Federation's Community-wide Response

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This e-mail was sent to the community on March 20, 2020. If you’d like to receive future updates, join our e-mail list.

Safety net. Umbrella organization. 30,000-foot convener.

These metaphors are often used to describe Minneapolis Jewish Federation's work in the community. It is not only our privilege to live up to these metaphors in a time of need—we see it as our responsibility.

And right now is a time of need.

Federation held an emergency board call on Sunday and voted to make an initial $2 million available for immediate community need, ratifying the vote during an official board meeting last night. We will grant this money to Minneapolis and bi-cities agencies and organizations to help alleviate financial strain so they can continue their critical work. Minneapolis Jewish Federation has also established a fund to assist Jewish families to pay for basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, medication) that arise during this time of forced social distance and sometimes limited employment. Jewish Family and Children's Services of Minneapolis has generously offered to administer this fund. Resources are limited. Please call JFCS at 952-546-0616 for more information.

Making funds available is our first priority. Soon, we'll come back and ask you to help us recoup some of this financial outlay so we can all be prepared for the next emergency. But for now, we all have enough on our minds.

COMMUNITY CALLS

As of this week, Minneapolis Jewish Federation is hosting weekly, Monday morning community conference calls, creating a space for local community leaders to share concerns, updates about closures, and ideas for collaboration. The last of these calls hosted over 40 people. Seeing the need for a smaller working group to tackle opportunities brought up on the calls, we have established the COVID-19 Community Response Task Force.

TASKFORCE

The COVID-19 Community Response Task Force includes members from the following key organizations:

  • Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School

  • The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Minnesota and the Dakotas

  • Jewish and Family Services of St. Paul

  • Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis

  • Minnesota Rabbinical Association

  • Minneapolis Jewish Federation

  • St. Paul Jewish Federation

  • Sholom

  • Sabes Jewish Community Center

  • St. Paul Jewish Community Center

  • Jewfolk Media

  • Torah Academy

This task force will address community problems that are best worked on from a community level. We are excited about this opportunity to work together in new and innovative ways. An initial task will be to coordinate volunteer efforts. Our first meeting is today, so please stay tuned for more information.

As we socially distance and adjust to our new reality, we remain grateful for the vibrant Jewish community we call home. We've been working sometimes around the clock to address the current situation, and as we said earlier, we've got your back.

L'Shalom,

Todd Leonard, President, Board of Directors

James Cohen, CEO

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