As we all know, the economy is taking its toll on every segment of our community. We all hear or read daily about the needs of Jewish people locally, in Israel and across the globe. As we have seen just this last week, there remains a significant need to not only support our Jewish institutions and community, but to counter anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish attacks that continue to receive attention in the media.
The Jewish Federation is no different. Donations to the 2010 Community Campaign were down from the previous year. We kept the campaign open longer than usual in the hope that donors would continue to step forward and we could fully fund our projected allocations. Unfortunately, while our donors have been generous and many individuals have made significant gifts in support of the many needs in our community, our projected allocable funds are lower than expected.
Because the Federation is dedicated to meeting our goal of connecting Jewish lives and strengthening community, we will be absorbing two-thirds of the shortfall internally, making difficult operational decisions which enable us to maintain most of our commitment to our partner agencies. These agencies will be receiving a small reduction in their allocation for the current year — across-the-board reductions of just 1.75 percent of the annual amount.
We very much regret having to make these reductions to the vital funding provided to our partner agencies. It is an important reminder that we are all connected and that the needs in our community are great.
There are many challenges ahead for us. Please be assured that the Jewish Federation is working hard to plan for a bright future, share the important work all of our partner agencies do with our community, and continue to build a sustainable and vibrant Jewish community.
Your continued support is needed now, more than ever, to ensure that our Jewish community and its members thrive for a healthy future.