Dear friends,

So many of the people we talk to carry with them a round-the-clock anxiety. The world seems more filled than ever with turmoil, scarcity and suffering. There are days when we want to just disappear into some Enchanted Forest where discord is long forgotten and all is well.

Then, perhaps with a sigh and a strong cup of coffee, we begin our day. While trying to earn a living, raise a family and keep ourselves from going insane, we look for something WE can do to help alleviate suffering and restore hope.

The Jonah Maccabee Foundation may not find that Enchanted Forest but everyday we are enchanted by the courage and resilience of good folks who are trying to make a difference. We seek them out and, in partnership with YOU, award grants of financial assistance that assist these verifiable heroes in continuing their valiant labors.

With abundant gratitude for your support, here’s how we have used your donations thus far in 2024:

OF SPECIAL MENTION — THANK YOU TO BOB ALPER: This past February, we hosted a house concert featuring comedian Bob Alper who generously donated his fee to The Jonah Maccabee Foundation to support Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 tragedy. We raised $10,000 and immediately sent out (always on your behalf) a slough of grants. We also dug into our savings to send additional humanitarian aid into Gaza. Here’s how you have helped …

In Israel …

• IsraAID … partnering with local organizations and civil society initiatives in Israel’s south, focusing on psychosocial support, stress relief activities, and relief supplies as needed
• Just One Chesed … providing Israeli soldiers and civilians with life-saving medical, tactical, and other essentials
• Friends of IDF … works closely with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to provide for the well-being of its soldiers, veterans, and family members through educational, financial, spiritual, and cultural initiatives
• Rabbis for Human Rights … an Israeli organization that works within the Occupied Territories to promote social and economic justice within Israel
• Parents Circle – Family Forum … a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of over 700 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict there, all of whom believe that reconciliation between nations is a prerequisite to achieving a sustainable peace
• Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Community … ten kibbutzim within a few miles of Gaza that offer pluralistic, egalitarian Jewish cultural and social action activities and, in the aftermath of October 7, care for their emotional well-being as well.
• Road to Recovery … Jewish volunteers meet Palestinians at checkpoints to drive them to Israeli hospitals for much-needed operations … a number of Road to Recovery volunteers were murdered by Hamas on October 7 … the organization continues its mission nonetheless
• Combatants For Peace … Israelis and Palestinians, former fighters on both sides of the conflict, working together to nonviolently bring equality, freedom and peace … nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 and 2018
• World Central Kitchen … partnering with local restaurants across Israel, WCK served meals to people who were displaced from their homes on October 7, and delivered fresh, nourishing meals to the hospitals where returning hostages received checkups and reunited with their families
• Torah Tzedek … an Israeli human rights organization which acts to safeguard Arab and Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley, West Bank and East Jerusalem
• The Tamari Project … raising funds for Bikurim, the youth village for performing arts (3 miles from the Gaza border), established in 2014 by Tamar Kedem Siman Tov (murdered on October 7) and Sagui Dekel Chen (kidnapped on October 7) … watch their amazing rendition of “Yihiyeh Tov”)

In Gaza …

• American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) … provides humanitarian and development aid to the Middle East, specifically the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Jordan
• World Central Kitchen … despite ongoing and dire risk, WCK’s Palestinian team show up daily, providing more than 100,000 meals each day by land, sea, and air

In Ukraine …

• United Help Ukraine … provides the people of Ukraine with critical humanitarian support (first-aid, food and water) that will enable them to survive in the face of current adversity

And so many other places that need your help …

• Judaism Alive … identifies, trains, promotes, and places young leaders in Jewish organizations throughout North America to keep the spirit of Judaism alive for future generations
• Makom Community … creates family-centered Jewish experiences in Philadelphia
• Animal Love Rescue Center in Costa Rica … a non-profit, no-kill charitable organization, founded on the belief that all animals deserve respectful and loving treatment and must be protected by humans as well as by law
• Harmony Project … provides no-cost, high-quality music instruction and social support to underserved children in low-income communities throughout Los Angeles, motivating them to cultivate their human potential
• National Diaper Network … provides basic necessities required to build the strong foundations all children, families, and individuals need to thrive and reach their full potential
• Creating S.P.A.C.E. … provide a cohesive education program in Denver, CO, that engages communities to embrace all differences and disabilities
• Treehouse Shakers … provides teacher trainings and residencies for students that focus on the art of dance and storytelling
• Lifting Up Westchester Summer Camp and Youth Services … gives children who are experiencing homelessness in Westchester County, New York, a safe space filled with fun and games, plus literacy activities that help them retain the past year’s school lessons, preparing for success when the new school year begins, then stays with them to help ensure success throughout the entire year
• MindLeaps … creates educational paths for vulnerable children by engaging them in fun dance classes that are part of a carefully crafted curriculum to develop key cognitive and social-emotional skills vital to success in school and work

We hope you feel as good about these grants as we do. Thank you so much for supporting our projects. We’re grateful to have you with us as we carry forward Jonah’s legacy — his zest for living and his passion for goodness — and, together, work to improve the lives of young people everywhere.

Wishing you every goodness,
Ellen, Billy, Katie and Aiden
The Jonah Maccabee Foundation

P.S. Your donation is always welcome at jonahmac.org/donate.

Dear friends,

It’s been a tumultuous year, to be sure. So much fear and so much suffering. But throughout it all, there are always lights of hope, people like you who care, who want to do something to make the world better, and who succeed. These individuals may not finish the task, but they most certainly move it along.

The Jonah Maccabee Foundation seeks out such folks and, in partnership with YOU, we award grants, financial assistance that won’t finish the task but will move things along.

With abundant gratitude for your support, here’s how we used your donations in 2023:

In Israel and Gaza …

• IsraAID … partnering with local organizations and civil society initiatives in Israel’s south, focusing on psychosocial support, stress relief activities, and relief supplies as needed
• American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) … provides humanitarian and development aid to the Middle East, specifically the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Jordan
• Just One Chesed … providing Israeli soldiers and civilians with life-saving medical, tactical, and other essentials
• Friends of IDF … works closely with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to provide for the well-being of its soldiers, veterans, and family members through educational, financial, spiritual, and cultural initiatives
• Rabbis for Human Rights … an Israeli organization that works within the Occupied Territories to promote social and economic justice within Israel

In Ukraine …

• Ukraine Children’s Action Project … works in Ukraine and Poland with a wide range of organizations and government agencies to help address the critical and growing needs of traumatized Ukrainian kids who are exposed to the unrelenting attacks of the Russian military
• Shelter Friend – Ukraine … helping sick and injured stray animals in Dneproperovsk city, Ukraine, that have been caught in the crossfire of the armed conflict there
• United 24 … the official fundraising platform of the nation of Ukraine, allows for the world to unite in protecting, supporting and rebuilding Ukraine during its battle to defend itself from Russian assault
• IsraAID … throughout the conflict in Ukraine, IsraAID has provided essential services at the Moldovan border for fleeing refugees, established in Romania a supply chain for humanitarian aid into southern Ukraine, and has provided mental health and psychosocial support training in Ukraine itself for psychologists and social workers in Irpin and Bucha, cities in Kyiv region that saw the large-scale loss of civilian life

America’s ongoing immigration crisis …

• Woodlands Community Temple (White Plains, NY) … with asylum seeking refugees that were bused to New York from Texas and Florida arriving to the Rivertowns (Ardsley, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry and more), families have been welcomed with open arms, The Jonah Maccabee Foundation providing grants to supplement meals, education and cultural events
• Grannies Respond NYC … formed in response to the separation of families seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border in 2018, provides compassionate and respectful support for asylum seekers and immigrants who seek safety and security in the United States

In Turkey and Syria …

• The White Helmets … benefitting from your donations to our Earthquake Relief campaign in February, The White Helmets are an all-volunteer relief organization on the ground in Syria, rescuing victims from the destruction there and then helping to rebuild lives in the earthquake’s aftermath
• IsraAID … also benefitting from your donations to our Earthquake Relief campaign, volunteers from Israel have brought help to Syria, regardless of the ongoing discord between these two nations
• Embrace Relief … receiving a grant from JMF on your behalf, this Turkish-American relief organization has partnered with other organizations and has sent their own volunteers to bring help to earthquake-ravaged Turkey
• Bridge to Turkiye … , a Turkish-American relief organization that partners with other organizations to get the help to where it’s most needed
• Oxfam America … this well-known super-hunger assistance organization works with partners to provide nearly two million survivors in the worst-affected areas of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria with clean water, food, shelter, blankets, and psychological support
• Syrian American Medical Society Foundation … provides medical relief and healthcare to innocent civilians affected by the Syrian earthquake
• World Central Kitchen … responded to the earthquake in Turkey in Syria by organizing teams of food first responders to get meals to the people who need them most

And so many other places that need your help …

• Play Group Theatre … “preparing kids for every stage in life,” PGT understands that rather than the show what’s most important when kids do theatre is learning collaboration, sharpening listening skills, embracing creativity, and treating one another with honor
• 6 Points Creative Arts Academy … a summer camp that strives to create holistic, meaningful experiences for young artists in a living laboratory for learning and performing
• Judaism Alive … identifies, trains, promotes, and places young leaders in Jewish organizations throughout North America to keep the spirit of Judaism alive for future generations
• Music to Life … finds and supports artists who are dedicated to helping people and the planet through their work on civil and human rights, climate change, poverty and health
• Braver Angels … addressing the challenge of bringing together Americans who not only disagree on political issues but increasingly dislike each other
• Mississippi River Network … disproportionately and unjustly impacted by pollution, public health disparities, and economic injustices, communities of color along the Mississippi River benefit from the efforts of the MRN which works for the well-being of the people, land, water, and wildlife of America’s largest watershed
• Lifting Up Westchester Summer Camp and Youth Services … gives children who are experiencing homelessness in Westchester County, New York, a safe space filled with fun and games, plus literacy activities that help them retain the past year’s school lessons, preparing for success when the new school year begins, then stays with them to help ensure success throughout the entire year
• Dream Street Foundation … provides camping programs for children and young adults with chronic and life threatening illnesses
• Sing Unto God … works to elevate the practice of communal singing and meaningful worship for any person, congregation, or community wanting to learn about or experience the transformative power of uniting voices
• Harmony Project … provides no-cost, high-quality music instruction and social support to underserved children in low-income communities, motivating them to cultivate their human potential
• Food Bank for NYC … working to end food poverty in New York City’s five boroughs by helping low-income New Yorkers overcome their circumstances and achieve greater independence
• National Diaper Network … provides basic necessities required to build the strong foundations all children, families, and individuals need to thrive and reach their full potential
• The Tali Fund … in memory of Talia Faith Agler, supports Tali’s ongoing work and dreams, helping fund the Talia Agler Girls Shelter in Nairobi, Kenya
• MindLeaps … creates educational paths for vulnerable children by engaging them in fun dance classes that are part of a carefully crafted curriculum to develop key cognitive and social-emotional skills vital to success in school and work
• The Penguin Project … provides theatrical outlets across the country for young artists with developmental disabilities, joined onstage by children without disabilities who work side-by-side through rehearsals and performances
• United Negro College Fund …awards more than 10,000 students scholarships annually, and provides financial support to 37 historically black colleges and universities
• The PICO Union Project … distributes free, fresh produce, mentors high school students, plants gardens and trees, and provides art programs to lift the minds and spirits of the immigrant communities living in the El Pueblo district in Los Angeles
• Lifting Up Westchester Summer Camp … gives children who are experiencing homelessness in Westchester County, New York, a safe space filled with fun and games, plus literacy activities that help them retain the past year’s school lessons, preparing for success when the new school year begins
• Morningside Farm Sanctuary … an all-species animal sanctuary located in Veneta, Oregon, whose animals arrive through medical surrender or seizure, abandonment, feed lots, auction yards, hoarder cases and other conditions

We hope you feel as good about these grants as we do. Thank you so much for supporting us. We’re grateful to have you with us as we carry forward Jonah’s legacy — his zest for living and his passion for goodness — and, together, work to improve the lives of young people everywhere.

Wishing you every goodness,
Ellen, Billy, Katie and Aiden
The Jonah Maccabee Foundation

Dear friends,

We thought you might like to know how we spent the money you’ve donated to The Jonah Maccabee Foundation thus far in 2023 (with links to each recipient if you’d like to learn more):

In Ukraine …

• Ukraine Children’s Action Project … works in Ukraine and Poland with a wide range of organizations and government agencies to help address the critical and growing needs of traumatized Ukrainian kids who are exposed to the unrelenting attacks of the Russian military
• Shelter Friend – Ukraine … helping sick and injured stray animals in Dneproperovsk city, Ukraine, that have been caught in the crossfire of the armed conflict there
• United 24 … the official fundraising platform of the nation of Ukraine, allows for the world to unite in protecting, supporting and rebuilding Ukraine during its battle to defend itself from Russian assault
• IsraAID … throughout the conflict in Ukraine, IsraAID has provided essential services at the Moldovan border for fleeing refugees, established in Romania a supply chain for humanitarian aid into southern Ukraine, and has provided mental health and psychosocial support training in Ukraine itself for psychologists and social workers in Irpin and Bucha, cities in Kyiv region that saw the large-scale loss of civilian life
• Grannies Respond NYC … formed in response to the separation of families seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border in 2018, provides compassionate and respectful support for asylum seekers and immigrants who seek safety and security in the United States

In Turkey and Syria …

• The White Helmets … benefitting from your donations to our Earthquake Relief campaign in February, The White Helmets are an all-volunteer relief organization on the ground in Syria, rescuing victims from the destruction there and then helping to rebuild lives in the earthquake’s aftermath
• IsraAID … also benefitting from your donations to our Earthquake Relief campaign, volunteers from Israel have brought help to Syria, regardless of the ongoing discord between these two nations
• Embrace Relief … receiving a grant from JMF on your behalf, this Turkish-American relief organization has partnered with other organizations and has sent their own volunteers to bring help to earthquake-ravaged Turkey
• Bridge to Turkiye … , a Turkish-American relief organization that partners with other organizations to get the help to where it’s most needed
• Oxfam America … this well-known super-hunger assistance organization works with partners to provide nearly two million survivors in the worst-affected areas of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria with clean water, food, shelter, blankets, and psychological support
• Syrian American Medical Society Foundation … provides medical relief and healthcare to innocent civilians affected by the Syrian earthquake
• World Central Kitchen … responded to the earthquake in Turkey in Syria by organizing teams of food first responders to get meals to the people who need them most

And so many other places that need your help …

• Play Group Theatre … “preparing kids for every stage in life,” PGT understands that rather than the show what’s most important when kids do theatre is learning collaboration, sharpening listening skills, embracing creativity, and treating one another with honor
• 6 Points Creative Arts Academy … a summer camp that strives to create holistic, meaningful experiences for young artists in a living laboratory for learning and performing
• Mississippi River Network … disproportionately and unjustly impacted by pollution, public health disparities, and economic injustices, communities of color along the Mississippi River benefit from the efforts of the MRN which works for the well-being of the people, land, water, and wildlife of America’s largest watershed
• Lifting Up Westchester Summer Camp and Youth Services … gives children who are experiencing homelessness in Westchester County, New York, a safe space filled with fun and games, plus literacy activities that help them retain the past year’s school lessons, preparing for success when the new school year begins, then stays with them to help ensure success throughout the entire year
• Sing Unto God … works to elevate the practice of communal singing and meaningful worship for any person, congregation, or community wanting to learn about or experience the transformative power of uniting voices
• Harmony Project … provides no-cost, high-quality music instruction and social support to underserved children in low-income communities, motivating them to cultivate their human potential
• Food Bank for NYC … working to end food poverty in New York City’s five boroughs by helping low-income New Yorkers overcome their circumstances and achieve greater independence
• National Diaper Network … provides basic necessities required to build the strong foundations all children, families, and individuals need to thrive and reach their full potential
• The Tali Fund … in memory of Talia Faith Agler, supports Tali’s ongoing work and dreams, helping fund the Talia Agler Girls Shelter in Nairobi, Kenya

We hope you feel as good about these grants as we do. Thank you so much for supporting us. We’re grateful to have you with us as we carry forward Jonah’s legacy — his zest for living and his passion for goodness — and, together, work to improve the lives of young people everywhere.

Wishing you every goodness,
Ellen, Billy, Katie and Aiden Dreskin
The Jonah Maccabee Foundation