Sixteen vibrant organizations taking Jewish life in Chicago in new directions, many of them offered or supported by the Jewish United Fund, are profiled in the latest edition of TheSlingshot Guide , an influential national guide for philanthropists focused on innovative Jewish non-profits.

“Chicago has emerged as a bustling center of innovation … a vibrant community that is anything but traditional,” wrote Slingshot Executive Director Stefanie Rhodes.

JUF’sjBaby Chicago and REACH are among the programs featured in a special Chicago supplement to the 11th edition of the guide, which was released today.

JUF’S jBaby Chicago connects Jewish and interfaith new and expectant parents to Jewish life and resources – and each other – through a wide range of play groups, events and other programming. JUF created the outreach effort after its research revealed that 71 percent of Chicago-area Jewish parents of young children were not as connected to the Jewish community as they wanted to be. They were particularly interested in meeting other families, participating in Jewish programming, and exploring Jewish life as a new family.

REACH, which also was highlighted in last year’s Slingshot Guide , provides a central resource that helps local Jewish day schools better meet the academic, social-emotional and physical health needs of students with special needs. REACH is a collaborative effort of JUF, the Associated Talmud Torahs and Jewish Child & Family Services.

” The Slingshot Guide’s focus on so many remarkable Chicago programs is a powerful endorsement of the creativity and vitality of our Jewish community,” JUF President Steven B. Nasatir said.” And JUF enthusiastically nurtures that innovation because that’s how we keep individuals and families engaged in Jewish life, no matter their background, interests or stage of life.”

One way JUF does that is through its Breakthrough Fund, a special grant program launched in 2014 to encourage smart, strategic growth and creative program development in Chicago’s Jewish community. Half a dozen programs highlighted by The Slingshot Guide have received support from the fund in the past two years. One is REACH. The others are:

• Bayit Afterschool, a daily after-school program bringing together a diverse community that echoes the summer camp experience;
• Interfaith Family/Chicago, which supports interfaith families exploring Jewish life and community;
• Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, which brings Jewish and other diverse communities together to create positive social change that combats racism, discrimination and anti-Semitism;
• Mishkan Chicago, which engages and inspires people through dynamic experiences of Jewish prayer, learning and community building, with a particular focus on engaging those still seeking their place in the Jewish community; and
• Moishe House, which creatively redefines Jewish life for twentysomethings through a peer-led model of connection, leadership and engagement.
  

Other Chicago programs highlighted by Slingshot are Avodah, a leadership network promoting social justice and fighting domestic poverty; Bnai Mitzvah Revolution, which creates engaging models of preparation and celebration for b’nai mitzvah; Big Tent Judaism: Chicago, which welcomes less-engaged Jews and unaffiliated intermarried families; Hands of Peace, which develops peacebuilding and leadership skills in Israeli, Palestinian and American teens; Jewish Enrichment Center, which promotes seriously creative text study; KAHAL: Your Jewish Home Abroad, which creates transformative experiences for Jewish study-abroad students; Keshet, which provides integrated educational, recreational and vocational programming for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning, a pluralistic home for mindful Jewish learning and practice; and SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, dedicated to serious study of Talmud and committed to the queer experience.

The Slingshot Guide was created to help philanthropists identify the most innovative, effective organizations, programs and projects in the North American Jewish community. Some 230 organizations were evaluated on their innovative approach, the impact they have in their work, the leadership they have in their sector, and their effectiveness at achieving results.

The latest edition includes the Chicago-centric supplement focusing on initiatives reshaping the way local Jews connect with their community and identity.

For listed organizations, recognition in The Slingshot Guide often is a critical step toward obtaining much needed new funding and expanding their work. Selected organizations are eligible for grants from various Midwest peer-giving networks of young donors that are identifying, highlighting and advancing causes that resonate with the next generation of philanthropists. The guide is a frequently used resource for donors seeking to support organizations transforming the world in novel and interesting ways.

Publication of the Chicago supplement was supported through a generous partnership with The Crown Family Philanthropies and the Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund.

“I am delighted to be able to showcase the amazing potential and impact of these 16 projects,” said Bethany Shiner, trustee of the Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund. “Jewish innovation in Chicago is bustling – it is at the forefront of entrepreneurial Jewish programming in the Midwest.”

“Introducing a Slingshot Guide focused specifically on Chicago is another step in the flourishing field of Jewish innovation,” said Slingshot’s Rhodes. “It allows us to give these organizations the recognition they deserve and boost their presence among donors and volunteers in their local communities.”