2023 Community Impact Highlights
As one, we bring our community together to extend a helping hand to those in need.
As one, we’re guided as a source of strength and resilience to create impact in our community. Our Core Commitments help lead us. To download the full 2023 Community Impact Report click here.
Expand and strengthen an engaged, vibrant and flourishing St. Louis Jewish community
$9.5 Million invested into Jewish communities in St. Louis, Israel and around the world in 2023
$7.4 Million
in community impact investments
$1.68 Million
in supporting foundations
$402,648
in endowments and other grants
Vibrancy
We invested more than $400,000 in teen engagement in the 2023 funding cycle. We saw impressive increases in teens’ knowledge of Jewish values, pride in their Jewish identity and the number of new friendships formed.
Jewish Federation provides resources to a local cohort of teenagers, the next generation of Jewish philanthropists, through the national Honeycomb initiative. The 15 teenagers in the pilot philanthropy project Honeycomb STL helped fundraise over $3,000 in 2023.
%
of participants reported increased knowledge of Jewish values
%
of teenagers reported increased pride in their Jewish identity
%
of teenage participants made new friends through these programs
“Honeycomb has had a huge impact on my Jewish identity by allowing me to better understand the importance of tzedakah and helping others.” — Sari Gross, program participant
Well-Being
%
of older adults reported maintaining or increasing capacity for independent living
%
of surveyed older adults reported the nutrition program improved their social interaction
%
of surveyed meal program participants report reduced feelings of isolation
Many participants were grateful to receive affordable kosher meals and, as one 96-year-old participant shared, “I just don’t have the energy to do the shopping and prepare a whole meal anymore. This (the meal program) is a lifesaver for me.” — Covenant meal program participant
Safety and Security
- Projects/Assessment – Entity and Event
- Communications/Mass Notification
- Investigation/Intelligence
- Training
- Millstone Campus Patrol/Community Security Officers
secured in FEMA NSGP grants for 2023
security funding obtained through the Department of Education
investigative files opened to assess security measures needed
“Scott’s the real deal. He makes it a point to reach out to law enforcement so they know him, not just locally but on the state and federal level, too. He is a true professional. His integrity is sound.” — Rick Knox, Retired Olivette police chief and board member of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum
Connection to Israel
individuals engaged in Israel programming
people met with Shlichim/Shinshinim
%
of participants increased knowledge of Israel
“This was an experience like no other. Israel came to us and now we feel a part our heart will always be in Israel.” — Wallace family, host of Shinshin Alma
“We opened our house and our hearts to another son. He will forever be a part of our family.” — Fischer family, host of Shinshin Guy
Youth Futures, a program of JAFI, supports vulnerable families and children from Israel’s disadvantaged populations. Through Youth Futures’ high-impact, community-based interventions, these children can reach their full potential
230+ children in the Yokneam-Megiddo partnership region participated in Youth Futures in 2023
86 percent of Youth Futures participants showed an improvement in coping, confidence and independence and 80% showed improvement in the educational realm
From Recipients to Contributors: The Inspiring Journey of Yokneam’s Ethiopian Young Leaders
Jewish Federation of St. Louis has been supporting the Ethiopian community in Yokneam for many years as part of their mission to assist vulnerable communities in Israel and improve social welfare. A Young Leadership group of the Ethiopian community in Yokneam was established in 2023. This group assisted in preparing shelters where Ethiopians in need reside, collecting food and providing essential support. This group exemplifies the new narrative in the region, transitioning from beneficiaries to contributors who positively influence needy communities.
Infrastructure
“The ability to recruit, mentor and retain high quality teachers is essential to our survival. It is really that important. And creating an environment where teachers are seen as professionals and provided the tools and training to grow.” — Jody Rubin, Director, Curriculum & Learning, The JECC
- Levy Fellows helps to prepare a cohort of board members to advance their leadership roles in Jewish organizations
- In 2023, the second cohort included 19 board members representing 12 local Jewish organizations, and a third cohort launches in fall 2024
Israel Emergency Campaign
Our community rallied and raised over $4.3 million. Immediately following the horrific attacks on Israel, Jewish Federation mobilized immediately. Over the course of 30 days, we raised more dollars than any other supplemental campaign in the more than 120 years of the organization’s history. To learn more about the Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel Allocations, click here.
Mishmar HaEmeck, a kibbutz in the Partnership2Gether region, took in over 500 evacuees from Nahal Oz, a kibbutz in the Western Negev that was evacuated during the attacks
Jewish Federation distributed over 7,700 blue ribbons locally and nationally to show support and solidarity with hostages and their families
On October 7, 2023, Israel was attacked by Hamas. Jewish Federation mobilized immediately. Here are some key actions our community took in response to the attack.
10/7/23 – Scott Biondo and his security team visited all local Shabbat observant communities to inform them about the attacks
10/11/23 – 2500+ from the St. Louis Jewish community came together for the Solidarity Gathering at The J
10/26/23 – L’Chaim! event featuring Noa Tishby and Lizzy Savetsky raised money for the Israel emergency campaign
11/1/23 – 15 billboards were put up around the St. Louis area to spread awareness about the hostages
11/3/23 – The Empty Shabbat Table public installation brought attention to the hostages being held in Gaza
11/7/23 – The St. Louis community gathered for a sheloshim vigil at B’nai Amoona to pray for hostages and to honor lost loved ones
11/14/23 – 300+ St. Louis community members joined hundreds of thousand at the March for Israel in Washington, DC
11/19/23 – Hundreds attended a rally and march through St. Charles in support of Israel
11/30/23 – Funds were raised to purchase gift cards for the children from the Kibbutz Nahal Oz for Hanukkah
12/10/23 – Over 650 community members attended the STL March for Israel on Delmar
2023 Community Investments
As one, we support our Jewish community to preserve and enhance Jewish life in St. Louis, in Israel and around the world.
Our Community Partners’ work is alignment with our Core Commitments and towards outcomes in our priority areas. We are proud of the work they do and their ability to make a difference in our community. To see a full list of our investments in each of our Community Partners, download our 2023 Impact Report.