Jewish Federation of San Diego

What Jewish Federation of San Diego does

Jewish Federation of San Diego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization (EIN 95-1319015), founded in 1935 and headquartered at the Joseph and Lenka Finci Jewish Community Building, 4950 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, California. It serves as the central convener for the San Diego Jewish community — approximately 100,000 individuals across 50,000 households and nearly 100 affiliated Jewish institutions (synagogues, JCCs, day schools, social-service organizations) — and operates as a regional chapter within the broader American Jewish Federation system. The Federation's mission is organized around four pillars: Caring for Jews in Need (Holocaust survivor services, Jewish poverty initiatives, community chaplaincy); Building a Vibrant Jewish Future (PJ Library, One Happy Camper grants, teen immersive travel, NextGen young-adult engagement, leadership development programs such as LEADS and the National Young Leadership Cabinet); Connecting with Israel and Global Jewry (the 25-year Sha'ar HaNegev sister-city partnership, ShinShinim Young Ambassadors, Federation Missions, Birthright and Masa subsidies, and the Gesher Project); and Creating a Resilient and Secure Community (the Jewish Community Security Institute, antisemitism-fighting initiatives, and the Legacy of Light Goldberg Institute for Holocaust Education).

Name

Jewish Federation of San Diego

Legal name

Jewish Federation of San Diego

Website

https://jewishinsandiego.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jewish Federation of San Diego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1935 that convenes San Diego's 100,000+ Jewish community members and nearly 100 institutions across philanthropy, Holocaust survivor care, youth and young-adult engagement, Israel/global peoplehood, and community security.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Community Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Jewish community services
• Community philanthropy
• Holocaust survivor support
• Israel engagement programs
• Jewish leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Campaign: The federation's primary fundraising vehicle - the 'all in' Campaign - unites community members to create lasting change through donations that fuel opportunities, hope, and brighter futures for those in need. Donations support all federation programs and initiatives.
2. Tribute Gifts: Making tribute gifts in honor or memory of loved ones, a meaningful way to mark lifecycle events while supporting Jewish community.
3. Endowments & Planned Giving: Long-term giving vehicles allowing donors to leave legacy gifts, including contributions via JCF Donor Advised Fund.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jewish Federation of San Diego is a nonprofit community organization that raises charitable funds and delivers programs serving Jews in San Diego, Israel, and worldwide. Its core offerings include Holocaust survivor emergency aid and social programs, Jewish education and youth/family engagement grants, young adult and leadership development programs, Israel travel subsidies and immersive missions, a 25-year sister-region partnership with Sha'ar HaNegev, and community security and antisemitism-response services.

Product overview

Jewish Federation of San Diego is a nonprofit organization operating a diverse portfolio of Jewish community programs rather than a unified technology product. The Federation's offerings span four strategic priority areas: (1) Caring for Jews in Need, including Holocaust Survivor Emergency Aid Support, New Life Club, Yom HaShoah Commemorations, Jewish Community Chaplaincy Services, and a Working Group on Jewish Poverty; (2) Building a Vibrant Jewish Future, encompassing youth programs (One Happy Camper Grants, PJ Library, Global Ambassador Program, Student-to-Student, Israel Unfiltered, Teen Immersive Experience Grants, Teen Wellness & Resilience), young adult engagement (NextGen, Birthright Israel, Masa Israel, Honeymoon Israel, JDC Entwine), and leadership development (LEADS, National Young Leadership Cabinet, Pauline Foster Women's Leadership Institute, Courageous Leadership Initiative); (3) Connecting with Israel & Global Jewry, featuring the Sha'ar HaNegev 25-year partnership, ShinShinim Young Ambassadors Program, Federation Missions & Immersive Travel, Gesher Project, and Standing with Israel relief efforts; and (4) Creating a Resilient & Secure Community, including the Jewish Community Security Institute, Fighting Antisemitism initiatives, and the Legacy of Light Goldberg Institute for Holocaust Education with Spark Interactive. Supporting services include the Hevruta Podcast, Jewish Community Directory, Community Calendar, and the San Diego Jewish Blue Book Study research. The organization serves San Diego's community of more than 100,000 Jewish individuals across nearly 100 institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legacy of Light Goldberg Institute for Holocaust Education (LLGI): An innovative initiative advancing remembrance, education, and civic responsibility for Holocaust education.
• Hevruta Podcast
• New Life Club

Products and services

• Holocaust Survivor Emergency Aid Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of college students who participate in teen immersive experience will participate in Jewish experiences in college
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term global partnership with JDC, one of the world's leading Jewish humanitarian organizations. Federation works with JDC to meet needs of Jewish communities in Israel and 70+ countries, support Sofia Bulgaria Jewish community revival, and facilitate immersive travel experiences including JDC Entwine young adult programs.
• Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with JAFI through ShinShinim Young Ambassadors Program bringing Israeli high school graduates to San Diego, and collaboration on global Jewish community support and peoplehood initiatives.
• World ORTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Jewish education organization partnered to support Jewish communities worldwide through educational programs and initiatives.
• KAVOD SHEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership providing grants to Jewish Family Service for emergency services to Holocaust Survivors including dental, vision, food, emergency medical support, emergency home care, emergency transportation, and urgent home services.
• Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (LFJCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for PJ Library program, Yom HaShoah commemorations, and various community programming. JCC serves as co-host for major community events and partner in Holocaust survivor support.
• Jewish Family Service of San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Holocaust Survivor emergency services through KAVOD SHEF grants, Center for Jewish Care programs, and Working Group on Jewish Poverty collaboration.
• Birthright IsraelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational partner providing funding for young Jewish adults ages 18-26 to experience life-changing trips to Israel. Federation subsidizes trips for San Diego community members.
• Masa Israel JourneycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLeader in immersive international experiences in Israel for young adults (18-30). Federation provides subsidies for San Diego residents enrolled in Masa programs including gap year, study abroad, internship, volunteer, and Jewish studies programs.
• MomentumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational movement empowering Jewish mothers through 7-day Israel trips followed by year of continued learning and leadership development. Federation partners for women's leadership programs.
• JDC EntwinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement for young Jewish leaders partnering with Federation for immersive travel experiences to Jewish communities worldwide including Inside Jewish Argentina and Inside Jewish Italy programs.
• PJ LibrarycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal program sending free Jewish children's books to families monthly. Federation provides annual grant to Lawrence Family JCC for this program supporting reading and Jewish identity strengthening.
• Sha'ar HaNegev Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner25-year sister city relationship with San Diego's Israeli partner region near Gaza. Federation supports economic development, cultural exchanges, social services, and recovery efforts following October 7 attacks. Mayor Ofir Libstein was a key leader.
• SouthUp IncubatorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partnership between community and business leaders from San Diego and Sha'ar HaNegev to create entrepreneurial climate and startup ecosystem in the region.
• Jewish Community Foundation San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in collaborative efforts including Working Group on Jewish Poverty and community initiatives. Federation collaborates on donor advised funds and community giving.
• Jewish Community Directory PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNearly 100 Jewish institutions listed in community directory including schools (early childhood through high school), congregations (Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, Non-Denominational), organizations, and national affiliates.
• The Hive at Leichtag CommonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering JPro professional network for individuals working for Jewish communal organizations in San Diego.
• ShinShinim Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner18+ local organizations partner with ShinShinim including Camp Mountain Chai, Chabad Hebrew Academy, Congregation Beth Am, Beth Israel, San Diego Jewish Academy, Lawrence Family JCC, and Israeli American Council.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta: Federation in a high-growth Sun Belt Jewish community — analogous geographic and demographic profile to San Diego, with similar young-family and young-adult engagement programs. Strong peer for trajectory forecasting.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia: Mid-Atlantic federation of similar scale (~50K–100K Jewish households served) with strong Young Adult division and overseas partnerships. Strongest peer comparator for JFSD's demographic program-mix.
• Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston: New England regional federation with comparable model, ~$100M-scale campaign, and similar donor-advised fund/legacy giving infrastructure. Useful peer for high-end philanthropy benchmarking.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: Largest West Coast Jewish federation, structural twin of JFSD — same Annual Campaign model, same four-priority mission framework (Caring, Jewish Future, Israel/Global, Security). Direct comparable for benchmarking campaign totals, headcount intensity, and program breadth.
• Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago: Mid-century federated Jewish fundraising model (JUF) with deep antisemitism/security programming and Israel-linked allocation. Operates as both fundraising intermediary and direct service provider, paralleling JFSD's hybrid role.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Washington: Mid-sized regional federation with comparable priorities, active security institute, and tight global-agency linkages. Most operationally similar mid-market federation to JFSD.
• Jewish Federation of Cleveland: Mid-market federation with recognized excellence in international programming and teen Israel travel subsidies. Comparable in scale and similar in reliance on Birthright/Masa subsidies as engagement gateways.

Regional players

• Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego: Local DAF administrator that manages the JCF Donor Advised Fund channel through which many JFSD donors route planned/legacy gifts. Operationally intertwined — collaborates on Working Group on Jewish Poverty and broader giving strategy.
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego: Sister San Diego agency that delivers direct social services and is JFSD's primary implementation partner for KAVOD SHEF Holocaust Survivor grants, Jewish Poverty Working Group, and chaplaincy support. Most closely linked local peer.

Broad incumbents

• UJA-Federation of New York: The largest Jewish federation in the world and the JF system's anchor entity. JFSD participates in UJA-coordinated national campaigns and follows UJA model governance. Sets the strategic agenda against which JFSD aligns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JewishInSanDiego
• Facebookfacebook.com/JewishInSanDiego
• Instagraminstagram.com/jewishinsandiego
• Xx.com/JewishSanDiego

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jewish Federation of San Diego