IN THE BEGINNING

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia was originally founded in 1901 as the Federation of Jewish Charities, which united nine agencies into a single combined effort to help Philadelphia’s Jewish community. Since then our reach has grown considerably as our range of services of expanded to help support Jews throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, in Israel and around the world.

IN TIMES OF GREATEST NEED

During the Great Depression, the Federation of Jewish Charities joined with the non-sectarian Welfare Federation of Philadelphia (the precursor of the United Way) to help thousands suffering locally from hunger, poverty and despair. Philadelphia’s Allied Jewish Appeal was founded in 1938 as an overseas complement to the Federations’ efforts, funding rescue missions in the face of Nazi persecution. In 1957, the Federation of Jewish Charities and the Allied Jewish Appeal merged their 26 constituent agencies to become the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia, with a combined mission of supporting Jews locally and overseas.

Since then, through our annual campaign — now called the Jewish Community Fund — we raise millions of dollars each year to provide vital services and programs to the Jewish community. That includes proudly supporting the people of Israel, especially during times of most urgent need. In 1967, for example, we launched a special fundraising effort in response to the Six-Day War that Israel fought with Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Syria; we similarly leapt into action when Egypt and Syria jointly attacked in 1973, beginning the Yom Kippur War.

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