Thanks to you, children and teens are growing up with strong Jewish identities. Your support sustains:

• Day schools like Ottawa Jewish Community School, Torah Day School, and Yeshiva High School of Ottawa
• Supplementary schools like Chabad Hebrew School (OTC Chabad), Ottawa Modern Jewish School (OMJS), Ottawa Talmud Torah @ Kehillat Beth Israel (KBI), Temple Israel Religious School and Torah High

Thanks to you, our advocacy makes a measurable difference — from municipal policy to campus support — strengthening safety, allyship, and civic understanding.

• Bubble Zone Bylaw: A landmark City Council approval protecting vulnerable community spaces such as schools, places of worship, and long-term care homes.
• Community Engagement Advisory Committee (CEAC): Parlour meetings with non-Jewish business and civic leaders fostered 100 new voices for allyship and action.
• Interfaith Outreach: Over 450 Christian attendees engaged through church talks and the Ottawa Church Unity Banquet; a Jewish-Christian Friendship Evening drew 150 participants.
• Israel Conference: Convened 150 Christian pastors and 250 participants to build bridges and counter antisemitism.
• Education & Campus Advocacy: Ongoing support for students and teachers at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and on campus; our efforts contributed to the re-appointment of an Advisor on Antisemitism at the University of Ottawa.

Together with CIJA and community partners, we continue to advance policies that fight antisemitism, protect Jewish life, and strengthen Ottawa’s social fabric.

Thanks to you, we stand with Israel through our federated system and overseas agencies — including the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), World ORT — and the national Partnership2Gether (P2G) “Coast to Coast” program. We support the people of Israel, especially our partner region in the Galilee Panhandle (Etzba HaGalil).

Projects & Support in Eztba Hagalil (the Galilee Panhandle), Israel

• Canada Centre (Merkaz Canada): A flagship community complex with an Olympic-size ice rink, bowling alleys, and more — funded through Canadian Federation donations. It sustained significant rocket damage during the conflict. The Government of Israel has committed to repairs, aided by our advocacy and longstanding partnership.
• Mevoot HaHermon Rehabilitation Centre: A vital therapeutic facility serving children and adults with special needs, accident recovery, strokes, and other health challenges. Despite heavy damage from aerial attacks, local leadership and Canadian federations are committed to rebuilding it “better for the future.”
• Mental Health & Resilience (Mashabim): In response to trauma and displacement across Northern Israel, Federation-supported initiatives provided online mental-health support, registering over 1,000 participants within days.
• On-the-Ground Visits & Connection Building: Federation leadership, Canadian ambassadors, and Coast-to-Coast partners visited Metula to assess needs, meet local leaders, and guide a thoughtful philanthropic response.
• Ongoing Emergency Response Coordination: Our system supports immediate relief (Israel Emergency Fund) and long-term recovery planning to balance urgent needs, rehabilitation, and future resiliency in Metula and the broader Galilee Panhandle.

Thanks to you, seniors, survivors, and individuals with disabilities receive compassionate care and connection through Jewish Family Services, Hillel Lodge, Tamir, and AJA 50+.

Jewish Family Services (JFS)

JFS supports 750+ Jewish households in our community. Funding from Federation helps deliver essential services: direct financial support, food security, adult day programs, case management, and community programs for seniors, families, children, and youth. JFS assists survivors, women experiencing gender-based abuse, and families caring for a senior with cognitive changes. You never know when you will need help — we are here for YOU!

Tikvah

• Supports Jewish households with case management, financial support, and access to community programs and events.
• 2024–2025:
  • 24 new households received support, including several Israeli families.
  • 60 clients accessed case management/supportive counselling.
  • 28 clients accessed Shalom Bayit: counselling / advocacy / financial assistance.
• Tikvah does not create a waitlist (this can create challenges during spikes in demand).
• Challenge: Current capacity does not meet Israeli newcomers’ requests for integration, adaptation, case management, and employment services.

Seniors

• 2024–2025:
  • 5,400 Kosher Meals on Wheels delivered to 65 households — a 20% increase.
  • 30 clients attending weekly Adult Day Program for people with cognitive changes (equivalent of 1,440 programming days).
  • 200 clients accessed transportation: medical appointments, grocery shopping, meal and food deliveries.
  • 39 survivors received Shoah case management; 35 survivors received home care services.
  • 70 seniors and care partners received case management services.
  • 22 Jewish clients in mainstream long-term care received chaplaincy support and connection to Jewish programming.
  • 35 Russian seniors attending programs twice weekly (ESL, health & wellness, holiday celebrations).

Grant Funding

Through Federation’s microgrants, JFS pilots innovative programs and then leverages success with other funders to build sustainable programming. With a microgrant award, the all-abilities Kol B’Yachad choir demonstrated how music and singing create social connection and challenge misconceptions about dementia and brain-related changes.

Thanks to you, Jewish living remains accessible. Your gift supports Kosher Meals on Wheels, the Ottawa Vaad HaKashrut and more:

• This past year, Federation funding to Jewish Family Services enabled the delivery of 5,400 Kosher Meals on Wheels to 65 households — a 20% increase from the previous year.

Thanks to you, Federation was able to allocate over $100,000 in Microgrants, empowering creative initiatives across our community. These grassroots projects engaged 7,500+ participations, sparking innovation and strengthening Jewish connections.

Your gift also powers Jewish Journeys Grants, which provide up to $30,000 over two years to sustain bold ideas and long-lasting impact.

Recent Recipients and Impact

• AJA 50+ Seniors Program: A $30,000 grant expanded weekly themed sessions and accessible transportation, reaching nearly 400 members.
• Hillel Lodge Java Project: A $15,000 grant helped combat isolation through music and conversation.
• Jewish Family Services – Adult Social & Respite Program: A $20,000 grant funded dementia-focused groups for caregivers and recipients.
• CHES — Through Their Eyes: A $20,000 grant supported a multigenerational initiative where descendants of Holocaust survivors learn, reflect, and carry memory forward.
• Russian-Speaking Programs: A $10,000 grant supported Tu Bishvat dinners and Purim events, engaging thousands.
• Temple Israel Religious School & Ottawa Modern Jewish School: Each received $30,000 to create post-b’nai mitzvah leadership programs, equipping teens with skills, volunteer opportunities, and Jewish pride.
• JET: A $30,000 grant supported outreach for seniors and families in Gatineau and Orleans.
• Young Adult Shabbat Dinners: A $10,000 grant funded monthly, non-denominational meals for those in their 20s and 30s.

Thanks to you, Jewish young adults are finding purpose, connection, and guidance. Programs like J-Fellows empower emerging leaders with mentorship, learning, and lasting relationships. The J-Fellows Mentorship Program has paired dozens of young professionals with seasoned mentors to foster leadership.

Thanks to you, Holocaust education remains a cornerstone of our community’s cultural legacy.

• $26,000 in subsidies supported Ottawa teen participation in March of the Living.
• 11 students travelled on the 2025 March of the Living, experiencing Holocaust sites and Jewish resilience firsthand.
• 400+ community members experienced the Yad Vashem exhibit during Holocaust Education Month.
• 600 survivor testimonial booklets were created and distributed with the Ottawa Public Library and local schools, preserving the voices of survivors and ensuring their resilience and stories live on for future generations.

These resources ensure young people learn directly from survivor testimony, strengthening the Jewish future by upholding memory and truth.