As next gen philanthropists, we have all too often heard the phrase “we are living through unprecedented times”. In a time of polarization, heightened security risks for the Jewish community, and a rise in antisemitism both in rhetoric and physical attacks, our future can seem increasingly uncertain. With so many timely and vital issues plaguing the Jewish community, it’s easy for Jewish joy to fall further down the list of funding priorities.
Some might argue that focusing on Jewish joy is a luxury in this moment when the world is heavy with adversity. However, Jewish joy is far from superfluous. When Slingshot conducted their recent ethnographic study in 2025, a Portrait of Jewish Giving Today, they identified what is driving our generation of Jewish givers. What the research showed was something we were all viscerally feeling: a deep desire for joyful, community engagement.
Taking cues from their findings, Slingshot launched the Jewish Joy GivingCircle+.
When Slingshot CEO, Stefanie Rhodes, invited us to lead a group of peers in making an impact on Jewish joy, it felt like a breath of fresh air. After completing the Slingshot Fellowship, we were eager to put what we had learned into practice and begin shaping our own philanthropic journey. As lifelong friends who share a deep commitment to Jewish community and values, we were excited by the opportunity to work together toward a common purpose. Drawing from the meaningful Jewish experiences that have enriched our own lives, we wanted to help create opportunities for others to find connection and belonging. Most of all, we were inspired by the chance to channel optimism into action and contribute to building a stronger, more vibrant Jewish future.
Over the course of seven sessions, our small but formidable giving circle of seven next-generation philanthropists came together to explore a central question: What does Jewish joy mean, and how can we help cultivate it? Along the way, we heard from leaders working on the ground to strengthen Jewish life, as well as funders supporting these efforts, gaining valuable insight into both the challenges they face and the resources they need to succeed. These conversations helped us make thoughtful, informed philanthropic decisions while deepening our understanding of the field. Just as importantly, we learned a lot from one another about what drives us as philanthropists.
The response to our call for proposals was pleasantly overwhelming. We received more than 70 grant applications, demonstrating that even amid the many serious challenges facing the Jewish community, organizations are deeply invested in creating and sustaining joy. It became clear that the pursuit of Jewish joy is a guiding principle for many organizations.
As we evaluated proposals, we developed a set of criteria to guide our decision-making. We prioritized programs that expanded access to Jewish joy for underserved communities, created authentic and meaningful experiences, fostered lasting connection and engagement, and demonstrated both broad reach and deep impact. We also looked for initiatives with a clear vision, a thoughtful implementation plan, and measurable outcomes to ensure that our funding could support sustainable and effective work.
Ultimately, we selected four organizations that most closely reflected our shared values and vision for a vibrant Jewish future.
Our giving circle collectively granted a total of $43,000 to fund the following organizations:
BAMAH is a cultural dialogue and exchange organization that harnesses the arts to inspire and connect people of all backgrounds and identities. Through the Cultural Bridge Initiative, they bring artists from Israel into universities and communities across the United States, with a particular focus on HBCUs. Their work centers on sustained relationships, not one-time programming. BAMAH believes the arts are the most honest entry point into conversations about identity, history, and belonging.
Funding will support Black JAC (Black and Jewish Arts and Culture), a multi-day cultural festival produced by BAMAH in New Orleans, Louisiana, taking place in February 2027 in partnership with long-standing partners in the city.
Camp Seneca Lake provides a fun, adventurous program with immersive, experiential learning that builds Jewish identity, facilitates personal exploration, cultivates an appreciation of nature, and establishes the importance of Jewish community.
Funding will support financial aid for families from towns in rural New York with very small Jewish communities. It would expand access for those with limited opportunities for communal Jewish joy due to geography who otherwise might not be able to attend summer camp due to economic limitations. These communities do not have Jewish Federations, large synagogues, or other traditional paths to camp financial aid.
Eshel's mission is to create LGBTQ+ inclusive Orthodox Jewish communities.
Funding will bring in-person programming to one of the most underserved populations within Jewish life: LGBTQ+ Jews who are Orthodox or Orthodox-adjacent. The barriers this population faces are distinct and acute. Many remain closeted within their Orthodox communities out of fear of social or familial rejection. Others have been pushed to the margins, present in their shuls and at their Shabbos tables, but invisible as their full selves. Some have left Orthodoxy entirely, not because they wanted to, but because they saw no path to remaining.
This support will go towards Eshel's programming to create spaces where being wholly Jewish and wholly oneself at the same time is possible. Through Shabbat dinners, text studies, Jewish cooking, and holiday-themed gatherings, Eshel will offer LGBTQ+ Orthodox and Orthodox-adjacent Jews experiences that are both halachically grounded and radically welcoming.
Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF) engages hopeful parents by providing financial assistance, emotional support, and infertility education to those struggling to build their families.
Funding will support interfaith couples navigating infertility. While the path to parenthood can feel isolating, the path into Jewish community can feel even more so. Through peer mentorship, facilitated support groups, community events, and need-based financial assistance, they create spaces where interfaith individuals don't just feel tolerated—they feel seen, celebrated, and at home in Jewish life.
Support from the Slingshot GivingCircle+ will directly fund up to four additional fertility grants for interfaith families, alongside the emotional support and community connection that surround that assistance.
Interfaith couples represent approximately 25% of JFF's grantees. They face real barriers—social, financial, and cultural, to engage in Jewish spaces. This funding directly reduces those barriers, ensuring that one of life's most joyful milestones, building a family, is also a gateway into lasting Jewish belonging.
In addition to the selected grant recipients, it was also important to us to highlight the vital work being done at the other organizations focusing on Jewish joy. While we didn’t have the funds to support every applicant, we realized this experience would allow us to not only serve as funders, but also to be ambassadors for these organizations by raising awareness about their work. We invite you to take a look at the full list of applications and get to know the ones that align with the Jewish joy you wish to see more of. We encourage you to support the programs that align with the world you want to see.
Toi Derricotte, African American poet and educator, was the first to coin the phrase “Joy is an act of resistance” from her poem “The Telly Cycle”. In a moment when the world feels heavy and uncertain, our giving circle chose to hold tight to something deeply Jewish: joy. Celebrating Jewish life, community, and generosity is not an escape, but an act of resistance and resilience. Slingshot’s Portrait study showed us in no uncertain terms that joy is being viewed as an act of resilience among our peers: “Celebration isn’t trivial; it’s fuel that keeps [us] human and hopeful.”
By supporting one another and lifting up the values we cherish, we created a space where our collective action brought light into a complicated world, igniting hope in each one of us.