February 22, 2007 

(San Francisco, CA) – The San Francisco-based Federation is reaching out to form a renewed alliance with area congregations in order to better serve and build the Bay Area Jewish community, declared Thomas A. Dine, CEO, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, in a speech at the Union for Reform Judaism Pacific Central West Regional Biennial Convention in Santa Clara, CA on February 9, 2007. The goal of this alliance is for the Federation to enter into productive and sustainable partnerships with area rabbis and their congregations. A copy of Thomas Dine’s speech is attached.

To further this goal, starting this month Rabbi Marvin Goodman will become the Federation’s first rabbi in residence, where he will work to build bridges with area congregations. He will also serve as the executive director of the Board of Rabbis of Northern California. Rabbi Goodman recently led Peninsula Sinai Congregation in Foster City.

With the input of the rabbis who are the eyes and ears of the local Jewish community, the Federation will be able to better determine funding needs that correlate to the findings of the 2004 community study, including outreach to underserved segments of the population. Particularly hard hit are children; according to the study, 11% of children under the age of 12 live in a poor household, and single parents in particular have a vital need for emergency financial assistance.

Another great unmet need is unemployment assistance, such as job counseling and placement, individual or family counseling and emergency financial assistance. Two out of five single adults under age 34 describe themselves as underemployed, while almost one third need employment counseling. Unemployment is highest among couples with children, with 17% of children living with two parents, one of whom is looking for work. 

Two additional goals for the Federation-synagogue partnership are increasing the number of programs that support interfaith families, and connecting the Federation’s service-area community with Israel.

Half of all married couples include a non-Jewish partner and as many children are being raised by one Jewish parent as are being raised by two. It it is crucial to the future of the Jewish community that local institutions make an effort to reach out to these families.

Concerned about the strength of future generations’ connection to Israel, the Federation would like to work with the synagogues to strengthen ties between the Bay Area and the Jewish state. Current efforts include new Israel travel initiatives and connecting the Bay Area Jewish community with the work the Federation is doing on the ground in northern Israel.

 The Jewish Community Federation is the central organization for fundraising, planning, outreach and leadership development for Jewish communities in San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Marin and Sonoma counties. In fiscal year 2006, the Federation’s annual campaign allocated $18.3 million to some 60 agencies providing social services, educational and cultural programs in the Bay Area, in the U.S., Israel and elsewhere in the world. In fiscal year 2006, the Federation’s Endowment Fund, with assets exceeding $1.8 billion, provided more than $203 million for a variety of grants, seed projects and emergency needs. For more information, call 415.777.0411 or visit www.sfjcf.org.