"This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I will give it to your offspring."-- Deuteronomy 34:4
North American Jewish Federations are committed to the people of Israel and the survival and security of the Jewish State. They are equally committed to building partnership and understanding between the Jews of Israel and North America.
With support from the Federation system, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) promotes immigration and absorption services in Israel. This includes ensuring open immigration to Israel, the rescue of Jews from distressed countries and the initial integration of these Jews into Israeli society. In 1999, 78,000 people immigrated to Israel, 67,000 from the former Soviet Union.
In 1998, JAFI with support from Federations, provided legal and organizational services to more than 100 Israeli villages and kibbutzim to help those communities absorb residents and build infrastructure.
2,300 women entrepreneurs, 30% of them new immigrants to Israel, share professional expertise and valuable networking opportunities through JAFI’s women’s business network, supported by Federations.
The Federation-supported American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) improves the quality of life for Israel’s vulnerable populations by leveraging funds and building partnerships with agencies working on behalf of families, children and youth-at-risk, the elderly, and vulnerable immigrant groups. This includes day care, residential programs for the elderly, mental health centers, new immigrant vocational training, and special education programs for troubled youth.
The Federation system helps make it possible for thousands of youth each year to explore their Jewish identities in Israel. birthright Israel, an initiative to bring young people for a first organized educational experience in Israel through generous financial gifts from Federations and other private and public sources, has sent over 100,000 college and high school students on a variety of programs since 2000.