experiences Jewish values as a meaningful way to navigate the world.

Website

Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture meet. Completed in 1908, the Sixth & I building—located on the corner of 6th and I streets in downtown Washington, DC—has undergone numerous transformations. Since 2004, Sixth & I, through its openness and pluralistic approach, has redefined the 21st-century synagogue and community space with impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs spanning Jewish and cultural traditions. Timely and provocative events with authors, musicians, politicians, comedians, filmmakers, journalists, actors, chefs, and other visionaries allow the community to plug in to what’s happening at the forefront of arts and culture. At Sixth & I, what it means to be Jewish is up to you. With a multi-denominational and non-membership approach, identity and community intersect on your terms for a uniquely Jewish experience.

Website

The Yeshiva High School was founded in 1963 by HaRav Gedaliah Anemer zt”l and community leaders so that families in the Greater Washington area would have a local address for their children to receive a quality yeshiva education with separate divisions for boys and girls. The founding concept was to create an institution that would provide a high quality Judaic and general studies high school education. Beginning with a class of six students, the lay committee and rabbonim of the community appointed Rabbi Anemer as Rosh HaYeshiva, a position he held for more than forty years until his passing, to guide the institution with Daas Torah and a vision for the greater Washington Jewish community. Within a few years, YHS expanded to a full high school and in 1980 added the junior high school to become the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.

Website

Jewish Causes BFF Grantees

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2020 Jewish Causes Grantees

2019 Jewish Causes Grantees

2018 Jewish Causes Grantees

2017 Jewish Causes Grantees

2016 Jewish Causes Grantees

2015 Jewish Causes Grantees