In an era where name recognition is everything, the umbrella organization for Jewish federations in North America has changed its name.
As of next month, the United Jewish Communities will be known as the Jewish Federations of North America, a moniker that officials hope will signal the centrality of their organization — which currently represents 157 Jewish federations and 400 network communities in the United States and Canada.
This is the culmination of a three-year, $1.4 million research and branding project — including a new logo — that officials hope will reach younger Jews and help broaden their donor base.
“Our new name makes a clear and bold statement that we embody the Jewish federation system,” Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, said in a statement. “Further, this change enables us to work with our partners to create stronger positioning of the Jewish federations for the future.”
A former high-level executive at Levi Strauss and Stride Rite Corp., Silverman succeeded Howard Rieger on Sept. 30.
All of these changes are coming as organized Jewish community agencies and charities grapple with a shrinking donor base and questions about what their role should be in the 21st century.
In the fall of 2008, market research underwritten by UJC showed that one-third of Jews who donate to Jewish causes were unfamiliar with their local Jewish federations. Among Jews ages 18 to 34, the percentage was nearly 57 percent.
Seeking to address that deficit, the umbrella group devised a new moniker and logo.
“It’s not just an exercise in, ‘Hey, we have a new brand,’” said Joe Berkofsky, director of communications for the organization. “It’s more about that we have these critical challenges that we have to address, these overarching challenges … Ultimately, we’re doing it to broaden our donor base.”
Though admittedly a mouthful, the new moniker takes the lead from local federations, whose names already include the phrase “Jewish Federation” in their titles, such as the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation or the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.
The new logo replaces an old design that featured a Star of David and flame. The new icon is meant to signal ”centrality and stature” and will be adopted locally by some 20 local Jewish federations that volunteered to use the new logo.
“It’s important to have a consistent name out there,” said Leslie K. Lichter, managing director of marketing and communication at UJA-Federation of New York, which got its name 23 years ago when the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York merged with United Jewish Appeal.
“We built up a strong brand equity by speaking consistently about who we are and what we do,” Lichter said. “That’s behind what UJC is doing, in fact. They’re trying to match their name to the 90 percent of organizations around the country.”
However, not everyone believes the ends justify the means.
“While I like the new name, those responsible for its promulgation ought to be embarrassed by the amount of money spent on the ‘initiative’ from which it emerged,” wrote Chicago attorney and frequent UJC critic Richard Wexler on his blog, UJ Thee and Me.
But Berkofsky stressed that the cost — spread over three years and seen in context — was “actually not a lot of money.” n