Jewish Women’s Foundation allocates $432,000 in grants to empower Jewish women and girls

Addressing the long-term impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on Israeli female combat soldiers. Ensuring equal access to safe reproductive health care for women in Illinois. Integrating Ethiopian Israeli women into the forefront of Israel’s workforce.

These are just a few of the 23 projects that the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, or JWF, and the Ellie Fund at JWF will support in 2022. The foundation, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year, announced its new grants in December.

The grants, totaling $432,000, focus on a broad range of issues from developing the next generation of female leaders in the Jewish community to training Israeli women in legislative advocacy to promoting safety, respect, and equity in the Jewish community.

The docket of projects empowers women and girls at a time of shared crises in the United States, Israel, and around the world due to COVID-19. The pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and girls, threatening their mental health, educational opportunities, economic security, and safety due to an escalation of violence and abuse. Women and girls have faced these entrenched challenges before COVID, but they have grown more acute during the pandemic.

“At JWF, we remain steadfast and committed to our vision of a just world for Jewish women and girls,” said Stephanie Smerling, JWF Grants Chair. “It is through our strategic grantmaking that we can focus on new, emerging challenges as well as longstanding, systemic issues. The pandemic threatened to reverse decades of progress gained towards gender equity and rights for women and girls, further stressing the importance of work by our grantee partners. The world is starting to move from crisis to recovery, and it is an honor to diversify our grantmaking at this critical inflection point.”

This year’s historic docket of grants funds a broader geographic scope of projects than in years past with 11 domestic projects and 12 international grantees working in Israel, Russia, and Tunisia, among other countries.

In addition to one-year annual grants, JWF added two new grant initiatives this year–innovation and multi-year grants–both of which extend the foundation’s reach and impact by cultivating the next generation of changemakers and strengthening support for trusted, long-term grantee partners.

*Innovation grants, which invest in pioneering work in a more intentional way than typical grants, are awarded to young startups in operation for less than three years and to pilot projects at existing organizations.

*Multi-year funding demonstrates a level of trust and belief in the work of the grantee partner. In addition, multiyear grants recognize the significant time and resources it takes for an organization to apply for funding each year. JWF has awarded multiyear grants in the past, but now the foundation will invest in multiyear grants in a more expansive and systematic way.

“Issues confronting Jewish women and girls are more dire than ever, both locally and around the world,” said Ellen B. Carmell, JWF Executive Director. “Yet, women and girls’ causes in Israel receive less than 1% of philanthropic funding; in the US the statistic is less than 2%. These startling numbers underscore the urgency and relevance of our grants, perhaps more than ever. We take pride in knowing that JWF is among the small number of foundations focusing on women and girls, and the only one that focuses on Jewish women and girls in the Metropolitan Chicago area.”

Here is the full list of the grants that the JWF Chicago and the Ellie Fund at JWF Chicago will support in 2022.

Economic Security/Legal Reform for Women & Girls

ACLU:Roger Baldwin Foundation:Women’s and Reproductive Rights Project (WRRP)

Renewal Grant Amount: $25,000 The Women’s Reproductive Rights Project, a multi-faceted initiative, advances reproductive justice for all women in the state of Illinois, meaning equal access to safe abortion, affordable contraceptives, comprehensive sex education, medical care, and information. The WRRP advances legislation, defends past legal victories against pending lawsuits, safeguards protections around health care for women, and conducts public advocacy and education. The project studies the harms of religious restrictions and the prevalence of crisis pregnancy clinics in Illinois. In light of the fragility of Roe vs Wade, the WRRP will ensure that reproductive health care remains available to all Illinoisans, including Jewish women and girls.

Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI):Enhancing the Judicial Process for Sexual Violence Survivors

Grant Amount: $15,000 ARRCI, the umbrella organization for rape crisis centers across Israel, will advocate for a pilot initiative to enhance the Israeli court system’s ability to be sensitive to and meet the needs of survivors of sexual violence and abuse. Judges at a single magistrate court will receive specialized trauma informed training and then will exclusively handle sexual violence cases. AARCI will draft new legislation proposing this change, lobby the Knesset in partnership with a professional consultant, and create a report to highlight the strengths of the initiative, with the goal of a future full implementation of a sexual violence court.

ATZUM – Justice Works: Task Force on Human Trafficking

Grant Amount: Year 1: $20,000; Year 2: $20,000; Year 3: $10,000 ATZUM creates change for Israeli women and girls caught in the cycle of prostitution, trafficking, and consumption. ATZUM’s Task Force for Human Trafficking works to ensure the Nordic Law, which makes prostitution illegal for consumers, will be implemented properly and effectively. Along with its partners, the Task Force will advocate for rehabilitation and assistance services for survivors; ensure criminal action is taken against pimps and traffickers when appropriate; and engage in awareness building on the nuances and importance of the Nordic Law to lawmakers, public officials, and broader society.

Israel Hofsheet: Legislative Advocacy for Women in Israel

Grant Amount: $18,000 Israel Hofsheet bolsters women’s equal status in Israel, and promotes freedom of religion and Jewish pluralism. Through this project, Israel Hofsheet will engage in advocacy to oppose laws that promote gender segregation in public spheres and spaces, such as the recently proposed legislation for gender segregated swimming at Israel’s Parks and Nature reserves. In addition to fighting potential precedent setting legislation, Israel Hofsheet will collect and share data regarding gender separation and religious freedom in individual municipalities across Israel, and create more public awareness of this issue.

Olim Beyahad:Employment, Empowerment, and Leadership for Ethiopian Israeli Women

Renewal Grant Amount: Year 1: $20,000; Year 2: $20,000; Year 3: $10,000 Olim Beyahad increases the employment rate among Ethiopian Israeli university graduates by promoting their integration into the forefront of Israel’s workforce and giving them an equal opportunity to gain appropriate jobs that suit their academic degree. Participants are tracked depending on their career aspirations, and receive mentoring, guidance, and critical skills and knowledge. By helping overcome barriers and integrating female participants into leading jobs, they become role models for Ethiopian Israeli women and wider society. Olim Beyahad also partners with Israeli companies on strategies to increase representation, advancement of Ethiopian Israelis, and inclusivity in their organizations.

The Rackman Center at Bar Ilan University: Protecting Protective Mothers: Generating a Paradigm Shift in Addressing Women and Children Living in Domestic Violence

Renewal Grant Amount: $20,000 This project addresses domestic violence (DV) through legislative advocacy, by promoting the signing of the Istanbul Convention, the international standard for combatting DV, and providing legal support in test case litigation. In light of the growing needs of women and families experiencing DV, the Rackman Center promotes shifts in law, and changes in attitude and knowledge within the legal community and law enforcement about this issue. Broadly speaking, the Center advocates for a more victim centered, holistic, and sensitive approach across Israel to combatting DV and supporting victims and their families.

Education/Leadership Development for Women & Girls

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.: Girls Education Program in Djerba,Tunisia

Grant Amount: $10,000 Kanfei Yonah, a full-time school for girls ages six to 18 in religious and secular studies, is the primary opportunity for learning for young Jewish girls in Djerba. JDC will enhance the staff’s capacity and further professionalize the school by offering training in advanced educational practices and creating an appropriate compensation plan for the educators. JDC’s experts in early childhood program development will provide culturally sensitive guidance to Kanfei Yonah’s staff. The school will also serve as a social and religious center for the broader Jewish community.

jGirls Magazine: General Operating Support

Renewal Grant Amount: $25,000 jGirls Magazine is a global online magazine and community for self-identifying Jewish teenage girls to share their voices with the world and each other. Student editors hone their communication and leadership skills, address timely social issues, and engage with a community of peers on their own terms. By providing this forum for expression and exploration, jGirls cultivates the next generation of bold, committed Jewish female leaders. In partnership with Jewish Women’s Archive, jGirls runs a national alumnae network for its graduates.

Metro Chicago Hillel (MCH) : 70 Faces: Bringing Multifaceted Feminism to Young Chicago Jewish Women

Renewal Grant Amount: $15,000 MCH operates four Chicago Base locations which are staffed by rabbis who live on site and provide Jewish learning and engagement to college students and young adults. 70 Faces will expand Bases’ educational offers related to Jewish feminism. In partnership with Moishe House and JUF’s Young Leadership Division, female-identifying participants ages 18 – 30 will explore their Jewish and female identities; connect to Jewish tradition and ritual, and engage in discussion on advocacy around topics, such as environmental justice, with a Jewish lens. The course will help make Judaism accessible and relevant, and help prepare young women to be future community leaders and catalysts for positive change on campus and beyond.

Ohr Torah Stone (OTS):Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership (WIHL)

Renewal Grant Amount: $18,000 The Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership is a five-year, elite full-time institute in Israel that trains female scholars in Talmud and halakha (Jewish Law) , giving women equal opportunity to learn and gain recognition and respect for their studies. Graduates are certified as spiritual leaders authorized to provide direction in matters of halakha and receive support in finding internships and suitable employment commensurate with their education. WIHL is enabling women to turn their high level studies into an accessible career choice. OTS recently opened its first international track for Jewish female professionals around the world.

Health & Well-Being for Women & Girls

NATAL – Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center: Women at the Front: Addressing the Long Term Impact of PTSD on Female Combat Soldiers

Grant Amount: $20,000 Women at the Front intentionally and strategically seeks to understand the trauma experienced by women associated with and impacted by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). NATAL’s trained facilitators will run pilot support groups to inform its comprehensive research study on the long term effects of trauma experienced by women including veterans, military spouses, and caregivers. This research will be used to validate and inform future policies and programs at NATAL, the IDF, and broader Israeli society. NATAL may share the findings with organizations around the world also working in trauma.

No Shame On U:General Operating Support

Renewal Grant Amount: $22,000 No Shame On U is committed to eliminating the stigma, normalizing the conversation, and raising awareness of mental health conditions and well-being in the Jewish and wider communities. Its multi-pronged approach includes outreach programs, presentations, classes, online resources, teen internships, and workshops. No Shame On U partners with mental health organizations and Jewish institutions to respond to the needs of the community, especially the expanding mental health challenges associated with the ongoing pandemic. In recognition of the considerable effects of mental health on women and their families, No Shame On U creates gender specific resources and programming

The Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA):General Operating Support

Grant Amount: $30,000 ORA removes and prevents abuse from the Jewish marriage and divorce process and liberates agunot (women who are chained to their marriage) around the United States. Its interventions include prevention programs to educate about the importance of prenuptial agreements; a helpline for community members around the world; and advocacy and awareness building to the beit din (religious courts) and broader community . ORA’s educational programs operate in high schools, college campuses, and synagogues across the denominational spectrum. ORA also partners with Jewish agencies, such as JCFS Chicago and SHALVA.

Project Kesher: Capacity Building for Jewish Women Leaders in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Israeli Russian-Speaking Communities

Grant Amount: $12,000 Project Kesher will run a year-long mentoring and educational training program for female Jewish nonprofit professionals and lay leaders in communities across the Former Soviet Union and Russian speaking communities in Israel. Women will learn how to be more effective, impactful leaders, and be given tangible tools to address their organization’s strategic growth and development. Participants will explore the entrenched and systemic issues facing their own Jewish communities, including gender violence, economic security, public health, and wellness, and how they can address those challenges.

Sacred Spaces: Aleinu Chicago

Renewal Grant Amount: Year 1: $20,000; Year 2: $20,000; Year 3: $10,000 Sacred Spaces is creating a systemic response to abuse in the Jewish community. Aleinu Chicago raises the standards of child protection in Jewish youth serving institutions across Chicagoland. Sacred Spaces partners with institutions to implement policies and practices that prevent child maltreatment, take responsible preventative action should instances or suspicions emerge, and create an institutional culture that values and prioritizes this work. Through cohort learning, one-on-one organizational support, and community wide seminars, Sacred Spaces will work with approximately 50 local institutions in close collaboration with JCFS Chicago.

Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center: Advocating, Educating, Synergizing: The Bituach Le’umi Sexual Assault Survivors

Grant Amount: $15,000 The Center will work with Bituach Le’umi , Israel’s National Insurance Institute that oversees social security benefits, to more effectively and sensitively help survivors of sexual violence. Many are experiencing mental health challenges and post-traumatic stress, and come to Bituach Le’umi to receive access to disability and other health services. Through workshops and conferences, the Center will educate Bituach Le’um i staff and therapists to better understand how to work with, support, and communicate with survivors . Additionally, trained Center volunteers will accompany survivors in their interactions with Bituach Le’umi . As a member of AARCI, the Center will share its learnings with other rape crisis centers throughout Israel.

Innovation Grants

Ta’amod: Stand Up!:General Operating Support

Grant Amount: $15,000 Ta’amod ensures that Jewish communal organizations are respectful and equitable environments free of harassment and abuse for anyone who works, learns, or worships in these spaces. Ta’amod helps organizations develop a culture that preempts incidents, achieved through training, consultation, resources, and referrals – all with a Jewish lens. Ta’amod’s efforts include implementing a train-the-trainer model to provide Jewish institutions with organizational culture training designed specifically for the community; developing an online resource bank for addressing issues in workplace culture; and operating a free call line, which provides legal support and guidance to victims.

Ma’avarim Israeli Trans Community: Trans Employment Empowerment Program

Grant Amount: $10,000 Ma’avarim is led by, and for, the trans community. Organizationally, Ma’avarim works to expand knowledge about transgender people among Israeli policymakers, companies, law enforcement officials, educators, and healthcare providers. Through this pilot project, Ma’avarim will implement a multitiered approach to assist the trans community in obtaining and retaining jobs, as well as create more trans-friendly work environments across all sectors. Ma’avarim will run employment workshops designed specifically for trans individuals, train company personnel on creating inclusive environments, and educate staff at existing employment programs.

Ellie Fund Grants

I Grow Chicago: Counseling Services and Programming for High School Girls

Grant Amount: $25,000 I Grow Chicago seeks to grow Englewood from surviving to thriving by addressing the traumatic effects of violence and poverty through community connection, skill building, and opportunity. I Grow transforms abandoned properties and lots into spaces that are then used for community programs. I Grow will broaden its counseling support and targeted programming for high school aged girls.

Ladies of Virtue: Career Readiness and Civic Engagement; Mentor Training

Grant Amount: $11,800 Ladies of Virtue instills purpose, passion, and perseverance in African American girls, ages nine to 18, while preparing them for college, careers, and to become change agents in their communities. Ladies of Virtue continues to support its alumnae after high school graduation through financial assistance as well as help with internships, employment opportunities, and resume building. Ladies of Virtue will deepen its training and preparation for its adult mentors, and will establish a new summer camp on the south side of Chicago that focuses on career readiness.

Mujeres Latinas en Acción: Position Paper on the Needs of Survivors of Gender-Based Violence and Capacity Building for Support of Mujeres’ Mental Health Professionals

Grant Amount: $10,000 Mujeres is a bilingual and bicultural agency seeking to empower Latinas, their families, and youth to become self-reliant, take full advantage of available opportunities, and create new ways to improve the quality of their lives. Mujeres promotes non-violence, reproductive health, and leadership development, and assists Latina survivors of domestic and sexual violence from throughout Chicagoland. Mujeres will create a position paper on the needs of immigrant communities and survivors of gender-based violence as well as expand its internal work around staff retention and pay equity.

Midwest Access Project (MAP):General Operating Support

Grant Amount: $30,000 Midwest Access Project trains and supports health care professionals willing to provide the vital services their patients need in order to restore reproductive health care options where none or too few exist in Illinois and elsewhere in the Midwest. MAP fills gaps in medical education and clinical training for students, residents, and healthcare providers, thus ultimately reducing barriers to care for women of all backgrounds. Given the current national climate, MAP continues to expand its clinical training sites nationwide.

NATAL – Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center: Clinical Mobile Unit

Grant Amount: $25,000 NATAL’s multidisciplinary model of psychological support provides therapy and interventions to victims of terror and war in Israel as well as other at-risk populations. NATAL ensures Israel’s resiliency by responding to both routine and emergency situations. The Clinical Mobile Unit treats thousands of civilians across the country who suffer from acute trauma, especially those in the geographic and social peripheries.

The Jewish Women’s Foundation is an independent project of the Jewish United Fund of Chicago.