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Welcome to the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation

Fostering a vibrant Jewish future at home and abroad and assisting broader humanitarian activities since 1929.

News, Events, & Announcements

 

Black Honey: The Life and Poetry of Avraham Sutzkever

 
January 27 @ 12:00 pm via Zoom
 
The Initiative in Holocaust, Genocide, Memory Studies invites you to a screening on International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a discussion afterwards with Hadas Kalderon, granddaughter of Avraham Sutzkever
 
Register

 

The Architecture of Community: Discussions on Building Community in the Face of Conflict

 

January 23 @ 8:30 pm via Zoom

 

CUJF is excited to announce an opportunity to learn about joint Muslim-Jewish initiatives around the world that are focused on social justice, co-existence, and community building.

 

The Architecture of a Community, a conversation led by Liat Maggid Alon, Israeli-Middle Eastern Scholar, Visiting Assistant Professor, Program in Jewish Culture and Society, about Stranger/Sister and many other Jewish-Muslim initiatives for building co-existence, cooperation, and community. Dr. Maggid-Alon (PhD, Ben Gurion University of the Negev) is a historian whose specializes on gender, configurations of the family, the bourgeoisie, and diversity in Israel, Egypt, and the Middle East. Note: Although it is encouraged, prior viewing of Stranger/Sister is not necessary in order to participate in this event. Everyone is welcome!

 

POSTPONED TO A LATER DATE
 
This event has been postponed due to Covid concerns. The sponsors, The Holocaust Education Center of CUJF and Illini Hillel will announce the new dates when they are determined.

 

The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners  

January 27 - February 3 (weekend excluded) 

 

GRAND OPENING EVENT: January 27 @ 6:00 pm 

 

Location: 

Illini Hillel, Cohen Center for Jewish Life, 503 E. John Street, Champaign 

 

PRESS RELEASE

See Full Document

 

Establishment of the Central Illinois Jewish Communities Archives/Mervis Archives at The University of Illinois

 
The Danville Jewish Community is proud to announce the establishment of the Central Illinois Jewish Communities Archives/Mervis Archives in the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Library’s Illinois History and Lincoln Collections.

 

Do you know a Jewish child in Champaign-Urbana that would love to get Jewish-themed storybooks? Tell their family about CUJF’s PJ Library program!

 
PJ Library sends Jewish books to Jewish kids each month. Free!
The Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation is a PJ Library sponsoring organization. CUJF pays a portion of the cost of each book sent to families. PJ Library covers the rest of the cost. There's no cost to your family!
You can sign up your child here: https://pjlibrary.org/enroll-in-a-community
Reading to your children is important. Reading - or being read to -- affects child’s development. Just having books in a home increases a child's ability to learn.
 
But finding the right books and making the time to read as a family can be hard. That’s where PJ Library comes in. PJ Library shares Jewish stories that can help your family talk together about values and traditions that are important to you.
 
A program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library is made possible through partnerships with philanthropists and local Jewish organizations like CUJF. Families raising kids from birth through 9 years old with Judaism as part of their lives, are welcome to sign up. PJ Library welcomes all Jewish families, whatever your background, knowledge, or family make-up, or observance may be.
 
For more information about PJ Library, check out their website at www.pjlibrary.org/about-pj-library.
 
You can also email Linda Bauer, CUJF Executive Director, at cujf@cujf.org.
Listen

 

Interview with CUJF Executive Director Linda Bauer

 
CUJF Executive Director Linda Bauer was interviewed by Illini Radio Group News Director Sam Albert recently. Linda spoke about CU Jewish Federation goals and activities and also about her family's story.
 
In the course of the interview, Linda also talked about her family and her parents, who were Holocaust survivors. That interview is available on the Soundcloud.

 

 

Jewish Life and Learning

 

CUJF engages our dynamic and diverse community with educational resources and community events to appeal to different interests, backgrounds, and ages throughout the life span.

This Is What We Do

 

Support for Our Most Vulnerable

 

As Jews, we have a responsibility to care for the needy in our community, as well as to support our members during their most vulnerable times. CUJF is there with information, referrals, and financial assistance when needed.

Contact Us

 

Community Giving

 

Together, we are stronger. CUJF serves as a central mechanism for raising and allocating funds to local organizations as well as supporting Jewish organizations and initiatives in Israel and throughout the world.

Join Us Here

 

COVID-19: Let Us Know How We Can Help

 

​In these difficult times, CUJF continues to fulfill its mission to Aid, Educate and Celebrate our Jewish culture and community. CUJF's Human Services function is more important than ever. We have been making calls to our seniors and volunteers are picking up grocery orders for those who are unable to go out. If you or someone you know could use a friendly phone call or a delivery of needed items, please email us at cujf@cujf.org or call our office at (217) 367-9872 and leave a message. We are checking email and voicemail regularly.

We've reached out to the kids in our community with an online PJ Library storytime in conjunction with Sinai Temple. CUJF plans to offer more virtual programs, plus continue to provide information about resources from the other Jewish organizations in our community. We are also raising funds in order to assist members of our Jewish Community who may be affected by work closures, unexpected medical bills, and other emergencies. You can support these efforts! Click on “Donate” at the top of the page and type "virus" in the “Earmarks” section.

Together, we'll do a world of good!

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CUJF Publication Deadline

 

The deadline for CUJF’s weekly email blast is Wednesdays at 3:00 pm for publication on Fridays at noon. Tell us about your services, your events, and your good news!

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