What’s Happening?

Thanks to all who have contributed to our Winter 2016 Campaign!

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2016-12-wintercampaign16Our Winter 2016 campaign’s a little different. You’re invited the honor and/or remember parents and/or grandparents who inspired the life you’re living. It’s a sweet and poignant way to give credit where credit is due, and to help a whole lotta kids along the way.

We are so grateful that you take the time and dollars to support our work. This list of donors is a small but earnest way to thank you. May our efforts bring ever-increasing goodness into young lives!

The campaign continues through December 31, 2016. Please give generously at jonahmac.org/donate.

Ellen, Billy, Katie, Mark and Aiden


 

Naomi Dreskin … in memory of Helen and Oscar Dreskin (because as members of Jonah’s extended family, they would have been proud, as I am, of your efforts in his name, to enrich the lives of others through the arts– also their passion.)

Rachel Kalmowitz … in honor of my Mama, whose current experience fighting breast cancer reminds me how strong and capable this gentle, compassionate woman is.

Julie Newman … in memory of Bernard Newman, my father — for singing with me in the car

Phyllis Opochinsky … in honor of Hy and Ruth Polikoff, my parents in the best sense of the word

Rona Oberman and Deb Franzblau … in memory of Jonny Franzblau

Robin Brigmon … in memory of Paul and Ruby Brigmon

Beth Sher … in honor of Bobbie Kraus, Choir Member and Grandmother Extraordinaire

Leona Paul … in memory of Susan Paul Sirkman

Nancy Paul … in honor of Leona Paul, my best friend and mother

BillyThanks to all who have contributed to our Winter 2016 Campaign!
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In Memory of Ida F. Dreskin

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Ida Dreskin: (l-r) 2008, 1957 and 1942

Ida Dreskin: (l-r) 2008, 1957 and 1942

My mom was born in Perth Amboy, NJ, in 1923. She raised six children (me being the youngest) in Cincinnati, OH. Following her eldest (and only) daughter first to Boston and then to Florida, she died peacefully last week at the pretty grand old age of 93. At a sweet, beautiful funeral, attended by five of her six kids and loads of kids-in-law and grandchildren, we sent her on her way to the next part of her journey.

So many of you have donated in her honor and we want to take a moment here to say thank you. I was so deeply touched by all of your gifts. My mom adored Jonah and was utterly bereft when he died. She loved seeing the good work we’ve been doing in his name. Now, with your help, we can do that work in honor of them both.

With humble thanks,
Billy

P.S. Throughout December 2016, our winter fundraising campaign is called “Honoring Our Parents and Our Grandparents.” Donate today in honor of someone that YOU love.


 

Rabbis Bernard Mehlman, Ronne Friedman, Elaine Zecher and Cantor Roy Einhorn

Ellen and Billy Dreskin

Mitchell Feldman

Lois and Bernie Bacharach

David and Joanne Sapadin

BillyIn Memory of Ida F. Dreskin
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Noah Budin: Another Good Guy Award!

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noah-budinThis week, we send love and thanks to our good pal, Noah Budin, who donated 100% of the proceeds of CD and songbook purchases following a Shabbat Evening spent with Billy at Woodlands Community Temple this past August. As if it weren’t enough that we were given a most delightful and moving evening of singing and storytelling by this gentle, talented man, he then turned around and said, “Hey, do some good with these dollars, will you?”

We will, Noah. And we’re so pleased to offer you this week’s Good Guy Award and induction into the Order of Stalwart Friends of The Jonah Maccabee Foundation. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy!

What, you don’t know who Noah Budin is?! Well, get yourself over to noahbudin.com and meet him today. The guy writes some mighty nice tunes!

BillyNoah Budin: Another Good Guy Award!
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Thank You for Participating in Our Louisiana Relief Project!

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2016.08.LouisianaReliefProject.WebNoteWe’re so grateful that you’ve chosen to join us in extending a helping hand to those living in areas that are struggling to contend with the flooding in Baton Rouge and other parts of Louisiana. The Jonah Maccabee Foundation is forwarding all of these gifts to help kids who are caught in the mess down there. We’ll be working with Save the Children as they deploy emergency response teams to establish Child-Friendly Spaces in emergency shelters and assess children’s most urgent needs throughout Louisiana.

Most sincerely,
Ellen, Billy, Katie, Mark and Aiden
The Jonah Maccabee Foundation, Inc.


 

Jason Laks and Rabbi Lisa Izes

Danielle Rodnizki … in gratitude for Noah Budin and the music he shared with me!

Joan Funk

BillyThank You for Participating in Our Louisiana Relief Project!
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Join JMF’s effort to help families in Baton Rouge & across Louisiana

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BatonRougeFloodKidsDear friends,

Our thoughts are with those living in areas that are struggling to contend with the flooding in Baton Rouge and other parts of Louisiana. We’re preparing to forward grants from The Jonah Maccabee Foundation to help kids who are caught in the mess down there. We hope you will join us by making a generous donation that we will send to folks who are doing some fantastic work in the trenches.

Please DONATE FOR LOUISIANA RELIEF HERE. We’ll be working with Save the Children as they deploy emergency response teams to establish Child-Friendly Spaces in emergency shelters and assess children’s most urgent needs throughout Louisiana.

We are so grateful to have you join us in this effort. All unspecified donations between now and the end of September will go directly to relief projects in Baton Rouge and across Louisiana.

Most sincerely,
Ellen, Billy, Katie, Mark and Aiden
The Jonah Maccabee Foundation, Inc.

BillyJoin JMF’s effort to help families in Baton Rouge & across Louisiana
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JMF Responds to Black Shootings

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We’re all horrified by the unnecessary shootings and deaths of African-Americans who did not present a threat to law enforcement officials. And while we love and support our police departments nationwide, we hope they will do the much-needed work to ensure that the officers who protect us don’t unjustifiably kill us.

Since the Jonah Maccabee Foundation’s mission is to reach out to children, we recently chose to make donations to the Harlem Children’s Zone and the National Black Child Development Institute in response to the recent shootings. These two organizations work every day to train and prepare young African-Americans for future success. Our hope is that their work will help advance for all of us an America where blacks are accepted and respected by all.

Pres. Obama shakes hands with New York City 9th-grader Kiara Molina of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy (Jan 2014)

Pres. Obama shakes hands with New York City 9th-grader Kiara Molina of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy (Jan 2014)

Hatred, of course, can never fully be eradicated. But so many good people are doing their part to lessen the scourge of skin-based prejudice — of all prejudice — and we want to be on their team!

We think Jonah would be proud.

BillyJMF Responds to Black Shootings
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Shop @ Amazon — Support the JMF!

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Banner.01Hi. Here’s an easy way to support The Jonah Maccabee Foundation all year long. Just click on the image at right or the link below and arrange with Amazon.com to send a few dollars our way every now and then. We’ll use it to continue the good works you’ve been supporting all along — helping kids grow healthy, whole lives. Thanks!

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-1736178

BillyShop @ Amazon — Support the JMF!
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Thanks to all who have contributed to our Summer 2016 Campaign!

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2016.06.SummerCampaign'16We are so grateful that you take the time and dollars to support our work. It’s so incredibly gratifying. This list of Summer Campaign 2016 donors is a small but earnest way to thank you. May our efforts bring ever-increasing goodness into young lives!

The campaign continues through the summer. Please give generously at jonahmac.org/donate.

The Dreskins


Leona Paul … in loving memory of Susan Sirkman

Joel Horwitz

BillyThanks to all who have contributed to our Summer 2016 Campaign!
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JMF makes grant to The Tali Fund

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We’re pleased and honored to support on your behalf the work of The Tali Fund. Established to remember the life of Talia Faith Agler (1985-2012), The Tali Fund provides crucial support to the Talia Agler Girls Shelter in Nairobi, Kenya, in reaching, rescuing, rehabilitating and reintegrating trafficked and abused girls.

Tali Agler

Tali Agler

BillyJMF makes grant to The Tali Fund
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“Summer Campaign 2016” Has Begun! Join Us!

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2016.06.SummerCampaign'16Hi!

Yep, it’s that time of year again. Hitting you up for a donation just before you get a chance to spend it on summer movies and frappucinos.

Throughout the winter, we made a whole bunch of grants, doing our best to put your previous frappes (okay, probably ice-cones) to good use. We sent money to:

  • Treehouse Shakers (dance-theatre for young audiences)
  • IsraAID (making extraordinary efforts in helping Syrian refugees)
  • UNICEF (assisting Syrian refugee children)
  • Play Group Theatre (helping young people grow solid and whole through theatre production)
  • Morry’s Camp (youth development through summer camping)
  • And we’ve pledged support to the URJ Kutz Camp as it modernizes for the 21st century

We’d really appreciate a generous donation to keep us busy fulfilling our mission: helping young people build whole, healthy lives.

Angel status available by donating right here.

Thanks so much for being part of our JMF community. It means so much to our family to have you partner with us. It keeps Jonah’s memory strong. And it does a whole lotta good for a whole lotta kids.

Wishing you a fantastic summer,
Ellen, Billy, Katie and Aiden

Dreskin.2013.08.#003a.HelenaMT

Billy“Summer Campaign 2016” Has Begun! Join Us!
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