The Jewish Community Federation today announced a new round of emergency grants to help Bay Area Jewish organizations weather the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Totaling $2.4 million, the grants will assist JCCs, Jewish camps, day schools and other institutions.

“These new grants aim to help stabilize the Bay Area Jewish ecosystem and maintain access to Jewish life during and after the crisis,” said Roxanne Cohen, managing director of community impact and key lead for the Federation’s response.

Among the largest grantees were the Peninsula JCC in Foster City and the Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael, which each received $175,000. Other grants went to JCCs in San Francisco, Sonoma and the East Bay, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the Jewish Film Institute, Wilderness Torah, Studio 70, HaMaqom, Urban Adamah, The Kitchen and others.

J. The Jewish News of Northern California received a grant of $75,000. Said J. board co-president Mark Bernstein, “We are grateful to the Federation and its donor community for this tremendous support. J. is playing a critical role during this unprecedented situation, and the Federation’s grant will enable us to better weather incredibly choppy waters for our 126-year-old institution.”

In addition, the Federation granted $400,000 to the region’s six Jewish overnight camps so they can provide refunds to families, create alternative summer programming and give incentives to encourage families to donate or defer/credit their camp fees.

“We conducted an extensive needs assessment using surveys, conversations and consultation and used that information to determine the most urgent needs and prioritize funding,” Cohen said.

Also today the Federation announced the establishment of several funds, including a Resilience Fund for Synagogue Communities. A grant of $175,000 will assist clergy in providing support to community members in need. The Federation’s Endowment Committee approved nearly $1 million to create scholarship funds for Jewish preschools, day schools and overnight camps.

Together with a first round of emergency grants announced in mid-April, and grants from the Endowment Fund, the Federation has approved some $13 million in grants thus far to address needs related to the Covid-19 crisis.