irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $205KEDUCATIONAL SERVICES - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS & COURSES FOR TEACHERS, MIDRASH H.S. IN ROCHESTER FOR JEWISH STUDENTS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY ON THE HOLOCAUST.
- #2 $396KFOUNDATION DEVELOPMENT - PROGRAMS TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
CHAI Holocaust Awareness & Information
Provides educational resources, survivor testimonies, classroom speakers, and museum trips to teach about the Holocaust in schools and the community
Israel Scholarships & Grants
Provides need-based scholarships and one-time grants for teens and college students from Greater Rochester to participate in educational trips to Israel
IsraelNow
Annual trip for 8th graders from Rochester to Israel, combining heritage education, cultural exploration, and social justice projects
Janice S. Birnbaum Scholarship
Offers college scholarships to Jewish students in the Rochester area studying business or economics
PJ Library
Mails free Jewish-themed books monthly to children from birth to 9 years old in the Rochester area to promote Jewish literacy and identity
PJ Our Way
Monthly book program for Jewish children ages 9 to 12, allowing them to choose from curated titles and engage in online literary activities
Shalom PJ Baby
Welcomes newborns into the Jewish community with a gift bag and early literacy resources for families in Rochester
Zikaron
Brings 8th and 9th grade students from Rochester to Washington, D.C., to visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and deepen Jewish identity
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Education 2 activities
- Organizes educational trips to Washington, D.C. for studentsOrganizes educational trips for 8th and 9th grade students to Washington, D.C., including visits to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and other sites to strengthen Jewish identity.
- Provides Holocaust education resources and programmingOffers Traveling Trunks with educational materials, operates the Survivors In The Classroom speakers series featuring Holocaust survivors, conducts annual commemorative programs for Kristallnacht, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Yom HaShoah, maintains the Rochester Survivors Archive, and provides on-site, online, and in-school resources to support Holocaust education in accordance with New York State mandates.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Convenes and strengthens the local Jewish communityConvenes and engages the Rochester Jewish community by leveraging resources to sustain Jewish life, assisting people in need, advocating on community issues, and strengthening connections with Israel and global Jewish populations.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Distributes free Jewish-themed books to childrenProvides free Jewish-themed books to children from birth through age 12 in the Rochester area through a monthly selection program, with age-specific offerings for children up to age 9 and a curated monthly choice for ages 9–12.
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Summer Camp Access Scholarships 1 activity
- Funds access to Jewish summer camps through grants and scholarshipsOffers grant and scholarship programs to reduce financial barriers for Jewish families seeking summer camp experiences.
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Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 1 activity
- Funds college scholarships for Jewish students in business or economicsProvides college scholarships specifically for Jewish students pursuing degrees in business or economics.
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Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 1 activity
- Hosts weekly playtime events for young children and caregiversHosts weekly playtime events at a splash pool for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers, featuring kosher snacks and indoor relocation during inclement weather.
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Corporate Sponsorship Programs 1 activity
- Operates corporate sponsorship program to support community initiativesOperates a flexible and customizable corporate sponsorship program in partnership with companies to support community programs and services.
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
- Organizes Israel travel programs for 8th gradersProvides an educational and transformative journey to Israel for 8th graders focused on connecting with Jewish life, heritage, Israeli culture, and social justice projects.
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Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
- Provides financial support for Israel travel programs for youth and young adultsOffers a one-time $540 grant to individuals aged 13–25 and a $360 grant to teens aged 15–19 or in grades 9–12 for participation in Israel travel programs, along with need-based scholarships to reduce program costs.
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Diaper and Baby Supply Distribution 1 activity
- Provides gift bags to families with infants up to six months oldDistributes specially prepared gift bags to families with new babies up to six months old as part of community engagement and support efforts.
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Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 1 activity
- Supports professional development for teachers and community education programsProvides professional development programs and courses for teachers and operates Midrash H.S., a community education program for Jewish high school students in Rochester.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$10.14M
Contributions & grants$8.22M81%
Program service revenue$147K1%
Investment income$1.14M11%
Other revenue$638K
expenses
Total expenses$12.42M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$2.67M
Grants paid out$7.49M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$52.76M
Cash$6.00M
Investments$39.36M
Liabilities$7.86M
Net assets$44.90M
Liquid reserves43.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -39.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEREDITH DRAGON | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 38 | $322K |
| DEBORAH ZARKOWSKY | CHIEF PHILANTHROPIC OFFICER | 38 | $202K |
| JEANINE MONACHINO | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 38 | $181K |
| ERIC BRANDT | DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY | 38 | $139K |
| LEAH GOLDMAN | CHIEF PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING OFFICER | 38 | $114K |
board members · 20
- AL KINEL — DIRECTOR
- ARI STELZNER — DIRECTOR
- BARB ORENSTEIN PRESENT — VICE PRESIDENT
- BARBARA KOZEL — DIRECTOR
- BEN ROZIN — DIRECTOR
- BLANCHE FENSTER — DIRECTOR
- CAROLYN NUSSBAUM — GOVERNOR
- CINDY FINESTONE — DIRECTOR
- CINDY HIRSCHBERG — DIRECTOR
- CLARA SANGUINETTI — DIRECTOR
- DAN KINEL — PRESIDENT
- DANIELLA VATCH — DIRECTOR
- DAPHNE FUTERMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- DAVID CLAR — DIRECTOR
- DEBBIE GORDON — DIRECTOR
- DENNIS KESSLER — GOVERNOR
- DR JOSEPH KILMNICK — DIRECTOR
- ELI N FUTERMAN — GOVERNOR
- ESTHER TANZMAN — DIRECTOR
- GABRIELLA NOZIK — DIRECTOR
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Alesco Advisors Partner — Corporate partner supporting programs and initiatives of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester.
- Harold Grinspoon Foundation Funder — Supports PJ Library in Rochester.
- Jewish Education Project Partner — Partners with the Jewish Education Project, which powers RootOne, to support subsidized Israel travel for teens.
- MT Bank Partner — Corporate partner supporting programs and initiatives of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester.
- Marcus Foundation Funder — Provided a generous grant to seed RootOne voucher funding for Israel travel programs.
- Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation Funder — Established the Freddy Fund through a charitable foundation in memory of Fred Silverstein to support teen Israel travel.
- Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation Funder — Generously funds PJ Library in Rochester.
- Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation Partner — Partner organization in offering grant and scholarship programs for Jewish summer camps
- PJ Library Partner — Provides the national infrastructure and book distribution network for the local program.
- PJ Library ROC Partner — Co-hosts weekly splash pad events for young children and their caregivers.
- Rochester Jewish Community Partner — Collaborates with local partners to convene and engage the Jewish community in Rochester.
- RootOne Partner — Collaborates with RootOne to distribute $3,000 vouchers for eligible Israel summer programs.
- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Partner — Collaborates through student visits to the museum as part of the Zikaron program.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Experiential and Interactive Education to Foster Jewish Engagementmethodology: experiential-educationBy using immersive trips, interactive digital content, and multi-access resource distribution, we foster deeper Jewish literacy and identity formation because experiential and participatory learning produces stronger retention and emotional connection than passive instruction.
- Integrated Communal Strengthening Through Philanthropy and Engagementmethodology: integrated-communal-strengtheningBy combining philanthropy, education, advocacy, and community engagement as interconnected strategies, we build a sustainable Jewish future because communal resilience emerges from the synergy of these pillars rather than any single intervention.
- Removing Financial Barriers to Strengthen Jewish Identitymethodology: financial_access_barrier_removalBy subsidizing participation in Jewish camps and Israel programs, we increase access to formative experiences that strengthen Jewish identity and communal connection, particularly among youth, because financial cost is a primary barrier to participation.