Program: Summer Camp
Amount Requested: $18,000

JCRS requests your support to increase and sustain our needs-based scholarships programs. To keep up with the increasing costs of services, JCRS is in process of expanding and increasing support to our client families. The funds raised will go to Jewish youth in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi for college aid, Jewish summer camp grants, financial assistance to Jewish children with special needs, PJ Library subscriptions, disaster relief, and additional outreach programs.

JCRS is committed to expanding outreach in the Dallas, TX area. For summer 2022, 43 campers in the Dallas area received summer camp scholarships, totaling in over $33,000 in aid. 14 college students from the Dallas area received education scholarships, totaling in $56,000. JCRS also assists 17 children with special needs case management and/or funding, $80,000 in 2022.

Specifically, regarding summer camp grants, according to CBS News research, the cost of summer camp has risen by up to 15% over previous summers due to inflation, COVID protocols, and increased demand. JCRS needs the support of your community to proactively address the changing needs among economically disadvantaged families. Please help us today to support the Jewish leaders of tomorrow!

Program: The Suitcase Project
Amount Requested: $3,500

The Suitcase Project supports women and children transitioning to greater independence from emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. When fleeing domestic violence or trafficking, women must leave quickly and usually arrive at the shelter with nothing more than a garbage bag of what they can quickly take. NCJW Dallas' Suitcase Project provides toiletries and some immediate necessities for their time in the shelter. When clients are ready to move to more independent living in transitional housing, The Suitcase Project provides wheeled suitcases and more substantial "starter kits". Starter kits include basic houseware needs such as kitchenware, tableware, bed and bath linens, cleaning supplies and more. These provisions help the women/families financially and emotionally, literally giving them a foundation and supplies for a fresh start. $3500 will provide 150-200 people with emergency and starter kit supports.

Program: Jewish National Fund - USA
Amount Requested: $1,800 - $20,000

MAKOM Communities is an Israeli volunteer driven organization of 18,000 members. Through this volunteer network of 240 diverse groups of people who came together to affect a greater quality of life in Israel, MAKOM volunteers lead local grassroots initiatives in providing social services, education, community building, and arts and cultural events, for over 600,000 beneficiaries across Israel. 

When 30,000 immigrants began arriving in Israel after the war broke out in Ukraine, volunteers from MAKOM communities were uniquely positioned to respond quickly, efficiently, and most importantly, compassionately. The MAKOM network activated its human resources and community building skills to assist these newcomers in communities across the country. Its immediate and strategic interventions are recognized for building a sense of belonging for the immigrants, and personal connections offering physical and emotional support. MAKOM is changing lives and strengthening Israel society through the following programs:

o Weekly support group for 10-12 adults led by a professional Russian-speaker (cost per month) - $1,800

o Community wide Shabbat meals for 50 immigrants - $5,000

o Full-day trips across Israel, discovering & connecting with the land and its history for 50 immigrants - $8,000

o School supplies, books & necessary equipment for 50 children & youth - $10,000

o Year-long Bar Mitzvah program for 25 children - $12,500

o After-school enrichment programs for 50 children (music, dance, theater, sports, etc.) - $15,000

o Additional Hebrew classes & tutoring for 60 immigrants - $15,000

o Year-long adult orchestra with 50 immigrant musicians - $20,000

Program: No Interest Loan Program
Amount Requested: $10,000

The Dallas Hebrew Free Loan Association (DHFLA) is the only organization in Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell and Wise Counties, and any other county inclusive of Wichita Falls, Texarkana, Tyler, Waco and Longview, Texas that provides interest-free loans to members of the Jewish community, helping people navigate economic challenges and affordably pursue dreams.

CNBC recently reported that 63% of Americans - including nearly half of six-figure earners - are living paycheck to paycheck. That means that for millions of Americans, including members of the Greater North Texas Jewish community, one problem with a car, one broken water heater, or one minor medical issue can create a financial emergency.

We have the power to help. DHFLA's no interest loans help people in our community tackle difficult financial situations with dignity without having to rely on high-interest options to do so. By offering loans rather than charity, DHFLA helps people become, and remain, self-sufficient — which Maimonides recognizes as the highest form of tzedakah.

DHFLA is funded primarily through donations. All contributions from DJCF fundholders will go towards enabling DHFLA to make more zero interest loans to members of our Jewish community seeking to alleviate financial hardship. We appreciate the support of DJCF fundholders who are inspired to help DHFLA provide affordable financial assistance to more Jewish community members.

Program: Hanging Artwork in our Permanent Collection
Amount Requested: $3,000

The DJHS Archives Collection has many large plaques, photographs, and pieces of artwork that need a better storage solution than we can currently provide. We can accomplish this by hanging three specialized panels that can support the weight and space needs of our large artifacts described above. This project will free square footage in our vault, creating space for additional incoming collections, and will ensure our artifacts are cared for in the best way possible. Cost includes price of the panels and labor to install them. Panels can be seen here: https://bit.ly/hangingstorageracks.

Program: JTribe Stuent to Student Peer Engagement
Amount Requested: $20,000

JTribe Student to Student Engagement is taking off WITH YOUR HELP! Many Jewish students at UT and surrounding universities are unaffiliated, not interested or disconnected from Jewish life. They are not being reached by any of the Jewish programming in and around campus. How do we get to connect to Jewish communal life?

This huge void needs to be filled.  JTRIBE is a grassroots movement of diverse Jewish students who come together for social events, social action, Jewish education, cultural awareness and mentoring events: a unique mix of peer-to-peer Jewish programming, mentorship, community service, leadership development and social fun.

JTribe sets up a road to discovery, connecting to their Jewish roots and heritage and building strong relationships with the Jewish community which will continue after graduation. Jewish social and cultural events are run by the students: speakers, music, socializing, Shabbat and holidays. Friends reach out to friends and acquaintances and are engaging them in Jewish programming. Close-knit networks are built in a social setting. JTribe’s program empowers our lead interns to engage fellow Jewish students on a peer-to-peer level.

The program works by creating organic social networks based on shared identity and social values. Social and educational Jewish activities are planned outside of our center, on campus and the surrounding environs. An increase in anti-Semitism and a decrease in student participation makes it imperative to reach out and engage young Jews on campus. The JTribe program makes the difference! YOU make the difference!

Program: Gan Menachem Pre-School Inclusion Program
Amount Requested: $25,000

Gan Menachem opened its doors to the Dallas Jewish Community in 2009. Our Early Childhood Educational Center has offered Children across the spectrum, an excellent and stellar program. We support all type of children regardless of the variating needs they might have. We have invited in therapists of all types to work with the children in the school and allowed our children to be as comfortable as possible. Due to the need for a new space we have purchased a property and are expanding and upgrading to create a space where we can cater to more children. We want to be able to incorporate everyone who needs a place to go. We are creating a sensory space in our new building to accommodate children with sensory needs and for this we need funding. Children who have Sensory Disorders or issues with Sensory integration will highly benefit from the space we want to build. We would be most grateful for your generous consideration in making this dream a reality.

Program: Preschool Playground Upgrade
Amount Requested: $20,000

We are so excited that our preschool playground is used by the Twos, Threes, PreK and Kindergarten daily, in addition to our aftercare students of all ages. We are looking forward to renovating our mini-soccer field and reworking the back part of our playground to include more play elements and areas for the kids to ride on their cars and bicycles, climb, run around, and get their energy out. Our students can't wait to see their new playground come to life!

Program: There's Something Special About this Place!
Amount Requested: $5,000

The JCC is a special place, but we are more than a fitness center or a school or a place for events. We are building a sense of community by bringing generations of families together. From innovative programs that teach our children, provide health and wellness education, serve daily lunches to our seniors and promote cultural experiences, we are the place where lifelong friendships and memories are made.

Our organization emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever. We provide a safe place for our community to gather at a time when social isolation and mental health are huge challenges for many of our constituents. We offer social, recreational, educational, and cultural activities for all ages – from infants to senior adults. From February 2022-January 2023, we distributed 12,180 hot lunches and 6,040 frozen meals, taught 254 children at our Goldberg Early Childhood Center, and hosted more than 1,000 children at various specialty camps.

Our doors are open to anyone who wants to celebrate life and be a part of something truly meaningful. Your support provides essential and innovative programming for our community through senior health and wellness, early childhood learning and camps, and cultural and social events.

For more information about how you can support our community initiatives, contact Laura Pope, Chief Development Officer at (214) 239-7103 or email lpope@jccdallas.org.

Program: Wellness Room
Amount Requested: $1,000

Anxiety, depression, and stress are the top concerns of U.S. college students. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 80% of U.S. students report feeling stressed sometimes or often, while 34% felt depression and students at The Hillel at Texas A&M are no different. We see them struggling to balance their study, work, social, and religious aspects of their lives.

Our goal is to create a safe environment that allows them to decompress and distract themselves from their busy days. Our hope is to repurpose an underused room in our building and transform it into our new Wellness Room. The main idea of the room is to help students relax, distract, focus, re-center themselves, and have fun. The hobby side of the room will have puzzles, games, books, play sand, colored pencils and coloring books. The Zen side will have soft music, comfortable seating, ambient lighting, noise cancelling headphones and a noise machine. There will also be a board full of motivational quotes, a place for students to draw on a chalkboard wall and posters of exercise routines that everyone can do. Our vision is to have a place students can go to for 10 minutes to relax and then continue with their day.

Program: Holocaust Survivor Outreach

Amount Requested: All contributions are appreciated

The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is honored to welcome Holocaust survivors living in the Dallas to Museum events to connect with the survivor community as well as other Museum guests, and we are fortunate many volunteer as speakers. Holocaust survivors come to the Museum frequently to share their stories of survival and resilience with students and adult groups. They share the lessons learned from the Holocaust through testimonies at schools and organizations throughout North Texas. It is crucial that their stories are shared with students, visitors, and the community so that these lessons may live on in perpetuity.

The Museum hosts public events throughout the year and welcomes survivors to these events. These include International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration, Yom HaShoah Commemoration, Spring Fundraiser, Hope for Humanity fundraiser celebrating survivors. The Museum assembles and delivers Rosh Hashanah baskets to survivors each year, and helps survivors commemorate other holidays through cards and donations in their honor. Many survivors can no longer drive. The Museum arranges and pays for transportation for survivors to and from the Museum and Museum events throughout the community.

The goal of our program is to provide Holocaust survivors opportunities to socialize with each other and other Dallas community members. The Museum seeks contributions to help fund these expenses so that we can continue providing transportation and socialization for survivors.

Program: Israel at 75 - Community Mission
Amount Requested: $250,000

Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas (JFGD) has launched active recruitment for the ISRAEL AT 75 – COMMUNITY MISSION, NOVEMBER 7-13, 2023. One of the primary objectives is to send first-time participants, under the age of 45. The mission will be broad-reaching to all the members of the Dallas Jewish Community, an opportunity to build partnerships among agencies and synagogues to inspire participants about Israel and the impact of the Federation’s work overseas. NEED: JFGD is looking to raise $250,000 towards the cost of the Community Mission, specifically designating funds towards financial subsidies for the first-time participants, under the age of 45, and those experiencing financial need, thus removing the barrier for the Jewish community of Dallas engaging with Israel at its 75th anniversary.

Program: Carol & Steve Aaron Financial Assistance Endowment
Amount Requested: 

Since 1953, The Legacy Senior Communities has been dedicated to providing housing and healthcare services to seniors. Did you know Medicare only covers medical care services (medication management, nursing care, and medical assessments) in Assisted Living, Memory Care, Long-term Care in a Healthcare Center, or Personal Assistance Services at home? Medicare does not pay for the cost of living in a senior living community (room and board, meals, religious or spiritual services, etc.). Residents and their families that utilize these services must pay out-of-pocket. The national average cost of living in assisted living is $5,000 per month, while living in a memory care unit averages $10,000 per month.

The Legacy’s Carol & Steve Aaron Financial Assistance Endowment provides financial assistance in perpetuity for rental and/or care assistance at:

• The Legacy Willow Bend – Medicaid rooms in the Healthcare Center for eligible low-income seniors; rental subsidies for eligible seniors at other levels of care

• The Legacy at Home - Personal Assistance Service - services decrease the risk of injury and/or hospitalization for low-income seniors still living at home by providing assistance with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation to doctor appointments, and daily errands.

• The Legacy Midtown Park - Medicaid rooms in the Healthcare Center for eligible low-income seniors; rental subsidies for eligible seniors at other levels of care.

By making a gift, you will ensure that Jewish seniors receive the highest quality of services and care allowing them to live with dignity and comfort regardless of one’s financial ability.

Program: Building Renovation Project
Amount Requested: $1,800

You are reading this because you care about the Dallas Jewish community. Please donate to the Mikvah Israel Dallas Building Renovation today. Your gift will give families of our community the mikvah they so richly deserve. You see, our mikvah is in dire need of an upgrade. The Dallas women's mikvah hasn't undergone a significant renovation since its inception more than 25 years ago! And annual membership and usage fees don't come close to covering the cost of a renovation. Your donation will go directly to remodeling the six preparation rooms as well as making the kaylim mikvah more user-friendly. When you donate to Mikvah Israel, you unite Jewish families throughout Dallas. No matter one's background, no matter one's level of observance, Mikvah Israel Dallas will be available to all women who seek its purity...all thanks to your generosity. When you donate, you write the next chapter of this mikvah's 25-year history. When you donate, you seize a sacred opportunity. You create a beautiful space. You perform an act of chesed that will echo for generations to come.

Thank you!!

Program: Jewish Life Coordinator at UT Dallas
Amount Requested: $9,425

Jewish campus life at the University of Texas at Dallas has grown tremendously since the campus came under Hillels of North Texas in 2013. Hillel at UTD is open to University of Texas at Dallas, Collin College, Dallas College, and other area university students. We reach nearly 100 students every year through inclusive programming for students wherever Jewish life is happening - in the student union, classrooms, spiritual spaces, on-campus dorms, off-campus apartments, and even outdoors!

Our flagship campus in Denton, University of North Texas, is served by a full-time program and engagement professional (Director of Jewish Student Life). In order to provide Jewish students what they need at UTD, we need a part-time professional on campus in Richardson to engage students and coordinate programs throughout the academic year.

Hillels of North Texas promotes inclusive Jewish campus community for students in Denton, Richardson, and Plano. Hillel creates an environment where all students are provided the opportunity to develop and deepen their Jewish identity and pride. Knowing that today's Jewish students are tomorrow's Jewish leaders, your support is also an investment in the future of the Jewish community. Thank you!

Program: Jewish Indigent Grave Markers
Amount Requested: $2,000

The Agudas Achim Cemetery, managed by Tiferet Israel Congregation, participates in the Dallas Jewish community indigent burial program through Jewish Family Service. There are currently twenty indigent burial graves without markers in the Agudas Achim Cemetery. A local monument company has agreed to provide a simple marker for $100 each. We are requesting a grant of $2,000 to provide markers for these unmarked graves.

Please contact Ed Jerome, President of Tiferet Israel, at 214-691-3611.

Program: "Ignite the Light" Youth Juried Art Show
Amount Requested: $5,000

Texas Jewish Arts Association, TJAA, is a community of visual and performing artists, art professionals and art enthusiasts. Our goal is to foster diversity, artistic growth and camaraderie through education, performance, programs and exhibition opportunities such as: music, dance, visual, media, glass, and sculpture, as these provide enriched culture to the public. We work with education institutions, art organizations, museums and cultural institutions.

Texas Jewish Arts Association provides an outreach resource for Jewish art teachers and students, and we create opportunities for Jewish youth and Jewish schools to exhibit their work.

PROJECT NAME: “Ignite the Light” Youth Juried Art Show OBJECTIVE: Develop and implement a juried exhibits and award contests for young Jewish artists in area public high schools, day schools and synagogue schools to engage the next generation of Jewish visual and performing artists Project

Description: Spring 2024 By implementing juried exhibits and award contests,TJAA will create meaningful interactive engagements for young Jewish artists in the greater community. This will further Jewish education, and identity. This will act as a creative thread to the visual and performing arts. Additionally, TJAA will promote intergenerational cohesion experiences centered around art appreciation. This will benefit the participants and the community by furthering discussions about art representations by showcasing such themes as: Jewish life, social, emotional and political perspectives on art, and multicultural perspectives ex; Israeli and American. Success will be measured through attendance, sales and the ability to further on-going events. EST COSTS REQUESTED: $5000.00

Program: Robotics: Exposing Young Jewish Women to STEM
Amount Requested: $20,000

Women remain vastly underrepresented in the global STEM workforce. By offering a new STEM program, focused on the exciting fields of Robotics and 3D printing which will complement our existing Engineering Basics program, Mesorah High School for Girls will double the STEM opportunities available to our students, increasing the number of hours girls spend in STEM before graduation, and exposing them to new skills and career paths.

In 2017 Mesorah High School for Girls started an Engineering Basics program which has since provided opportunities for hands-on STEM learning to an average of 15 girls per school year. Mesorah students have achieved recognition as finalists and awardees for their projects in the annual National Innovation Day competition. With this experience, and a STEM consultant in place to support further program development, we feel well-positioned to onboard this new program and expand our STEM offerings.

The Robotics and 3D Printing program will provide additional avenues of academic growth to better prepare young women in our community to excel in and contribute to our global society. Moreover, this program will culminate in a group capstone project and participation in additional team-based national competitions, nurturing skills in teamwork and collaboration. We are seeking funding to cover additional staff salaries, equipment and to help offset travel costs to attend competitions on the east coast.

Program: Dallas Kosher Chili Cook-Off
Amount Requested: $500

The Dallas Kosher Chili Cook-off has been bringing the Jews of North Texas together for a day of kosher food and fun for over 28 years and has become the largest single event annually for Jews to join together. You can support the event with a sponsorship starting at $500.

Program: Financial Assistance for Jewish Burial
Amount Requested: $30,000

The Dallas Jewish Burial Fund helps cover the cost of a Jewish burial and funeral when the expense would be otherwise prohibitive. The cost for a burial plot at Jewish cemeteries in the Dallas area is not less than $4,500, and the cost of a funeral director starts at around $6,000 for the most basic funeral services. The fee to open and close a grave is at least $1,800. Thus, the total cost of a burial is not less than $12,300. For some, this amount is unreachable. In Jewish tradition, burial and the related services are considered a chesed shel emet—a true act of loving kindness—because it can never be repaid by the deceased. The Dallas Jewish Burial Fund supports families in the community as they strive to perform this act for a loved one.

Submissions to Funders File are posted without edits.