West Laurel Hill



Dear Friends,
My first year of service as board chair of your Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has
been a privilege and a pleasure. Every year, I am incredibly grateful for our 117-year-old legacy
as the hub of Jewish life locally in Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware, Chester and Montgomery
counties. As current events continue to demonstrate, we remain as vibrant, impactful and nec-
essary as ever. Our future depends upon continuing to inspire and engage all of us, together.

This year we continue to engage our communities around the celebration of the state of
Israel’s 70th birthday, which we are marking with dozens of thought-provoking and fun events
and programs. In May, our massive birthday party for Israel at the Valley Forge Events Center
drew more than 5,000 people from all five counties, of all ages and affiliations. Seeing such an enthusiastic cross-section of
our communities coming together was among the highlights of my year.

As the only organization that attends to all of the needs in our Jewish communities, the strength of our Jewish Federation
truly is the collective impact we make across our region. Every dollar we raise is an investment, efficiently addressing our
communities’ most critical priorities by serving vulnerable populations and supporting Jewish life and learning. From
those in need to those looking to further their Jewish identities, we directly affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of
people. The Jewish Federation works hard to cultivate our next generation of young leaders, helping to build a strong and proud
Jewish future as we also honor our heritage and homeland. We provide needs-based scholarships that enable children to
attend Jewish preschools and day schools. We inspire philanthropy through the Teen Giving Project, facilitate life-changing
Birthright trips, provide a home away from home at college through Hillel and convene young adults through our vibrant
NextGen programming. From supporting a child’s first PJ Library book to supporting programs like Young Leadership
Cabinet, the Wexner Heritage program and beyond, with your help the Jewish Federation is always there.

We are truly this region’s center of Jewish philanthropy. This year, we distributed more than $34 million in grants and
financial support throughout Greater Philadelphia, in Israel and around the world. We also manage the local Jewish com-
munity’s largest pool of endowment-related assets, totaling nearly $300 million. All of that makes us among the top five
philanthropic organizations in Philadelphia. Yet as amazing as that is, there is room to grow: When we measure our giving
against that of our Jewish community peers in other large U.S. cities, we are not even in the top 10. I challenge us all to
move this needle upward. We must prioritize support for our Jewish Federation among our philanthropic commitments.

Everything the Jewish Federation supports in Philadelphia, Israel and around the world is possible only thanks to the
devotion of our unique partnerships. Working together with donors, volunteers, partner organizations and Jewish agencies
— while guided by our core values of Giving, Inclusion and Tradition — is what makes the Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia strong, responsive and efficient enough to accomplish all we do, and all we still need to do. For all of that, I
thank you.

I look forward to serving you over the next two years as your board chair. I encourage you to email me with your feed-
back and suggestions at selachs@jewishphilly.org. This year, allow yourself to engage with our Jewish Federation. I am
certain you will be motivated and amazed by our ability to effect positive change in our communities and in our world.

From my family to yours, I wish you a sweet, happy and healthy 5779.

Sussana Lachs Adler
P.S. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the Podcast app using “JewishPhilly.”
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THE GUIDE 2018/2019
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