NEW YORK (JTA) — The United Jewish Communities will be getting a new name in the fall.
The name for the umbrella organization of the North American Jewish federation system will not be announced officially until its annual General Assembly, which will be held in Washington in November.
But shortly after the organization’s board of trustees/delegate assembly Monday in New York, UJC chairman Joe Kanfer told JTA’s philanthropy blog The Fundermentalist that "It is very likely that when it is all said and done, we will be called the Jewish Federations of North America."
The UJC says its name isn’t working, as few of the federations it represents have attached the letters to their own names. The organization has been involved in a yearlong marketing research initiative costing more than $1 million.
The lack of uniformity of name at times has made it difficult for donors to find a federation from state to state. The idea is to convey that the federations are all part of one system.
According to Kanfer, starting after the G.A., the federation system will try to get all of its constituents to have some uniformity in their names that would include "Jewish federation." UJC leaders believe the process will not be overly difficult, as more than 130 of the 157 federations already have Jewish federation in their names.
The UJC also will be looking for a common logo for all of the federations.
“It’s common branding,” Kanfer said.
