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Our Mission

The mission of Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York is to build and maintain a strong and united Jewish community in order to ensure the creative survival and continuity of the Jewish people. It is the community’s central agency for meeting Jewish needs and articulating Jewish concerns in the Capital Region, Israel, nationally, and around the world.

What We Do

Jewish Federation gives continuity to Jewish values:

  • Mutual respect and accommodation of diversity within Jewish life (klal Yisrael)
  • The requirement of righteous giving and just behavior that ensures the basic well-being of fellow human beings (tzedakah)
  • The obligation to do good works, promote peace and understanding, and help the hungry, homeless, and oppressed (tikkun olam)
  • Support of Israel, the democratic homeland for the Jewish people

The Federation fulfills our mission by:

  • Providing financial resources to help meet community needs, locally, nationally, in Israel, and around the world
  • Supplying educational resources for children and adults, educators and families
  • Working with the media, policy-makers, and other opinion-shapers on behalf of various community constituencies
  • Keeping the community informed about relevant current issues
  • Changing lives and giving people the opportunity for new experiences through programs and services

Our History

For more than fifty years our local community has been served by Federation. United Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York was established in 1986 when the Greater Albany Jewish Federation consolidated with the Schenectady Jewish Federation. The Troy, Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park, and Glens Falls Jewish communities joined thereafter to truly make it a regional service agency.

Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York is a voluntary, not-for-profit association of contributors, organizations, synagogues, and agencies. It serves the needs of the Jewish community locally, nationally, and overseas through cooperative action, and coordinated fundraising. It blends varying elements in the community into a strong and cohesive Jewish entity. Part of Federation’s strength derives from the differing viewpoints that are represented and expressed among the thousands of people who participate. The objective has always been unity, not uniformity.

Today, with your help, Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York will continue to ensure a viable Jewish community in the Capital Region, in Israel, and wherever Jews are in need.