Grants

JMF Awards Grant to “Angela Gold Music Scholarship Fund”

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We’re honored to award a grant to the Angela Gold Music Scholarship Fund to help raise the next generation of future song leaders.

Ellen writes, “So many of my best friendships, including my friendship with Angela Gold, grew from time spent together at Songleading and Jewish music conferences such as Hava Nashira and Songleader Boot Camp. Hundreds of poets, composers, musicians, liturgists and clergy have been inspired by these gatherings, and Angela was at the center of it all with her warmth and generosity, her amazing guitar skills and beautiful voice, and her ability to teach and share with passion and joy. Continuing the blessing of Angela’s life by providing scholarship funds specifically to budding young songleaders and music educators is a gift that will keep on giving for generations to come.”

The Jonah Maccabee Foundation is delighted to support the Angela Gold Music Scholarship Fund with a grant from our Arts Fund. Learn more by visiting the Angela Gold Music Scholarship Fund online.

Thank you for your donations that make our support possible.

BillyJMF Awards Grant to “Angela Gold Music Scholarship Fund”
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Campaign for Racial Justice Concludes

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Our Campaign for Racial Justice has ended. And we just want to thank you for supporting, in these difficult times, our requests for donations. Because of your generosity, we were able to award four significant grants to:

  1. The Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
  2. The Poor People’s Campaign, co-chaired by Rev. Dr. William Barber, II, and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, advocates on behalf of the 140 million poor and low-wealth people in our nation — from every race, creed, color, sexuality and place — agitating from coast-to-coast “to challenge the lie of scarcity in the midst of abundance.” You can sign their open letter to lawmakers, which calls for the protection and expansion of the right to vote, consequences for abuses of police power, demilitarization of the police and an end to mass incarceration, universal healthcare for all (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), and the establishment of a National Truth Commission on the violence of systemic racism.
  3. Fair Fight is an organization founded by Stacey Abrams (former Georgia congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate) to combat voter suppression of voters of color and young voters. Fair Fight promotes fair elections, encourages voter participation, and educates voters about elections and their voting rights.
  4. BlackLine, a 24-hour hotline geared towards the Black, Black LGBTQI, Brown, Native and Muslim community. BlackLine provides an anonymous and confidential avenue to report negative, physical, and inappropriate contact with police and vigilantes. BlackLine provides immediate crisis counseling to those who are upset, need to talk with someone immediately, or are in distress.
BillyCampaign for Racial Justice Concludes
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1st Three Grants Awarded in Campaign for Racial Justice

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Three weeks ago, as America’s passion for freedom seemed finally to embrace black Americans, The Jonah Maccabee Foundation began our Campaign for Racial Justice.

We’re pleased to share with you that the following grants have been awarded because of your generosity:

  1. The Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
  2. The Poor People’s Campaign, co-chaired by Rev. Dr. William Barber, II, and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, advocates on behalf of the 140 million poor and low-wealth people in our nation — from every race, creed, color, sexuality and place — agitating from coast-to-coast “to challenge the lie of scarcity in the midst of abundance.” You can sign their open letter to lawmakers, which calls for the protection and expansion of the right to vote, consequences for abuses of police power, demilitarization of the police and an end to mass incarceration, universal healthcare for all (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), and the establishment of a National Truth Commission on the violence of systemic racism.
  3. Fair Fight is an organization founded by Stacey Abrams (former Georgia congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate) to combat voter suppression of voters of color and young voters. Fair Fight promotes fair elections, encourages voter participation, and educates voters about elections and their voting rights.

We are so proud to support these three organizations, and grateful to have your support during our Campaign for Racial Justice in making these grants possible.

Billy1st Three Grants Awarded in Campaign for Racial Justice
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“Jonah-Inspired” … daring to dream of peace

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FROM JONAH’S DAD

Dear friends,

As our “Jonah-Inspired” campaign continues (and we ever-so-gently, and with unabashed desperation, encourage you to donate), we’re sharing with you some of our favorite projects, hoping to inspire you as we ourselves have been inspired … to remember Jonah by bringing increased goodness into the world.

Billy“Jonah-Inspired” … daring to dream of peace
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“Jonah-Inspired” … fighting for immigrant dignity

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FROM JONAH’S DAD

Dear friends,

At this moment in history, no issue is of greater importance to me than immigrant rights. You certainly know as much as I about our current government’s draconian policies. Not only have the doors to our nation been slammed shut to most but the most privileged, but mistreatment — especially of children — has become a stain on America’s record of compassionate human rights.

Billy“Jonah-Inspired” … fighting for immigrant dignity
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“Jonah-Inspired” … a note from Ellen Dreskin

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FROM ELLEN DRESKIN

Dear friends,

As I reflect on The Jonah Maccabee Foundation’s re-articulated mission, “Turning love into action,” I am reminded how 19-year-old Jonah was evolving into someone who saw himself capable of making a big difference in other people’s lives. True to his “Maccabee”-ness, he was often champion to those whose voices were not being heard, and was known for bringing lights of friendship and inclusion to all of the communities of which he was a part.

If you didn’t get a chance to see last week’s note about our work in 2019, I’ve copied it below. I hope you are moved by reading about the ways in which your donations to the Foundation have made a difference in the last twelve months, and that you will donate to our December campaign, “Jonah-Inspired.”

Were Jonah alive today, I can easily imagine him soliciting funds for these organizations, and possibly even running one himself. I believe he is proud of us all.

Thank you again for enabling us to continue to bring Jonah’s light into the world these past 10 years and into the future as well.

Ellen

Billy“Jonah-Inspired” … a note from Ellen Dreskin
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“Jonah-Inspired” … here’s just how much he inspired us in 2019

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FROM THE DRESKINS

We’ve kicked off our December campaign, sharing our brand new tagline, “Turning love into action,” to convey our family’s passion for how we want to continue paying tribute to the beautiful gift of Jonah’s life.

We want you to donate, but because we deeply respect the trust you place in us, here’s a list of our most recent projects. Immigration rights screamed for attention this year. Morally impossible to ignore the cries of children separated from their families, we made a whole bunch of grants to organizations we felt were doing important, significant work. We also made grants to folks who are doing great stuff in the arts and in Jewish life. Read on!

Billy“Jonah-Inspired” … here’s just how much he inspired us in 2019
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JMF Awards Grant to “Jewish Star”

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Jewish Star is a North American talent search competition designed to find and encourage the next generation of singer-songwriters in the Jewish community. Celebrity music artists judge and select winners based on vocal, instrumental and performance skills, as well as their passion for impacting the Jewish world.

Jewish Star is a project of Jewish Rock Radio, a high-caliber, 24-7, Jewish rock internet radio station that broadcasts contemporary Jewish rock music and pieces of related interest.

The Jonah Maccabee Foundation is delighted to support Jewish Star with a grant from our Jewish Life Fund. Learn more by visiting Jewish Star and Jewish Rock Radio online.

Thank you for making our support possible.

BillyJMF Awards Grant to “Jewish Star”
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680 Arrested in MS … JMF Awards 6 More Grants to Help Immigrant Kids

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With 680 undocumented workers arrested in a record-setting immigration sweep on the first day of school in Mississippi, The Jonah Maccabee Foundation felt the need to do something.

United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led community in the country. They create welcoming spaces for young people – regardless of immigration status – to support, engage, and empower them to make their voices heard and win!

Billy680 Arrested in MS … JMF Awards 6 More Grants to Help Immigrant Kids
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JMF Awards 5 Grants to Help Immigrant Kids Down South

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Photos are not allowed in U.S. Immigration Court, but you can imagine what it’s like for a young child to go through a deportation hearing. Of children who enter Immigration Court without a lawyer, 9 out of 10 are deported. When provided legal representation, half are able to remain in the United States.

With the successful completion of our summer campaign, The Jonah Maccabee Foundation is honored to direct grants to the following five organizations:

  • RAICES: Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services is hard at work throughout the state or Texas providing free legal information, referrals and direct representation for unaccompanied children in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
  • The Florence Project: The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project provides free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in immigration custody in Arizona who are facing immigration removal proceedings. The Florence Project endeavors to ensure that each immigrant has access to counsel, understands their rights under the law, and is treated fairly and humanely.
  • KIND: Kids in Need of Defense works to: a) ensure no child appears in immigration court without high quality legal representation; b) secure legislation that ensures children’s protection and their right to due process; and, c) promote in countries of origin solutions to child migration grounded in the best interests of the child, to ensure that no child is forced to involuntarily migrate.
  • Families Belong Together: As we continue to witness America’s betrayal of its long-standing passion for being a nation of refugees, some 250 organizations representing Americans from all backgrounds have joined together to fight family separation and detention, seek accountability for the harm that’s been done, and to reunite all families who remain torn apart.
  • Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights: The Young Center advocates for the rights and best interests of immigrant children, from custody and release to the ultimate decision about whether the child will be allowed to remain in the U.S.

The Jonah Maccabee Foundation feels privileged to be able to support this most worthy work. Learn more by visiting these organizations’ website or home on Facebook.

Thank YOU for making our support possible.

BillyJMF Awards 5 Grants to Help Immigrant Kids Down South
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