About

MISSION

The Foundation for Jewish Culture (FJC) invests in creative individuals in order to nurture a vibrant and enduring Jewish identity, culture and community.

This goal is achieved through the provision of grants, recognition awards, networking opportunities and professional development services to artists and scholars. We collaborate with cultural institutions, Jewish organizations, consortia, and funders to support the work of these creative individuals. The Foundation also educates and builds audiences to provide meaningful Jewish cultural experiences to the American public, and advocates for the importance of Jewish culture as a core component of Jewish life.

VISION

The Foundation supports artists and scholars who are exploring the fabric of Jewish life and creating work that is both contemporary and profound. Artists and scholars can articulate the Jewish experience in new ways and are advancing the expression of Jewish culture, and Jewish peoplehood, in all its diversity.

Through our flourishing arts network, these artists and scholars will be able to engage with Jewish and non-Jewish audiences around the country. In turn, we are becoming an important collaborator in the development of contemporary Jewish cultural exchange among Israel, Europe, South America, and North America.

HISTORY

The Foundation has been a significant cultural force since it was founded in 1960. Created as a response to the decimation of Jewish institutions in Europe following the Holocaust, our role was to support American institutions suddenly left responsible for the preservation of Jewish cultural memory.

From 1960 to 1980, Jewish culture was defined by its scholarship. Libraries, archives, and publishing houses were needed on American soil, and future generations of scholars had to be cultivated. The Foundation assumed a leadership role in this endeavor. From 1980 to 2000, we shifted focus toward more engagement in programs and initiatives based in arts and humanities.

Over the last ten years there has been an explosion of interest in Jewish culture—both in the U.S. and worldwide—in the areas of music, literature, film, and theater. Communal Jewish organizations are recognizing the value of culture as a point of entry for young Jews and the unaffiliated and many new theaters, magazines, Web sites, and museums are being created or expanded. There is a critical need to support individuals who create content for these venues, and the Foundation is currently focusing on these creators and advocating for the importance of Jewish culture.

FUNDING

The Foundation for Jewish Culture receives core operating support from the National Federation/Agency Alliance, a partnership between nine national agencies and 37 Jewish federations. Additional funding comes from our generous board members, foundations, corporations and individuals like you.