In this, the last j. issue of the year, we’re pleased to wrap up 2010 with three stories that point to the generosity of the Bay Area Jewish community.
In the East Bay, Jewish Family and Children’s Services expanded its annual Holiday Giving Program, which provides much-needed assistance to low-income families. This year, the agency called on synagogues and Jewish day schools to provide materials for 10 Oakland public preschools that were hit hard by budget cuts.
The community answered the call, delivering box upon box of school supplies, which brightened the spirits of teachers and students alike. In an era when public school budgets have been cut to the bone, this kind of community response isn’t just commendable, it’s essential.
Also this week we report on the Koret Foundation’s microfinancing arm in Israel — the Koret Israel Economic Development Funds — having joined forces with Kiva, the world’s leading online microlender.
This means that worthy Israeli entrepreneurs will now have a greater chance of building their businesses and climbing out of poverty.
Thanks to the Koret Foundation and Kiva (both based in San Francisco) for their efforts. The visionaries at Kiva understand that Israel is part of the family of nations, and its working poor deserve a shot at success.
Finally, we report on the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation launching the Community Legacy Project, an $850,000, two-year program that will teach 16 local Jewish institutions — synagogues, schools and various agencies — how to develop their endowments to sustain them through the years.
The Jewish Community Foundation of the East Bay launched a similar legacy program last January.
This is the living embodiment of the adage, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”
Economists tell us the recession is over, but we notice the band has not yet started playing “Happy Days are Here Again.” These are still very hard times for millions of Americans, including far too many in the Bay Area. Yet somehow the local Jewish community and its institutions never flag when it comes to lending a hand.
Nobody knows what 2011 will bring. Boom or bust, bulls or bears, joy or sorrow. What we do know is that the Jewish community will be there to provide a safety net when all the other nets fray.
Which is why we encourage all to dig deep and give generously, especially at this time of the year.
We wish all our readers a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.