JUFJ is pleased to announce that it has received a $25,000 capacity-building grant from the Partnership for Equity, a fund of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. JUFJ is one of 9 organizations receiving funding from the Partnership for Equity. The grant will enable JUFJ to deepen relationships with organizations working directly with vulnerable communities and strengthen its campaigns to win justice and equality for these communities.

We are extremely excited for this opportunity to deepen our work for equality in the region, and to build partnerships with other organizations engaging in this important work.

A high school History teacher who helped community gardeners gain land to grow on.  A former volunteer coordinator for Amnesty International in Israel who is now a writer.  An executive director of a national nonprofit.  A former journalist who now works at a think tank.  A fisheries biologist who loves poker and Torah.  All of them dedicated to spending the next nine months gaining the skills and tools they will need to be part of the next generation of Jewish social justice leaders.  These are just some examples of the broad range of experiences and interests the first DC-based class of Jeremiah Fellows brings to the mix.

DC day laborers scored another big victory on October 2nd when they recovered over $10,000 in stolen wages for eight workers. Several members of the Day Laborers Association, had been doing work on a DC public school building over the summer, and were paid less than promised.

When they contacted DC Jobs with Justice and the DC Employment Justice Center, it was soon determined that this public project entitled the workers to higher, "prevailing wages" for their work. After reaching out to other workers from the project and talking with several building trades unions to confirm the proper rate, DC JwJ and the DC EJC went to the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM) to discuss this violation of DC's contracting laws.

It's an opportunity to remember that there are many people in our own community live with housing insecurity.  Many people live with the insecurity of not knowing whether they will be able to pay their rent or mortgage next month, or not knowing whether the building where they live will raise rents and they will be forced to leave their home.

JUFJ would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who donated to help us make our matching grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.  We were thrilled to see how many new people gave, and how many current donors were willing to increase their donation.  Thanks again for all the ways all of you support JUFJ!

Click here to donate now!

JUFJ has been given a challenge from the Nathan Cummings Foundation: raise $25,000 in new money by the end of September!

We're almost there!  But the end of September is almost upon us.   If you have never donated to JUFJ before, the full value of your donation will be matched, your donation doubled.  If you donated in 2008, any amount you donate above what you donated last year will be matched.

Don't delay!  Donate today!  Click here to support JUFJ!

JUFJ would like to wish everyone a happy, sweet, peaceful and just new year!

It has been over a year since many in the Jewish community went to Postville to demand better practices at the Agriprocessors plant and to call for humane, comprehensive immigration reform.

Recently, a new company - SHF Industries - purchased Agriprocessors, now named Agri Star. We believe this is an opportunity for change!

As the Jewish community prepares for the holiest days of the year--a time for reflection, renewal and fresh starts--  we invite you to join us in expressing our hopes for improved conditions and better practices under the new owners' leadership.

On September 5th, 75 people, both old and new faces to JUFJ, came together to end a powerful Labor on the Bimah Shabbat and learn how they could get more involved with this year's theme, wage theft. Participants sang along with Megan Brudney, our guest song-leader, and tied in the music to the social-justice values that guide us. 

Thank you to our volunteers! After havdalah, we recognized the enormous help that our volunteers contributed to Labor on the Bimah by giving our certificates. If you have not received yours, please contact Shira at shira@jufj.org to pick it up. We appreciate all that you do for social justice work in the community!

August 14th marked the final step to putting a long-awaited affordable housing program in place.  With the publication of the final piece of regulations by the Fenty Administration, the city's Inclusionary Zoning law goes into effect.  Inclusionary Zoning is a widely used affordable housing tool throughout the country.  D.C.'s Inclusionary Zoning program requires that D.C. residential developments of 10 units or more set aside 8-10 percent of new housing affordable to moderate and low income families.

 "We appreciate that the administration is taking care to ensure the program works for all the participants - the developers, property managers, and of course, all the working families seeking housing they can afford," said Jacob Feinspan, Executive Director, Jews United for Justice.  "As we were able to demonstrate during the Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, D.C. residents in all neighborhoods and at all income levels understand the importance of this policy in ensuring that D.C. continues to be a welcoming and affordable place to live."