While traditional Jewish values have always been at the heart of Koret’s work, our network of grantees and the communities they serve are diverse. We believe that the drive to improve and uplift our own communities is universal, and connects people across cultures and backgrounds. We are proud to work with organizations that leverage the power of storytelling in its broadest sense to bridge cultural gaps, shine light on the past, expand our perspectives, and help shape a brighter future.

USC Shoah Foundation and Jewish Story Partners aare dedicated documentarians using narrative media to give voice to the Jewish experience and combat antisemitism. In the Bay Area, many cultural institutions—including several Koret grantees—recently honored the Lunar New Year and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. These grantees and others use art, music, and live interviews to connect us with the world around us. Following in this spirit of cultural sharing, Koret has made our research results about the Jewish Early Childhood Education ecosystem in the Bay Area publicly available.

In the shadow of the ongoing tragedy in Israel and Gaza, we welcome spring as a season of possibilities. Just last week, over 10,000 people came together to walk in San Francisco’s Unity March against antisemitism, and the JCCSF hosted a “Soul Vey” event to celebrate Women’s History Month, Black History Month, and Shabbat. As we look forward to celebrating Purim and Passover, let these holidays serve as a reminder of the importance of hope, unity, and keeping history alive through stories.

Jeffrey Farber, CEO

Jewish Story Partners: Supporting Jewish Filmmaking from many angles

Jewish Story Partners (JSP), which just closed its seventh round of applications, has funded 85 films in its first two years and received over 900 applications. Films generate empathy, and JSP believes that inviting Jews and non-Jews alike to see each other across perceived boundaries helps all of us gain insight into the human condition. In our newest grantee story, we spoke with JSP’s co-executive director Roberta Grossman about the diversity of films JSP funds and the range of additional support it offers filmmakers to help them reach their audiences. Read the full grantee story here.

Thoughts & Opinions

In partnership with Rosov Consulting and EarlyJ, Koret recently presented and made publicly available our research, “Exploring the Jewish ECE Ecosystem.” Koret Chief Program Officer Danielle Foreman and EarlyJ Executive Director Sharona Israeli-Roth spoke with eJewishPhilanthropy about the study’s main findings, and the importance of sharing this work with ECE funders and practitioners. Read the full article, titled “Jewish preschool ‘deserts,’ high tuition costs, staff retention are key issues, Bay Area study finds.”

Koret’s Ashley Rodwick and Insight Housing CEO Calleene Egan penned an op-ed exploring how private philanthropies and community organizations can help fill gaps in government funding to support veterans. Read the full article, titled “To better support Bay Area veterans, local nonprofits bridge gaps.”

Koret Grantees in the News

CA Dept. of Ed. brings Holocaust testimony to Bay Area schools The CA Department of Education recently launched an oral history speaker series to bring Holocaust testimony to school districts across the state. With support from JFCS, the series aims to give students a deeper understanding of the Holocaust by allowing them to hear directly from survivors and their family members. Read more.	ANU Museum offers ‘snapshot’ of how Israeli art responded to Oct. 7 ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv recently opened a full, temporary exhibition entitled “October Seventh.” The exhibit features dozens of works by Israeli artists responding and related to the Hamas massacres and the ongoing war. Read more.	Koret grantees celebrate the Year of the Dragon in the Bay Area In February, our grantees rang in the Lunar New Year across the Bay Area. Museums, educational centers, and other cultural institutions put on events and performances for everyone to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Read more.