Fed5: Kicking Off The New Year Together

For more than a century, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has been the philanthropic heart and soul of our community.

This past year, the urgency to unite as a vibrant and resilient Jewish community has never been greater. Together, we faced these challenges head-on, combating antisemitism, showing unwavering support for Israel, and all while surpassing milestones in our 2024 Campaign.

“The 2025 Community Campaign Kickoff has shown all of us that our Atlanta Jewish community is as resilient and committed as our Israel family to building a thriving, safe, and secure Jewish Community – here in Atlanta and across the Jewish world,” said Beth Weiller Arogeti, Federation’s Board Chair. “My deepest thanks to all our partners who work with us every day to be Better Together.” 

The 2025 Community Campaign Kick-Off on September 5th was a tremendous success, bringing our community together in a powerful display of unity and commitment. It was also bashert (‘meant to be’ in Yiddish) that the Hebrew month of Elul began the same week.

During the month of Elul, many reflect on the highs and lows of the past year and consider how to make the world a better place individually and collectively in the year ahead.

That’s exactly how attendees left – feeling inspired, energized, and ready to continue making a meaningful difference in thousands of lives.

Jewish ATL is stronger than ever, and we couldn’t have achieved this without you. Thank you for standing with us.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in the program: 

See photos from the event here.

Thank you for coming together as a community and for your continued support.

Because of you, we are: 

• Nurturing the next generations of Jewish Atlanta through PJ Library, JBaby, Jewish camping, preschools, day schools, teen initiatives, Israel travel, and more.
• Helping our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the Jewish world rebuild and repair, caring for our Holocaust survivors, elderly, and other vulnerable members of our community.
• Expanding our reach through our Everyday Jewish Thriving initiatives – Young Leadership Division, Interfaith Connector, Gather Grants, and PJ Library.

We need your continued support. Please donate to the 2025 Community Campaign!

The Partners Fund Challenge Match began with our 2020 Community Campaign as an incentive for new donors and to encourage current donors to increase their annual support to our Partners Fund, which is the general pool of unrestricted dollars granted that impacts tens of thousands of Jews and their loved ones here in ATL, in Israel, and around the Jewish world.

Each year, a group of approximately 30 donors are asked to create a pool of $350K to encourage new and a select group of current donors to increase their support for our Partners Fund.

Since its inception, we have raised (on a gross basis) an additional $2.3M for Partners Fund.

The 2025 Partners Fund Challenge Match will continue to offer exciting incentives: 

• Current donors who gave between $1,800 and $36,000 to the 2024 Partners Fund and increase their 2025 Partners Fund Campaign support by a minimum of 25% will have the increase matched dollar for dollar.
• New donors giving $1800 or more to the 2025 Partners Fund Campaign will have their gifts matched dollar for dollar.
• *For those Donors who only gave to Federation’s 2024 Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC), if they choose to support our 2025 Partners Fund, their gift will be matched dollar for dollar as well.

Be a part of this impactful initiative by joining the Partners Fund Challenge Match. Click here to participate.

Sarah Koenig, Director of the Blonder Family Department for Special Needs at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), recently received the Ina Enoch Grant, which enabled her to attend Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Train the Trainer.

Federation’s Jewish Abilities Atlanta Ina Enoch Training Grant supports community professionals and lay leaders pursuing professional development opportunities that enhance the inclusion of individuals with disabilities and their families.

Sarah emphasized the profound importance of training staff to better understand and support individuals with behaviors that challenge, especially in her role overseeing the inclusion program at the MJCCA’s day camps.

Her approach is grounded in the belief that behaviors are a form of communication, often expressing unmet needs or emotional distress, and that staff must be equipped to respond in ways that respect each person’s dignity and rights.

Despite facing obstacles, Sarah has successfully trained around 20 staff members and aims to expand this training to include more program directors and customer service teams. Her focus is on proactive, compassionate support that can prevent behaviors from escalating to the point where de-escalation techniques are needed.

In the past, Sarah frequently encountered situations where children’s behaviors escalated beyond what staff felt comfortable handling. At one point, she was the only staff member with the knowledge and skills to respond, creating significant strain.

While eight months pregnant, Sarah questioned, “Why am I the only person on this campus who knows how to respond safely and respectfully in these situations?” This realization drove her to take action. Determined to bridge the gap in staff preparedness, Sarah pursued the CPI “train the trainer” certification.

This certification enables her to equip more staff—including security personnel, preschool teachers, and camp directors—with the skills to support individuals in ways that prevent escalation and create safer, more inclusive environments.

“The staff who have completed the training now feel so much more empowered and confident—not only in working with individuals with special needs, but in responding to a wide range of situations with empathy and understanding,” Sarah shared. “It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.” 

Grant funding has been critical in making this training possible, and Sarah is eager to continue promoting its benefits across the Jewish community.

“You never know who might walk through our doors or what challenges they may face,” Sarah noted. “It’s essential that everyone on staff feels equipped to respond with care and confidence, whether they encounter a challenging situation or not.” 

Through this approach, Sarah is helping to foster a culture of inclusion where behaviors are understood as communication, and all staff are empowered to respond with respect and compassion.

“You never know who’s walking through our doors and if they are accepting of what we do or not,” said Sarah. “It’s just important that everybody has the confidence to de-escalate a situation, whether they encounter one necessarily or not.”  

Individuals interested in applying for funding can do so by submitting a completed Training Fund Application at least eight weeks before the training date. Applications must include both organization and/or individual financial participation.  Applicants will be informed of the final decision within 2-4 weeks of submission.

Apply here.

Becca Langfelder, Director of the Young Leadership Division at Federation, recently traveled to Cuba on a JDC Entwine trip. JDC, a core Federation partner, supports Jewish communities in 70 countries, and JDC Entwine offers transformative service and travel experiences for young Jews.

Here’s a glimpse of Becca’s journey in her own words: 

Exploring Havana was an unforgettable experience, from iconic classic cars and historical landmarks to vibrant cultural spots like La Bodeguita and El Floridita. The trip featured memorable moments, including a captivating dance performance, a ride in a 1954 pink Pontiac convertible, a tour of the historic Jewish cemetery and a Shabbat service with the Jewish community.

The highlight of the trip was witnessing JDC’s impact on Cuba’s small Jewish community, which has dwindled from 20,000 members to about 600. JDC provides crucial support, including supplementing food rations, weekly Shabbat dinners, medical supplies, senior support services and more.

Despite the challenges they face, the Cuban Jewish community remains resilient. They hold weekly Shabbat services led by local youth, have a thriving BBYO chapter, and maintain various Jewish institutions.

Becca shared, “Seeing JDC’s work in action was incredibly moving. They are bridging gaps and sustaining Jewish life despite tough conditions.” 

The community’s focus on nurturing young leaders and fostering connections to Israel —reflected in programs like Taglit and the Maccabiah Games—is truly inspiring. At a dinner with young Cuban Jews, Becca was deeply touched when Anna, a 23-year-old community member, said, “Our synagogue and community is your synagogue and community and will always be here for you.”  That is the power of the global Jewish peoplehood. We strengthen each other and are a home for one another, no matter where we are in the world.

This experience deepened Becca’s appreciation for Federation and its partners, emphasizing how every contribution supports vital work and strengthens global Jewish connections.

Moving to a new neighborhood can be daunting, especially when raising young children. For two mothers, Chloe and Ronni, the transition to Sandy Springs was much smoother thanks to the supportive and vibrant community they discovered through JBaby, a branch of PJ Library, that is Federation’s program for our youngest community members and their parents (and expecting parents).

Initially feeling isolated during the pandemic with their first children, Chloe and Ronni were thrilled to find JBaby’s outdoor and virtual programs, which provided a safe space to meet other parents and form lasting friendships. These connections continue to prove invaluable as they bond over shared experiences and help each other navigate the challenges of early parenthood.

The impact of JBaby’s programming went beyond socializing; it fostered a deep sense of belonging and community.

Although Chloe and Ronni both took part in JBaby when their oldest children were young, they didn’t cross paths or become friends until they both attended the recent Tu B’Mahj event, a Tu B’Av celebration sponsored by PJ Library Atlanta in Sandy Springs. Thoughtfully arranged seating by neighborhood and mahjong skill level made it easy for them to connect with others in similar life stages.

“It’s been so nice just talking to other moms who are going through very similar life stages as myself,” Chloe shared, emphasizing how much the support from these connections meant during early parenthood.

JBaby is a branch of PJ Library that connects expecting parents and families with children ages 0-2, provides parents access to specialists for advice, and offers Jewish community resources on family-friendly programs, events, and activities in your area. To learn more about JBaby programming, click here.