Shock waves from the recession are hitting the American Jewish community hard.
A story in j. this week details extensive layoffs and cutbacks at Jewish community federations across the country. In New York City, 52 employees –– more than 11 percent of the staff –– have been let go. The Atlanta federation cut 14 employees, while Cleveland’s let go 25 staffers. The Denver-based federation announced staff cuts of 15 percent.
Even the federations’ parent organization, United Jewish Communities, is feeling the pinch. UJC was forced to slice 37 jobs last year because of reduced dues from cash-strapped members.
The Bay Area has not been immune. In recent weeks, we’ve reported on layoffs and budget cuts at the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay. At least eight dedicated staffers have been let go.
Painful as these measures have been, we are thankful the numbers are not worse. In fact, we congratulate local federations for running tight ships through these stormy times. Though no one knows when the recession will bottom out, we are cautiously optimistic our community organizations will not have to make deeper cuts.
Still, these developments serve to remind us of the fragile nature of nonprofits. For them, money is oxygen, and it doesn’t take much of a financial dip to start the suffocation process. This remains a fact of life for our Jewish federations, even though the Jewish community routinely comes through during emergencies.
In our letters to the editor section, readers have been engaging in a lively discussion about whether federations still provide a worthy service to the community. Most letter-writers seem to feel federations do play a critical role in maintaining the vitality of the Bay Area Jewish community.
We couldn’t agree more.
With demand for social services spiking as never before, now is the time we must maintain and even increase our gifts to the local federations.
Recently on this page we have argued for consolidation of the East Bay and S.F.-based federations, and we still believe that is the best course of future action. But right now, we have a community in crisis, and your gifts to all federations are urgently needed.
As we have heard repeatedly from the president, pundits and prognosticators, this recession could get worse before recovery begins. All Americans have had to tighten their belts.
All we ask is to leave one notch loose for our Jewish community federations.