Jewish Federation of St. Louis

Founded in 1901, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis is one of the region’s oldest and largest nonprofit organizations. It is part of a network of more than 150 Federations across North America. Originally, Federations around the country were developed to aid Jewish immigrants in need of social services. Today, their role has changed slightly but the Jewish Federation of St. Louis is stronger than ever. In 2014, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis began an effort to focus on greater engagement as a community development organization. It recognized that before individuals will be interested in supporting their work, they have to be engaged. By working on engagement first, the federation moves from a model focused primarily on fundraising, to one that also inspires individuals to join together in its mission – where Jewish community is part of a life well lived. However, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis is still a powerful engine for propelling the community’s dollars, decisively, effectively and efficiently. Each year, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis works with its volunteer and professional community leadership to assess the needs of its community and establish strategic plans to sustain our vibrant Jewish ecosystem. Through its partnerships with thousands of donors, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis then raises over $15 million each year to meet those needs. Its volunteers then lead a community investment process to get those funds working to fulfill its mission through agencies, congregations, organizations, and programs. The Jewish Federation of St. Louis team then evaluates those investments based on the impact they are having in St. Louis, in Israel and wherever there is a need. This community impact and philanthropy work has been done since its inception in 1901 and remains the core of the work of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.