“When my family and I moved to Atlanta from Israel after October 7, we didn’t know a single person here. We were grieving, disoriented, and just trying to find a place to land. I had joined a few Facebook groups for Israeli expats and Jewish moms, and I kept seeing people mention that the heart of the Jewish community was in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. So we found a small apartment in Dunwoody and hoped for the best.

What happened next felt nothing short of miraculous.

We were welcomed—truly welcomed—into this community. Women I had never met invited us to Shabbat dinners. We started getting invited to events at synagogues we hadn’t even heard of yet. My kids received PJ Library books in the mail and we began showing up to young family programs around the city. Every event we attended, every door that opened to us, helped us feel a little more grounded. A little more at home.

Along the way, I kept noticing something: Federation was everywhere. The books, the family events, the Israel rallies and community gatherings—they were all powered or supported by Federation. I had never seen such organized and intentional Jewish communal support, especially for new families like mine. It moved me deeply.

Security was something we worried about, especially in this climate. When I enrolled my children in a Jewish preschool, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. But then I met some of Federation’s security professionals at a local event. They explained all the protections they had helped implement—secure doors, camera systems, emergency protocols. That conversation brought me real peace of mind. I knew my children were safe.

Now, when I take my kids to swim at the MJCCA or drop them off at preschool or open another PJ Library book together, I understand just how much Federation has built here—and how much intention and care goes into making this community strong, welcoming, and safe. For families like mine, that means everything.

We came here with nothing but a few suitcases and a lot of uncertainty. What we’ve found is a Jewish community that embraced us with open arms—and Federation was at the center of it all.

To everyone who gives to make this possible: thank you. Your support isn’t just changing lives—it changed my life. And I will never forget that.” – Written by Liran, Israeli Parent

Thank you for making Atlanta a place of refuge for families like Liran’s.