Global Jewry has traveled a long way in only six months, and it has been an amazing journey.

More than 460 Jewish leaders and 124 Jewish organizations have answered our call to find new ways to work together to strengthen the bonds that unite Global Jewry. We truly appreciate the contributions of everyone who has helped us come this far.

All over the world, we are already witnessing the ripple effects of our earliest efforts and, as a result, we continue to gain supporters every day. With you on our team, we are entering the new year with confidence and resolve. We know we are on to something big, and we are committed to making it happen.

Achieving our full potential will not be easy. Start-ups of every variety face a myriad of challenges and we are no exception to the rule. So, in the spirit of those who love to create lists this time of year, here are the top five issues we will address in 2024:

1. Awareness. Little we accomplish at Global Jewry will matter unless our message reaches the eyes and ears of as many people as possible in every corner of the Jewish world. We have spent the last six months building a very strong base. Next year, we will turn more of our attention to gaining followers on social media and otherwise expanding our reach. To that end, whatever you can do to spread the word about Global Jewry will be invaluable, and we are ready to provide whatever kind of assistance you may need to help us broaden our audience.
2. Partnerships. As successful as we have been in attracting organizational partners up to this point, we have only scratched the surface of this important facet of our work. Given our commitment to be a platform for all kinds of existing and new approaches to building community, connections, and collaborations, it is essential that we have the greatest number of partners as possible. The more partnerships we enter, the greater our ability to amplify the activities of those partners and help them enlarge their constituencies. Having more partners will also allow us to share more material on our website and social media outlets which, in turn, will provide those looking to Global Jewry for inspiration, information and connection with more choices.
3. Staffing. 2023 is coming to an end, and with it, so are the days of being able to achieve our ambitious mission using only our terrific part-time consultants and dedicated volunteers. Hiring excellent people is always hard, and even more difficult when achieving your mission demands that they have the energy, skill, knowledge, passion, and dedication to undertake a global initiative as part of a small team. Oh, and then there is the small matter of the constituency they have been tasked to engage. Global Jewry is about as diverse and challenging a group as exists, and working through the organizational dynamics of the Jewish world will be no small feat. Again, any thoughts you may have about people who may be interested in helping us take Global Jewry to the next level will be greatly appreciated.
4. Funding. We also welcome any help or leads you can provide as sources of funding for Global Jewry. Increasing awareness, building partnerships and hiring great people all require significant resources, and the competition for philanthropic dollars is fierce, given the many important causes and great organizations working in the Jewish world and beyond. That said, we believe Global Jewry is pursuing a unique and vital mission deserving of the support it needs. No other Jewish organization has world Jewry as its sole constituency, and no other organization seeks to be a rising tide increasing awareness of the many outstanding Jewish projects, programs, and institutions already in existence. We also want to be a place that enables and empowers creators of new content and ideas to promote their work to the widest possible audience. All of that necessitates money, and much of 2024 – and beyond — will be spent raising it.
5. Values. No less important in 2024 than the previous four issues will be ensuring that everything that happens at Global Jewry is undertaken in accordance with the values and principles of our organization. We are humbled by the enormity of the responsibility our mission entails to all the individuals, organizations, and communities we seek to engage. We are committed to treating everyone with courtesy and respect, embracing and celebrating the diversity of the Jewish world, and elevating the voices of those previously unheard. We are committed to working with Jewish organizations regardless of their ideological, religious, or political beliefs, as long as they are respectful of those who do not share their convictions, and do not speak or act disrespectfully about them. Moreover, our involvement with any organization should be seen only as an endorsement of its shared commitment to our mission, not any other part of its philanthropic, denominational, or political agenda. We are an apolitical and nondenominational organization, focused exclusively on the entirety of the Jewish world, and we will not sanction incivility.

Thank you again for all your support in 2023. We look forward to continuing to benefit from your participation in Global Jewry in the year ahead.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana tova,

Sandy Cardin