named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Mitzvah Committee
Organizes monthly meals at the Elmira Community Kitchen as part of community service and social action.
Oral History Project
Partnership with the Chemung County Historical Society to record, preserve, and share oral histories of Jewish community members.
PJ Library
Provides free, age-appropriate Jewish books monthly to children aged 6 months to 8 years in the Twin Tiers region.
PJ Our Way
Extension of PJ Library for children ages 9–12, allowing them to choose their own books each month.
Spiegler Holocaust Remembrance Lecture Series
Educational lecture series for middle school students on the Holocaust, funded by the Meta and John Spiegler Holocaust Education Fund.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 2 activities
- Conduct regular Shabbat servicesHolds weekly Shabbat services every Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at 10:00 AM, serving as a core religious and communal gathering for the congregation.
- Provide social, cultural, recreational, and educational programs for the Jewish communityOffers a broad range of ongoing social, cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities across an eight-county region, including monthly cultural events, lectures, concerts, adult education, and movie series hosted at Congregation Kol Ami in Elmira and other locations.
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Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
- Collaborate on preservation and sharing of Jewish oral historiesPartners with the Chemung County Historical Society and the ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes to record, preserve, and share oral histories from members of the Jewish community, with materials featured in a special collection on the New York Heritage website.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Distribute free books to Jewish children through monthly reading programsProvides free, age-appropriate books monthly to Jewish children aged six months through eight years and offers a monthly book selection program for children aged 9–12, promoting literacy and Jewish cultural engagement.
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Jewish Religious Institution Support 1 activity
- Fund local, national, and international Jewish charitable causesCollects and distributes funds through annual fundraising campaigns, including the UJA campaign, to support philanthropic causes such as emergency assistance, food security, civil rights, and Jewish communities and organizations locally, nationally, and worldwide.
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Recreational Game Programming 1 activity
- Host weekly community game and crafting eventsOrganizes weekly game afternoons on Tuesdays and crafting sessions on Friday mornings to foster community engagement and social connection among members of the Jewish community.
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Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
- Organize monthly meals at the Elmira Community KitchenCoordinates and cooks a meal once per month at the Elmira Community Kitchen through the Mitzvah Committee, contributing to local food security and community service efforts.
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Jewish Community Media Production 1 activity
- Produce and distribute monthly community newsletterProduces and distributes a monthly newsletter titled *Kol Ami—Voice of My People* to share updates, events, and community news with members of the Jewish community.
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Digital Communications and Content Management 1 activity
- Share organizational and programmatic information through public materials and social mediaDistributes informational brochures, maintains an active presence on Facebook and Instagram, and shares photos and videos from past events to promote transparency, engagement, and inclusion, including materials focused on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
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Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Education 1 activity
- Support Holocaust education through dedicated fundAdministers the Meta and John Spiegler Holocaust Education Fund, established in 2007, to support Holocaust education initiatives, particularly for middle school students.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$234K
Contributions & grants$111K47%
Program service revenue$7K3%
Investment income$87K37%
Other revenue$28K
expenses
Total expenses$186K
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$65K
Grants paid out$64K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.96M
Cash$124K
Investments$1.83M
Liabilities$4K
Net assets$1.96M
Liquid reserves126.6 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +50.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY GILLAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 20 | $27K |
board members · 17
- ANITA ADELSBERG — DIRECTOR
- CHARLOTTE KANTZ — DIRECTOR
- JEFF ROSENHECK — DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)
- JUDY PRENTICE — FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
- LISA GOLDBERG — PRESIDENT
- LISA LABARRE — DIRECTOR
- MARC HAMPLE — 2ND VICE PRESIDENT
- MARCIA KESTEN — DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)
- MARCUS KANTZ — PAST PRESIDENT
- MARJORIE HAMILTON — DIRECTOR
- NANCY NICASTRO — DIRECTOR
- RACHEL DWORKIN — DIRECTOR
- SHARON MOORE — DIRECTOR
- STUART TROCK — TREASURER
- SVETLANA SHORT — DIRECTOR
- TERI DOERKSEN — DIRECTOR (PART YEAR)
- TERRI DOBBS — SECRETARY
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes Partner — Agreed to provide copies of previously conducted interviews with Jewish community members to the Jewish Center & Federation.
- Anti-Defamation League Partner — Receives national philanthropic support through grantmaking.
- Chemung County Historical Society Partner — Collaborates with the Jewish Center & Federation to record, preserve, and share oral histories from the Jewish community.
- Chemung Valley History Museum Partner — Collaborates on the Oral History Project, with Rachel Dworkin affiliated through the museum.
- Congregation B'nai Israel Partner — Former congregation that merged to form Congregation Kol Ami.
- Congregation Kol Ami Partner — Collaborates on content for the monthly community newsletter.
- Congregation Kol Ami Partner — Shares a recently renovated building with the Jewish Center & Federation, co-locating Jewish communal services.
- Congregation Shomray Hadath Partner — Former congregation that merged to form Congregation Kol Ami.
- Elmira Community Kitchen Partner — Collaborates with through monthly meal preparation by the Mitzvah Committee.
- Facebook Network — Uses Facebook for updates and event sharing
- Food Bank of the Southern Tier Partner — Distributes funds to support food security in the Southern Tier of New York.
- Harold Grinspoon Foundation Partner — Co-sponsors the PJ Library program in the Twin Tiers.
- Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Partner — Receives direct international philanthropic support.
- Instagram Network — Uses Instagram for updates and event sharing
- Jewish Federations of North America Network — Participates in international philanthropy through affiliation with the national network.
- Kol Ami of Elmira Partner — Collaborates on building use, as indicated by cross-referenced building use forms.
- Meta Spiegler Partner — Established the Meta and John Spiegler Holocaust Education Fund in 2007.
- New York Heritage Network — Hosts a special collection of oral history interviews from the Jewish community as part of its online archive.
- Soroka Medical Center Partner — Receives direct international philanthropic support in Israel.
strategies · 2
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.
- Culture-Centered Community Buildingmethodology: culture_based_community_engagementBy using cultural and educational programming rooted in Jewish tradition, the organization strengthens Jewish identity and community cohesion in the Twin Tiers region because shared cultural experiences foster belonging and intergenerational continuity.
- Values-Based Philanthropymethodology: tzedakah_and_tikkun_olamBy advancing charitable giving through the principles of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and Tzedakah (righteous giving), the organization channels donations to local, national, and international causes, fostering communal responsibility and sustained engagement because these values are central to Jewish ethical tradition.