News & Schmooze - Our Internal Team Newsletter

Balabanter

"It's through our differences, our unique combination of cultures, backgrounds and experiences that makes us stronger and unites us."

Department Highlight
A Closer Look at
Mitzvah Food Program (MFP)

Since 1996, the Jewish Federation's Mitzvah Food Program has provided nutritious food with kosher options to individuals and families in need.

In Fiscal Year 2023, MFP's four pantries throughout Greater Philadelphia distributed more than 875,000 pounds of fresh, frozen as well as nonperishable food to 6,000+ clients. Rather than receiving a one-size-fits-all package, clients are able to select their own food and are incentivized to select healthier options through an allocated points system.

The pantries are stocked thanks to donations from generous community members, the Jewish Federation, the Pennsylvania State Food Purchase Program, grants, Philabundance and other sources.

Whitney Drukier

Operations Manager Food Pantry
Maintain Inventory Control
Develop Long-Term Pantry Plans

Phil Holtje

Mitzvah Food Program Associate
Manage Food and Volunteers
Ensure Pantry Compliance

This is not the full department — just a snapshot! Stay tuned as we rotate and come back through departments with other iterations of the newsletter to see the faces around the office.

Take A Break

Do you know your Jewish Federation's departnemts?

Click here to see how each term is meaningful to the Jewish Federation.

Stay In The Know

Check out these blogs

Get to Know Your Coworker

Robb Quattro, Director of Information Technology and Systems

Two Truths and a Lie

Below are three statements about Robb.
Two are true, one is false.
Click on the statement you think is false.

1. Robb collects PEZ dispensers.

2. Robb collects comic books.

3. Robb collects Star Trek memorabilia.

FedFacts

See last month’s Insider Report for our Board of Trustees and Board of Directors.
The results for May's Bike Month Challenge are in! The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia finished in 3rd place in Philadelphia, in 4th place for non-profits in the Unites States and in 35th in the United States.
Join our team outing at Puttshack on Wednesday, July 10 from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Enjoy food, drinks, mini golf and lots of fun! Don't forget to RSVP if you have not already accepted the calendar invite.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

Talia Lidar 6.6

Nicole Riffel 6.7

Alex Lesse 6.8

Danielle Klein 6.11

Jamaal Chambers 6.13

Inna Isakovich 6.14

Dionna Dash 6.18

Alaina Gillespie 6.19

Sonya Aronowitz 6.24

Gayane Miskaryan 6.24

Robb Quattro 6.25

Work Anniversaries

Michael Balaban 3 years on 6.1
Robin Schatz 20 years on 6.1

Melissa Gabillon 3 years on 6.7

Julian Morein 2 years on 6.7
Alix Caplan 3 years on 6.9
Julie Sankin 1 year on 6.20

Staff Mazel

Mazel Tov to Nomi on the birth of her grandson.

Congratulations to Andi, Robb and everyone who completed May's Bike Month Challenge.

Kol hakavod to Melissa's son Matthew for his rock band's performance. Click here to see the performance and Matthew drumming.

Do you have a mazel (good news) you want to share?

Submit your photo and a brief description to Rachel Cohen, Marketing Coordinator, at rcohen@jewishphilly.org.

Grantee Spotlight

jkidpride

jkidpride is a program of the Jewish Learning Venture (JLV), which is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Run by JLV’s jkidphilly program, jkidpride creates safe spaces for Jewish children and their parents to interact with queer culture and express their identities without fear of being persecuted.

The initiative hosts informal gatherings, educational programming and holiday celebrations, where LGBTQ+ Jews have the space to build relationships with one another. Programs run the gamut from simple playground meetups to family paint afternoons with guest artists, LGBTQ+ Tween Game Nights, and their annual Lag B’Omer Drag Queen Storytime and S’mores.

Among other allocations to JLV in fiscal year 2023, the Jewish Federation granted $85,000 to the Engaging Underserved and Disenfranchised Families program which includes jkidpride. This funding supported jkidprides ability to hire Robin Matthews as the director, who has led the initiative since its inception, and its mission to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ children to grow and learn confidently.

“The funding from the Jewish Federation dedicated specifically to reach underserved populations has been vital. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to grow our community so significantly and offer as many programming opportunities.”

- Director of jkidpride, Robin Matthews