Addressing a community’s needs
By Leisah Woldoff
T he Valley’s Jewish community is
fortunate to have several organi-
zations and programs devoted to
helping the community thrive financially,
culturally, socially and spiritually. From
larger agencies that address many differ-
ent needs, such as the Jewish Federation
of Greater Phoenix and the Jewish Com-
munity Foundation (JCF) of Greater
Phoenix, to smaller organizations that
focus on a specific service – such as
Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakashruth,
which addresses the community’s
kashrut needs – each play a vital role.

There is also a foundation in Prescott,
the Jewish Community Foundation of
Greater Prescott, that provides funding
for programs in Northern Arizona.

In recent years, individuals have
formed giving circles that provide grants
to programs and organizations. Members
donate a specified amount, raise addi-
tional funds and then allocate grants to
multiple organizations.

Helping the needy
Some organizations focus primarily
on vulnerable members of the commu-
nity, such as Ezras Cholim, Hebrew for
“help the sick,” which arranges volun-
teers to visit the sick, provide kosher
meal delivery, drive patients to medical
appointments and advocate on patients’
behalf. Tomchei Shabbos of Phoenix
helps provide food for Shabbat and
holidays to people in need.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service
(JFCS) offers behavioral health and
social services for adults and children
who face mental and medical chal-
lenges. It also provides individual and
family counseling, senior services,
substance abuse programs and Jewish
career services. JFCS also partners with
the Bureau of Jewish Education for an
annual Passover food drive.

Providing for well-being
Jewish Free Loan offers interest-free
loans to Jewish residents of Arizona.

Since its inception, thousands of indi-
viduals and families have been able
to continue their education, travel to
Israel, start a business, tend to medical
and dental needs, experience Jewish
summer camp, adopt a child, provide
a loved one with a Jewish burial, avoid
eviction and navigate numerous other
life experiences without the worry or
burden of compounding interest.

20 BEST OF JEWISH PHOENIX 2017
The Jewish Genetic Diseases Center
of Greater Phoenix creates awareness of
genetic risks and options through edu-
cation geared toward Jewish adults ages
18-45, and offers BRCA education and
genetic screening.

Assistance through tax credits
Arizona taxpayers can provide fund-
ing to local agencies by taking advan-
tage of the Arizona Charitable Tax
Credit to redirect some of their state
taxes to help those in need.

Examples of Jewish organizations
that can receive these funds are Gesher
Disability Resources (formerly Council
for Jews with Special Needs), which
provides programs and services for
children and adults with special needs;
JFCS; JFL; the Jewish Tuition Orga-
nization, which provides students with
need-based scholarships to Jewish day
schools; and Kivel Campus of Care,
which serves the housing needs of low-
income Jewish elderly.

Addressing global needs
The Valley also has local chapters or
offices of national and international
organizations. These include:
• Brandeis National Committee,
which raises money for libraries, sci-
entific research and scholarships at
Brandeis University;
• Hadassah, which works to change
lives in Israel, the U.S. and the world
through medicine, research, advocacy,
education and youth programs;
• Jewish Women International, which
strives to break the cycle of violence
through education and advocacy, and
supports residential treatment centers in
the U.S. and Israel;
• NA’AMAT, which raises funds to
support programs for women and chil-
dren in Israel and the U.S.;
• National Council of Jewish
Women, which advocates on issues for
women, children and families; and
• ORT America, which helps enable
more than 300,000 students to develop
careers. Some organizations focus primarily
on strengthening Israel. These include
AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs
Committee) and Jewish National Fund.

The American Jewish Committee
works to advance democratic values
around the world and the Anti-Def-
amation League fights anti-Semitism
and all forms of bigotry.

Cultural and Jewish continuity
On a lighter note, the Valley is also
home to cultural organizations, such as
the Arizona Jewish Historical Society,
which is housed at the Cutler-Plotkin
Jewish Heritage Center, the site of Phoe-
nix’s first synagogue. It hosts a number
of exhibits, film screenings and other
cultural events throughout the year.

Also, for the past 21 years, the Greater
Phoenix Jewish Film Festival has brought
Jewish-themed films to the Valley.

And of course, there are other spiri-
tual and educational institutions that
require funding for their programs,
such as preschools, day schools and
synagogues. For a full list of the Valley’s Jewish
organizations, visit the annual Com-
munity Directory at jewishaz.com, and
also follow the development of the Val-
ley’s Jewish community in each weekly
issue of Jewish News.

The number of Valley Jewish community
organizations has increased dramati-
cally since the “new” Jewish Commu-
nity Center opened on Central Avenue
south of Thomas Road in October 1951.

Photo courtesy of the Pearl and Cecil Newmark Memorial Archives
at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society
resources Arizona Jewish Historical Society
602-241-7870, azjhs.org
Brandeis National Committee
480-359-7262, brandeisphoenix.com
Bureau of Jewish Education
480-634-8050, bjephoenix.org
East Valley JCC
480-897-0588, evjcc.org
Ezras Cholim
ezrascholimofphoenix.org