About Us

We’re United Jewish Communities (UJC), the national umbrella organization that represents and serves 155 Jewish federations and 400 independent Jewish communities across North America. Like you, we’re driven by our commitment to social justice and human rights—values that have always defined the Jewish people. We’re all about the power of the collective. What matters to us are the overwhelming needs that exist in the world and the enormous good we can do to help meet those needs when we work together. We care about Jewish grandmothers in the former Soviet Union who need hot meals delivered and an extra blanket to help them get through the long, cold winter. We care about poor children in Israel who go to bed hungry at night and don’t get breakfast in the morning. We care about teenagers in Ethiopia, in Europe, and in South America who want to know more about their Jewish roots and yearn to live in Israel. When we work together, we can make sure these people get the help they need. We can make their lives better. And that matters to us.

Your local Jewish federation is a key player in a system that stretches across the continent. In every city with a Jewish community, large or small, there’s a federation. It’s the hub of a social service network that responds to urgent needs. It connects the Jewish institutions—synagogues, schools, JCCs—that make our lives better.

The federation annual campaign is what makes it all possible. Every year, generous people make contributions to their local federations. It’s their dollars that enable us to meet the urgent, ongoing humanitarian needs of the Jewish people. Think of the elderly people in your community who rely on Meals on Wheels. The children who go to Jewish preschools and play at the JCC. The poor families who get help so they can make ends meet. That’s the annual campaign at work. And each federation sends a portion of its funds overseas to help strengthen Israel and rebuild Jewish communities around the world.

Young Leadership is your entry point for joining socially conscious people in their 20s and 30s who want to make a difference in the world. It’s a powerful vehicle for improving lives, whether your interests lead you to visit an isolated senior, collect over-the-counter medicines for Jews overseas, or meet with political leaders about policies affecting social services. Your federation’s young leadership division offers comprehensive training programs for those who want to become leaders in the Jewish community.

One avenue for leadership development is UJC’s Ben-Gurion Society (BGS), open to individuals aged 25-45 who make an individual gift of at least $1,000 to their federation's annual campaign. BGS members are not just a part of their Jewish communities; they help shape their communities. At professional and social events, BGS members connect at the local, national and international levels.

People who demonstrate talent and initiative in their local communities may be candidates for National Young Leadership Cabinet. This UJC program brings together young Jewish leaders from across North America to acquire the skills, knowledge and contacts they need to play a central role in creating the Jewish future. Cabinet alumni are among today’s leaders in virtually every Jewish community in North America.