Congregation Or Chadash's Hidur Keshet program is a recipient of the first round of Breakthrough Fund mini-grants from the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Congregation Or Chadash, 5959 N. Sheridan Rd., serves Chicago's LGBTQ Jewish community, as well as their friends and allies.
Hidur Keshet will create a space for LGBTQ Jewish individuals to connect with the extended Jewish community through program content that links gay history, gender identity, and Judaism.
Breakthrough Fund mini-grants, in the sum of $5,000, fund new, innovative local programs, projects and initiatives in Chicago's Jewish community that meet local human needs and engage community members Jewishly throughout their lifespans. Through the Breakthrough Fund, JUF is investing in Jewish social entrepreneurship and innovation to:
- Inspire community youth; strengthen Jewish congregational life; increase adult participation in Chicago Jewish communal life; engage groups that are underrepresented in Jewish communal life; and influence Jewish journeys.
- Address needs emerging from the new health care paradigm; meet ongoing needs of people who are chronically poor or among the "new poor;" develop programs that reach diverse populations; and reduce barriers to inclusion for underserved populations.
"JUF Breakthrough Fund grants will support not only proven organizations that create and expand value-added programs and services, but will help new voices, visions and ideas to emerge and contribute to the Chicago community," said David Rubovits, JUF's Senior Vice President of Planning and Allocations.
This initial round of mini-grants is intended to kickstart a range of efforts quickly. The next Breakthrough Fund grant cycle, beginning with requests for proposals in February, will include additional categories of grant-making, including larger and multi-year grants that support innovation.
The ultimate goal is to award $1 million in Breakthrough Fund grants annually for new programs, capacity-building efforts and novel approaches that address local human needs or engage members of the Jewish community.