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Jewish Community Foundation of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington works with donors to navigate complex decisions with clarity, care, and purpose. By combining deep community insight with disciplined vetting and thoughtful guidance, the Foundation helps donors transform their giving into long-term impact that strengthens Jewish and broader communities locally, nationally, and around the world.
That role was on full display at the 2026 Jewish Funders Network Conference, where the Foundation leadership co-led a candid conversation with the Nathan Cummings Foundation titled High Stakes Philanthropy: Inside Stories on Funding in Gaza and the West Bank. At a time of heightened polarization and profound moral tension, participants explored what it means to apply Jewish values alongside rigorous diligence and disciplined decision-making when responding to urgent humanitarian needs.
Drawing on firsthand experience, the Foundation Executive Director Sara Brenner and Senior Director of Philanthropic Impact Jannah Yutkovitz shared insights into the decision-making behind supporting a donor-initiated Fund for Gaza Humanitarian Relief in late 2025 with an audience of philanthropic professionals from around the world.
The fund is one example of a broader model: donor-led collaborative funds created by individuals who choose to act together. The Foundation provides diligence, structure, and philanthropic guidance, ensuring decisions are thoughtful, well-vetted, and grounded in shared values.
The conversation surfaced the real tensions inherent in this work, from navigating internal deliberations, vetting organizations, and supporting donors’ visions to managing reputational risk and stewarding decisions in moments of heightened scrutiny.
“As foundation staff, we sit at the intersection of donor intent, institutional risk, and urgent human need, often without the luxury of complete information” said Jannah Yutkovitz, Senior Director of Philanthropic Impact. “This work requires careful diligence, humility, and the ability to move forward, even when every option carries consequence.”
Throughout the session, one theme was clear: there are no simple answers. That’s precisely why process and expertise matter. By bringing donors into the decision-making process with transparency and opportunities for input and feedback, the Foundation helps donors learn from one another, strengthen their decision-making, and act with greater confidence and intention. “I look back at my decision to attend your session on High Stakes Philanthropy as one of the best decisions I made at the conference,” one of the attendees shared.
“We’re grateful to the Jewish Funders Network for creating space for this kind of candid conversation,” said Sara Brenner, Executive Director of the Foundation. “This form of collective philanthropic work begins with Jewish values and is strengthened by thoughtful, transparent engagement with stakeholders, enabling us to navigate complexity with integrity.”
The Foundation stewards philanthropic capital and supports donor-driven efforts with structure, expertise, and accountability—cultivating the leadership that sustains Jewish life in Greater Washington and beyond. Whether responding to urgent needs or strengthening Jewish life, this work ensures philanthropy is both responsive and responsible.