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Every New Yorker has felt the effects of COVID-19, but the hospitality industry, particularly mom-and-pop-owned restaurants, are among the hardest hit. The impacts have been felt throughout the industry, as many restaurants have closed their doors permanently, while others face serious financial risk. Although the City has permitted outdoor dining, restaurants are still struggling.

In COVID-19 Relief For Safety Net Services And Support Of Jewish Education

On Monday, in response to the continuing challenges and hardships created by COVID-19, UJA-Federation of New York announces an additional $6.67 million in emergency spending for Safety Net Services and support of Jewish education. The emergency funds will come from UJA-Federation’s endowment, bringing the organization’s total allocations for emergency COVID relief to over $52 million. In addition, UJA has repurposed $2.5 million in existing COVID emergency loan funds to create a new loan program for the purchase of PPE by its nonprofit partners in the health and human service sector.

Teachers from Bnos Malka Academy and Solomon Schechter Queens are taking part in an elite training program to better address the social and emotional needs of their students whose academic year will start off differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hidden Sparks, a nonprofit dedicated to training teachers and providing them with the tools to support struggling students in mainstream Jewish day schools, is conducting the training, which focuses on Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and is helping teachers establish classrooms routines which could be easily transitioned online if local authorities and administrators deem it necessary for the school to move to a virtual learning model. The program will take place over several months.

As part of the training, Hidden Sparks SEL Coach Lily Howard Scott is working with teachers in Bnos Malka Academy and Solomon Schechter Queens during the back-to-school season to help them prepare their students for success in the coming year. The program’s goals are to empower teachers with strategies to support students’ emotional responses to the pandemic and to train teachers on how to establish new classroom routines and practices that boost students sense of connection, engagement and investment at school.  

Lily Howard Scott, MS, is a teacher as well as a curriculum developer. Her work – both written and video-based – has been used in graduate school programs and professional development seminars around the country. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and Bank Street College of Education.

“Research shows that the way students feel in the classroom is inextricably linked to how well they perform educationally, and that their social and emotional wellbeing is tethered to their academic wellbeing,” said Hidden Sparks Executive Director Debbie Niderberg. “We’re thrilled that Lily is guiding our educators on how to welcome their students back to school and how to talk about pandemic. Given that students are most successful when they feel connected to and a sense of belonging in their classes, she is also helping teachers to nurture caring and connected classrooms for all pupils.”

The workshops will include strategies for both virtual and in-person classrooms. Throughout the months of August and September, Lily Howard Scott met virtually with the faculty team and will continue to consult with and further train educators based on the needs of their specific students and classrooms.

Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.

Rachamim ben Sa’ida Mazal

Shraga Feivel ben Chayah Daba

In COVID-19 Relief For Safety Net Services And Support Of Jewish Education

On Monday, in response to the continuing challenges and hardships created by COVID-19, UJA-Federation of New York announces an additional $6.67 million in emergency spending for Safety Net Services and support of Jewish education. The emergency funds will come from UJA-Federation’s endowment, bringing the organization’s total allocations for emergency COVID relief to over $52 million. In addition, UJA has repurposed $2.5 million in existing COVID emergency loan funds to create a new loan program for the purchase of PPE by its nonprofit partners in the health and human service sector.

Of the $6.67 million, nearly $4.6 million will be used to strengthen and expand safety net services for 225,000 New Yorkers impacted by job loss, economic hardship, food insecurity, and mental health challenges. Another $2.1 million will be used to help 47 Jewish day schools reopen this fall, benefiting 34,000 students. 

“Since its inception over 100 years ago, UJA has been a major supporter of New York’s social service safety net, helping the most vulnerable in our community — Jews and non-Jews alike. We are also deeply committed to the cause of Jewish education. Today, we face unprecedented challenges on both fronts — which is why we’re drawing from UJA-Federation’s endowment to help support our community in crisis. This emergency funding is critical to help New Yorkers feed their families, find jobs, and receive counseling. At the same time, we have a duty to our Jewish schools to help support students and faculty returning to a safe and healthy school environment this fall,” said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York.

Safety Net — $4,570,000

The safety net funds will bolster existing capacity and service offerings at UJA’s health and human service nonprofit partners. Funds will be used for emergency cash grants for in-need households; legal counseling; and workforce development, including sector-based job training, resume writing, interview prep, networking, and placement services. Efforts to combat food insecurity include launching two new digital food pantries (in addition to the six UJA currently funds) and assistance with purchasing and the distribution of emergency food. Finally, community-based mental health supports will be bolstered at UJA nonprofit partner sites as well as at synagogues and day schools.

Jewish Education — $2,100,000

Since the start of the pandemic, UJA has allocated over $2 million to address new tuition assistance needs at Jewish day schools and yeshivot. The additional $2,100,000 in emergency funds will help offset the overwhelming start-up and ongoing reopening costs for schools across the region. Costs include building retrofitting, purchasing PPE, necessary technology enhancements, and more. This funding is made possible in part thanks to The Paul E. Singer Foundation, which  generously contributed $500,000 through the Jewish Communal Response and Impact Fund (JCRIF) to augment funding for particularly under-resourced schools.

Terry Kassel, Trustee of the Singer Foundation, said, “We believe in these schools, and their students, as they chart a course for the Jewish future—before, during, and after this pandemic. And we are proud to help them open their doors this fall.”

PPE Loan Program — $2,500,000

UJA repurposed $2.5 million from a previously created COVID emergency loan fund, to be used for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for eligible nonprofit partners. In addition, joining an initiative led by Jewish Federations of North America for collective purchasing to responsibly manage costs, UJA is focused on efficiently sourcing and distributing PPE to front-line agencies that need it.

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