Jewish Women’s Foundation’s largest-ever grants docket to empower women across generations

JWF’s multiyear grant to jGirls+ Magazine, a program of Moving Traditions, helps foster the next generation of strong feminist leadership. Pictured are the publication’s teen editors. (Photo credit: Lynn Renee Photography, Moving Traditions.)

The Jewish Women’s Foundation (JWF) is proud to announce its most ambitious docket to date: 20 grants totaling $454,000, awarded in December 2025. Grounded in Jewish values and framed by a gender lens, these investments cover diverse priorities, from education, leadership, health, safety, and legal reform to combating antisemitism and strengthening the Jewish community. 

Spanning the U.S. and Israel, the new grants meet the moment by supporting Israel’s recovery after war and empowering Jewish women and girls at every stage of life from youth to old age. 

In Israel, JWF is funding the Institute for Gender Equity in Education to support girls ages 10–13, a critical stage when gender stereotypes begin to shape ambition. Partnering with Hebrew University and the Ministry of Education, this program uses research-based educational tools to transform how girls see themselves and how society views them as leaders. 

Domestically, JWF is empowering teens through writing, public speaking, and identity-building with a multiyear grant to Moving Traditions for jGirls+ Magazine, an online publication led by Jewish teen editors. The platform cultivates next-gen leadership, amplifies young voices, and maintains a growing alumnae network. 

To combat rising antisemitism, JWF is backing Jewish on Campus, a Gen Z-led movement mobilizing Jewish college students and allies through campus chapters, peer education, national advocacy, and social media campaigns to foster safe, inclusive campus communities. 

A grant to Avodah addresses antisemitism within secular nonprofits and fosters inclusivity for young Jewish professionals, while cultivating the next generation of Jewish social justice leaders through service, learning, and community. 

Additionally, JWF is investing in Marva – Law, Welfare and Empowerment to prevent elder abuse of Israeli women. Through nationwide training and systemic interventions, Marva protects one of society’s most vulnerable populations. 

Together, these grants exemplify JWF’s unwavering commitment to cultivating female leaders and preserving Jewish continuity across generations. 

JWF has also awarded new grants focusing on post-war recovery and long-term systemic change for women in Israel. 

Among the grantees is The Dinah Project, a groundbreaking effort to seek justice for victims of conflict-related sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7. Through legal research, advocacy, and diplomacy, the project is shaping national and international responses to these atrocities and setting global precedents for accountability and protection in future conflicts. 

Two additional grants advance women’s representation as high-level policy makers. Forum Dvorah is building a pipeline of women leaders in Israel’s national security and foreign policy sectors, addressing systemic barriers and amplifying women’s voices in strategic decision-making.  

The Abraham Initiatives is strengthening Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel’s mixed cities, which can serve as a blueprint for national collaboration. By investing in female elected officials and creating inclusive governance models, this project offers a practical and scalable approach to building a constructive political culture. 

And JWF is funding NATAL for a research project which centers women’s experiences of trauma and moral injury. This study will generate gender-specific evidence to transform clinical practices and inform policy, ensuring care models meet the unique needs of women and girls in post-war Israel. 

JWF’s largest docket to date includes these grants and more, marking a historic step in the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to the Jewish community in both the U.S. and Israel. These strategic investments advance justice, equity, and resilience for Jewish women, creating pathways for progress and leadership that will shape the future. 

For more information about the full docket of grants or how to become involved in JWF, please visit www.jwfchicago.org. 

Ellen B. Carmell is Executive Director of the Evelyn R. Greene Office of the Executive Director, Jewish Women’s Foundation.