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Behind the stories: How UJC works

United Jewish Communities protects and enhances the well-being of Jews and Jewish communities in North America, Israel and around the world, striving to realize our core values of chesed (caring and compassion) and Torah (Jewish learning), tikkun olam (repair of the world) and tzedakah (social justice). UJC, as the central address of the federations, acts upon these values through its philanthropic endeavors, its strategic initiatives and its collective leadership--in partnership with local communities, national and international agencies--to strengthen Jewish communities, peoplehood, Jewish learning and living, social justice and klal Yisrael.

United Jewish Communities (UJC), which represents North American Jewry's primary fund-raising and service-providing agencies, is the largest single Jewish philanthropy in existence. It represents the collective interests of North American Jews, serving as the action arm for Jewish values and programs.

• It provides "one-stop shopping" for programs assisting millions of Jews in 800 communities--of every size--across North America, in hundreds of towns and villages throughout Israel, and in more than 60 other countries.
• Its members include 156 Jewish federations raising $1 billion annually--$23 billion since 1948 alone.

Structure
United Jewish Communities is organized into four pillars, with the Financial Resource Development Group (FRD) supplying the strategies to ensure that financial resources are in place to enable the other three to accomplish their critical goals.

The four pillars of United Jewish Communities

Campaign/Financial Resource Development
UJC represents a dynamic national system that is a powerful expression of Jewish values. By applying a strategic focus to financial resource development (FRD), UJC effectively translates tzedakah into social action. UJC:

• Implements a unified campaign that addresses overseas and domestic needs with equal passion;
• Promotes greater planned giving and endowment opportunities;
• Conducts research to foster innovation in fundraising at all levels;
• Anticipates and responds to changes in Jewish and general philanthropy in order to assist, guide, motivate, and inspire federations and donors;
• Fosters a philanthropic environment that makes giving meaningful to people of all ages, while serving as a clearinghouse for sharing communities' successes.

Israel/Overseas
The work of the Israel/Overseas Pillar helps prepare thousands of Jews in the former Soviet Union, Argentina, Ethiopia, and elsewhere for emigration; and helps resurgent Jewish communities in Eastern and Central Europe flourish. It strengthens ties with Israel's people, and helps new immigrants succeed in Israel.

The Overseas Needs Assessment and Distribution (ONAD) Committee designs and implements a model for distributing funds to overseas programs based on an analysis of overseas needs and the desired outcomes. The ONAD Committee is made up of federation leaders and representatives of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency.

Human Services & Social Policy (HSSP)
Through the UJC Washington Action Office, HSSP serves as a liaison between the federation system and the federal government, working closely with congressional leaders and the Administration to ensure that the voice of the federation system is a prominent force in health and human service policy decisions. The HSSP Pillar addresses the health and welfare needs of the Jewish community at local, state, national and international levels, developing innovative, cost-effective programs, legislative initiatives, and technological and social service partnerships to help strengthen local communities.

Jewish Renaissance and Renewal
The Renaissance and Renewal Pillar develops programs to strengthen and enrich Jewish life, foster Jewish identity, and build Jewish community. The Pillar encourages collaborative activity among federations, synagogues, religious movements, and their leadership; and local and national agencies. The Pillar, in alliance with the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA), supports local communities involved in adult Jewish learning; Israel education; day school support and development; recruitment, retention and development of Jewish educators; and engaging the next generation in Jewish life.

UJC: a community of partners
Together, UJC and local federations pursue justice, providing comfort and building community. The federations connect UJC to Jewish people across the street and around the world. Through its overseas partners the Jewish Agency and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the federation system is able to make difference. Dollars for humanitarian aid overseas are allocated to the Jewish Agency and JDC.

To find a Jewish federation in your community, or anywhere in North America, go to JewishFinder at www.ujc.org.

The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency strives to strengthen the connections between Jews everywhere who share a common heritage, identity, and one common ground-Israel. The Jewish Agency's programs support the rescue of Jews in distress; immigration to Israel and initial absorption; and Jewish Zionist education and identity. As the emissary of global Jewry, forging close partnerships and facilitating opportunities for direct encounters between Israel and Jews all over the world, the Jewish Agency cultivates a common bond of peoplehood and mutual responsibility.

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
For 87 years, JDC has embodied the principle that all Jews are responsible for one another. Operating in 57 countries, JDC rescues Jews in danger, provides relief for Jews in need, rebuilds Jewish communities, and helps Israel address the social challenges of its most vulnerable groups. In the Former Soviet Union, JDC provides food packages, meals on wheels, homecare, winter relief, and medicine for Jewish elderly, and helps the Jewish population reconnect to its roots by creating JCC's, camps, and schools. In Argentina, JDC provides emergency relief to Jews in crisis through welfare assistance centers providing food vouchers, clothing, medicine, and rent subsidies. In Israel, JDC's partnerships with Israeli agencies help meet the needs of the most vulnerable citizens, including youth-at-risk, elderly, and hard-to-absorb immigrants.

Annual Report table of contents:

Mobilizing Our Jewish Values | Annual Campaign | 9/11 Fund | Israel Emergency Campaign  Missions | Israel Overseas: Argentina | Planned Giving and Endowments | Renaissance and Renewal Alliance | Human Services And Social Policy | FedWeb |  How UJC Works