Foundation for Jewish Culture

Established in 1960 by the Council of Jewish Federations (the forerunner of the United Jewish Communities), the National Foundation for Jewish Culture was originally created to support American organizations responsible for preserving historic Jewish culture after the destruction of European Jewish institutions during the Holocaust. Nearly 50 years later, the mission of the renamed Foundation for Jewish Culture (FJC) has evolved to support artists and scholars exploring multiple aspects of the Jewish experience. Its 48-year existence has led to more than 800 artist and scholar grant recipients, including documentary filmmakers, playwrights, writers, visual artists and musicians, many of whom have been featured in film festivals, theaters and universities around the world. In addition to awarding grants, FJC has been developing a distribution network to help these artists tour and connect with Jewish communities across the country. 

Slated for fall 2009, to coincide with the 100th anniversary celebration of Tel Aviv and to capitalize on the increasing popularity of Israeli choreographers, FJC is currently planning New Dance from Israel, an initiative to bring eight contemporary dance companies from Israel to the United States for a historic North American tour. In collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel in New York, New Dance from Israel will showcase Israel’s cultural contributions for multigenerational audiences. 

President and CEO Elise Bernhardt has mobilized the involvement of younger board members to complement a strong existing board and has brought new energy and collaborations to the FJC, such as with JDub Records on the Six Points Fellowship, also one of the Slingshot finalists this year. As FJC takes the year to refine the support it offers grantees, it has not dampened the enthusiasm of evaluators. In the words of one, “FJC, with its dynamic Director, has become a leader in promoting new forms of Jewish culture, of disseminating Jewish culture beyond the New York region, and of bringing contemporary life to its now 50-year-old mission.”