The San Francisco-based Jim Joseph Foundation is donating $1 million to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy.
The grant, administered through UJA-Federation of New York, will provide families devastated by the storm with additional assistance for educational purposes such as tuition/enrollment subsidies for Jewish day schools and Jewish residential summer camps. As Sandy recovery continues to stretch out over months, the financial impact to many families has been significant, forcing many to choose relocation and restoration expenses over continued Jewish education opportunities for their children.
“With the magnitude of need so enormous, this grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation will bring families devastated by the storm some sense of normalcy, providing children the opportunity to continue their education in day schools and experience Jewish life at summer camps,” said UJA-Federation of New York Executive Vice President and CEO John Ruskay in a press release announcing the grant.
Al Levitt, president of the Jim Joseph Foundation, which funds Jewish education in the United States, said, “It is of course vital that philanthropic dollars respond to the immediate humanitarian needs of victims, but there is a critical need for this aid as well. Long after news coverage dissipates and much of the philanthropic funding ceases, families need assistance to return to a sense of normalcy. For Jewish families, this often means financial assistance to afford tuition to Jewish day schools and Jewish camp enrollment. We have a responsibility to help families once again have access to the Jewish learning and identity-shaping opportunities that are such an integral part of their lives.”
Julie.inthemix@gmail.com, @Julie_Wiener
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