Results: Since its founding in 1912, the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh has been at the catalyst for building and strengthening the Jewish Community of Pittsburgh. Through its planning and fund-raising efforts, the UJF has worked to enhance the quality of life for all members of the Jewish community -- in every stage of life, in Pittsburgh, Israel and throughout the world.
The UJF has led the Pittsburgh Jewish community through times of prosperity and times of turmoil, through periods of unprecedented economic growth and the horrors of the Holocaust, and through the joy of Israel's birth and the trauma of her wars.
In the spirit of tikkun olam, the healing and repair of the world, the UJF has addressed the needs of families and community in the context of Jewish values and traditions. To that end the UJF works with partner agencies dedicated to the same ideals. Through funding, joint evaluation and coordination of services, the UJF and its partners provide a complete network of health, education, social and cultural services.
One of Pittsburgh's Leading Philanthropies
As one of Greater Pittsburgh's leading philanthropic organizations, the UJF also participates in the continued growth and vitality of the greater community. The UJF is consistently ranked among the top 25 social service organizations by the Pittsburgh Business Times, and rated among the best managed charities in the United States by Charity Navigator.
The UJF builds community through the funding and planning support it provides to its partner agencies in Pittsburgh, Israel and round the world. The UJF is one of the largest distributors of community philanthropic funding in Western Pennsylvania. Its financial resources come from the following:
The UJF Annual Community Campaign raises funds to provide for core funding to the Federation's partner agencies, thereby enabling the agencies to maintain and expand innovative programs and services locally, in Israel and in 60 countries throughout the world.
The UJF Foundation, the Jewish community's foundation, is one of the largest distributors of foundation funds in Pittsburgh. Among the oldest Federation foundations in the United States, it serves as a central point where individuals make planned gifts to address the perpetual needs of the Jewish community.
Partnerships with foundations and with local, state and federal governmental agencies enable the UJF to develop innovative community-based initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for all. This leverages and stretches the private contributions of UJF donors.
Targeted fund-raising initiatives have embraced critical community endeavors, including a $65 million Renaissance Campaign to rebuild and revitalize the Pittsburgh's Jewish community's infrastructure; a $4.2 million Israel Emergency Appeal to provide lifesaving assistance to the victims of terrorism in Israel; special efforts to rescue Jews from the Former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and other distressed lands; and programs to help rebuild and revitalize struggling Jewish communities across the globe and provide them with trained and effective leadership.
A Builder of Communities
The UJF's Community Building efforts focus on strengthening the entire community through its coordination of fund distribution and effective central planning for the community's agencies.
The UJF has played an integral role in the creation of new human service agencies and programs to meet changing community needs, such as serving the unemployed, the aging, and initiating innovative approaches to enhance Jewish education while providing vital guidance to ensure all of the agencies flourish and grow.
With support of Israel as a central component of the Federation's mission, the UJF develops a myriad of educational, cultural, economic and human service programs.
The Federation takes pride in its rich tradition of serving as a catalyst for change. Through its Community and Public Affairs efforts, the UJF brings together leaders of many different faiths and ethnicities, and community organizations in the bold pursuit of social justice and human rights.
A Source of Community Leaders
The UJF's greatest strength is in its dedicated volunteers. More than 1,000 volunteers, representing all ideologies and geographic areas, participate in every aspect of the Federation’s operation.
One of UJF's central objectives is developing the community's leaders of tomorrow. Through leadership training and development efforts, the UJF prepares volunteers for leadership roles throughout the community. UJF's volunteers sit on governing boards, plan and participate in events, help the needy and carry out face-to-face fundraising to ensure the continued vitality of the entire community.
In Pittsburgh, Israel and around the world, the UJF is ever-changing, ever challenging and always demonstrating that its good work lives on.
Direct beneficiaries per year: Many thousands
Geographic areas served: Greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area
Programs: The jewish federation of greater pittsburgh is one of the oldest and largest philanthropies in western pennsylvania. Since 1912, the federation has funded programs that support health, social service, educational and jewish continuity needs in pittsburgh, israel and throughout the world. See schedule o for continuation of the description.
