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."

The Jeremiah Fellowship educates and trains a select cohort of young adults (ages 25-35) to become the next generation of Jewish social justice change makers. Jews United for Justice is proud to partner with the Progressive Jewish Alliance in bringing this exciting program to Washington.

Empower yourself through in-depth training in professional and leadership skills .  

Expand your knowledge of what Jewish text, tradition, and history have to say about on putting ethics into action.

Acquire tangible organizing and activism skills within a Jewish context.

Explore pressing social, political, and economic issues facing our region.

Become a member of a lasting community of vibrant and engaged leaders.

It's time to save our safety net. The DC City Council has begun deliberation on the budget. Under Mayor Fenty's current proposal, over half of the cuts fall on human services.

It's not too late to try and change course!

The Coalition for Community Investment has developed a website with a petition calling on Councilmembers to save our safety net. Please help us spread the word about this petition so we can show widespread community support for protecting critical safety net services.

Here's the website: www.SaveOurSafetyNet.com

Check out the event flyer!

RSVP to shira@jufj.org