NASHVILLE, TN — That two of the largest Jewish organizations in the world overlapped their annual conferences earlier this month was not by design. But increasingly, and to the benefit of Jewish communities wherever the two cooperate, United Jewish Communities (Federations of North America) and Chabad-Lubavitch are crossing paths and discovering the strength that comes in working together.
Partnering for Jewish Continuity: The UJC and Chabad-Lubavitch
NASHVILLE, TN — That two of the largest Jewish organizations in the world overlapped their annual conferences earlier this month was not by design. But increasingly, and to the benefit of Jewish communities wherever the two cooperate, United Jewish Communities (Federations of North America) and Chabad-Lubavitch are crossing paths and discovering the strength that comes in working together.
At the UJC’s General Assembly, Chabad’s Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz executive director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and Baltic States was asked to be part of a panel discussion. His topic “Building Jewish Identity Across the Globe” seemed to confirm the Federation’s growing appreciation for Chabad’s role as a vital force in Jewish continuity .
At GAs past, Chabad representatives led Torah study sessions. This year, the panel Rabbi Berkowitz took part in tapped into Chabad’s experience as a community starter. It was billed as a “thought-provoking approach to the very issues federations and agencies are tackling locally” that would contribute to “thinking about strategy and sense of people hood.”
On a weekend that brought some 4000 Chabad representatives to New York, a good number of the rabbis shuttled south to Nashville where the 3500 people had gathered for the UJC’s annual meeting, General Assembly. They comprised Chabad’s largest delegation to the GA yet. They came as representatives, panel discussion participants, grant recipients, and award winners, to share what they have learned in their leadership positions and to learn from their UJC peers.
Action at the GA was representative of the growing UJC support of Chabad activities, especially in the humanitarian sphere. For its work buddying teen volunteers with children with special needs, Chabad of Palo Alto received at $50,000 programming grant, and its Friendship Circle received $10,000 to train and inspire its teenage volunteers.
In the aftermath of disasters, where UJC has the will and ability provide assistance and Chabad has the local manpower and contacts, much good has been done. After Hurricane Katrina, UJC funded Chabad’s post-disaster relief in Louisiana with a $38,000 grant and provided Chabad relief workers with housing during their mission, and the Federation of Orange County, CA, funded a $10,000 grant for Chabad’s work in southern Mississippi. When Chabad of Thailand answered the call for help after the tsunami, the UJC contributed toward the emergency fund.
