407-645-5933 ext. 236 marisa.west@shalomorlando.org

Transforming Lives

Our Mission

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WE ARE THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER ORLANDO

Our mission is to nurture a unified Jewish community that transcends generations and neighborhoods.

what we do

Support

We support Jewish life here in Central Florida and around the world. This commitment extends beyond our own JFGO programming to include financial support for other Jewish causes and organizations.

 

  • JFGO collaborative grants help pay for programs and special events by Central Florida Jewish organizations and synagogues;
  • Through the power of the Jewish Federations of North America, we provide financial support to disadvantaged Jews in Israel and 80+ countries;
  • We award grants to local synagogues for formal Jewish teen educational programming.
  • Support educational programming for youths in our Partnership2Gether “sister city,” Kiryat Motzkin, Israel. These include youths at risk, children of Olim families, and many others who are not active in youth movements. Our partnership also students with learning or complex disabilities. 
  • We financially support Jewish Family Services’ Community Chaplaincy Program, which provides end-of-life services to unaffiliated Jews in Central Florida. 
  • We sponsor an annual women’s trip to Israel in collaboration with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project and JOIN Orlando.

Connect

We help to build meaningful relationships rooted in Jewish values. Through JFGO programming and financial support of other Jewish organizations’ programming, we:

 

  • Bring families together for themed PJ Library and Jewish holiday programs that involve parents, children and grandparents;
  • Award grants to encourage collaboration by organizations and synagogues;
  • Serve the needs of both newcomers and longtime community members by putting them in touch with the local Jewish organizations that can assist with their specific needs; and
  • Create and nurture social and professional networks for Jewish teens, educators, young adults, professionals and future community leaders.
  • Provide a program to support inclusion for adults with disabilities and their families by partnering with Jewish agencies and collaborating with both local community resources and businesses offering employment opportunities. 

Educate

We believe education transforms the world, and we incorporate educational components into Federation programming. JFGO is committed to offering and supporting a wide range of educational opportunities:

 

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Advocate

We empower local Jews by giving them a voice on important issues. Through JFGO’s advocacy arm, the Jewish Community Relations Council, we:

 

  • Sponsor and organize community forums on issues that are important to local Jews;
  • Speak to media on behalf of the Central Florida Jewish community;
  • Encourage community action on key legislation at the local, state and national levels;
  • Offer security resources to local Jewish organizations, including assistance securing federal Department of Homeland Security Grants.
  • Provide resources to public schools on Jewish holidays, hold annual school board forums, and work with administrators on issues of anti-Semitism and other forms of hate speech; and
  • Partner with non-Jewish groups on issues that are important to our respective constituencies.

Why Federation?

We fund and support a broad network of organizations that focus on two critical things:

  1. Caring for people in need here at home, in Israel, and around the world.
  2. Nurturing and sustaining the Jewish community today and for future generations.

For generations, Federation has enabled Jews to fulfill our obligation to take care of each other and to ensure our Jewish future. The Jewish Federation is all of us, the members of our community.

Cultivating Jewish Leaders:

We are leading the charge for our next generation to come together as Jews. Young Jewish professionals participate in leadership development, philanthropy, social action, support of Israel, and meaningful connections through Our Jewish Orlando.

Here At Home:

There was a time when being Jewish was only about being part of an agency or a synagogue. Today it’s about connecting to the Jewish community, not just inside our institutions, but throughout all of sunny Central Florida. We have done a remarkable job transforming into a catalyst and a portal for all things Jewish in our community.

Nurturing Jewish Life:

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando’s Maitland campus provides a hub for Jewish life in Central Florida. More than 1,500 community members use our facilities to enhance their lives each and every day. Meeting the needs of Jews of all ages is a big job. And JFGO is up to the task.

Engaging Jewish Youth:

We are committed to helping young children build Jewish identity. Our programs help families strengthen their relationship with our Jewish community. From little ones to teens, families will find opportunities to grow together at JFGO.

Connecting Our Jewish World:

We have the demonstrated ability to carry out big, bold initiatives and mobilize great resources in times of crisis. We are part of a greater umbrella, the Jewish Federations of North America, which represents 155 Jewish Federations and more than 300 network communities, and raises and distributes more than $3 billion annually for social welfare, social services, and educational needs.

407-645-5933 ext. 236

Jewish Federation offices

851 N. Maitland Ave.

Maitland, FL 32751

GET IN TOUCH WITH FEDERATION

Let us know how we can help you!