Jewish for Good

What Jewish for Good does

Jewish for Good is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization operating from the Levin Jewish Community Center (Levin JCC) at 1937 West Cornwallis Road in Durham, North Carolina. Founded in the 1960s as the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation and rebranded to Jewish for Good in Fall 2020, the organization serves Jewish community members and the broader public across Durham, Orange, Chatham, and Alamance Counties. Its operations span three core divisions: Giving (annual campaign, capital campaign, Jewish Community Foundation managing donor-advised funds and endowments with approximately $800,000 in annual grants), Living (Health & Wellness Center with pools and 40+ weekly group exercise classes, Camp Shelanu summer day camp, J Café bakery, childcare), and Helping (social services, food pantry serving nearly 100 families monthly, memory care, adult day programs, clinical support). The organization also operates the Israel Center for cultural programming and The Lerner School for early childhood education.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure combining philanthropic giving (over 25% of operating budget), subscription-based Health & Wellness Center memberships (currently operating at capacity with a waitlist), summer camp tuition with financial aid, food service transactions through J Café, facility rentals, and personal service fees. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, events, and direct membership registration through the Daxko platform. The technology stack is standard nonprofit SaaS—Squarespace, Daxko, CampDoc, and Wufoo—with no proprietary technology, AI capabilities, or API offerings. Customer segments span Jewish community members (primary), families with children, older adults and caregivers, Israel-oriented community members, and community members in need of social services. The organization employs 29+ staff and is currently executing the Building for Good Capital Campaign with a $10.5 million goal to expand campus facilities.

Name

Jewish for Good

Legal name

Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation

Website

https://jewishforgood.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jewish for Good is a Durham, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the Levin Jewish Community Center, serving Jewish and broader community members across four counties through fitness, childcare, camp, social services, food pantry, philanthropy, and Jewish cultural programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Center Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Community Food Services (62421), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Community center services
• Social services nonprofit
• Jewish education programs
• Wellness and fitness center
• Philanthropy and fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Gifts and Donations: Annual giving, capital campaigns, tribute gifts, corporate sponsorships, and donor-advised fund contributions. More than 25% of operating budget comes from philanthropic gifts.
2. Health & Wellness Center Memberships: Year-round and summer memberships for fitness center, pools, group exercise, and related services. Includes family, individual, couple, and senior categories.
3. J Café Food Service: Weekly challah and babka sales, coffee bar, snack bar operations, and ceremonial challah orders for special occasions.
4. Camp Shelanu Tuition: Summer day camp fees with financial aid available. Registration requires non-refundable deposit per camper per week.
5. Jewish Community Foundation Grants: Foundation manages donor-advised funds and endowments, granting approximately $800,000 annually to support Jewish and secular nonprofits.
6. Facility Rentals: Rental of event and meeting spaces at the Levin JCC to community members and organizations.
7. Personal Services: Massage therapy, personal training, Pilates, physical therapy, integrative health coaching, and Reiki services for Health & Wellness Center members and non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jewish for Good operates the only Jewish Community Center in the Triangle area of North Carolina, providing fitness and aquatics at the Health & Wellness Center, summer day camp (Camp Shelanu), J Café bakery and coffee service, social services (food pantry, memory care, clinical support), Jewish cultural programming through the Israel Center, and philanthropic services via the Jewish Community Foundation. Programs are organized under three pillars—Giving, Living, and Helping—and are delivered on-site at the Levin JCC campus in Durham serving Durham, Orange, Chatham, and Alamance Counties.

Product overview

Jewish for Good is a community services organization (formerly Jewish Federation of Durham-Chapel Hill) operating as a platform of interconnected programs under three divisions: Giving, Living, and Helping. The Living division encompasses the Health & Wellness Center (fitness, aquatics, group exercise, personal services), Camp Shelanu summer day camp, J Café bakery and coffee bar, and Child Care/Kids' Club. The Helping division provides social services including food pantry, memory care, clinical support, and volunteer programs. The Giving division manages the Jewish Community Foundation for donor services, endowments, and grantmaking. The organization also houses the Israel Center for cultural programming and maintains an Arts & Culture patron membership. The Health & Wellness Center and its membership programs form the primary recreational services, while the J Café provides food retail operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health & Wellness Center A comprehensive fitness facility offering outdoor heated recreation pool and family pool with slide, 40+ group exercise classes per week, state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio/weight equipment, personal training, massage therapy, Pilates, integrative health coaching, and childcare services. Recognized 3-time Best Gym in Durham County. Open 360 days a year for Health & Wellness Center members.
• Camp Shelanu Summer day camp for children ages 5+ with activities including art, sports, STEAM challenges, daily swim with lessons included, and Jewish cultural exploration. National Inclusion Project-accredited program with specialty camp options. Camp runs June through August annually with sessions including Blast Off (June 8-12), Camp Shelanu (June 15 - August 14), and Last Blast (August 17-21). Requires $50 non-refundable deposit per camper per week at registration.
• J Café On-site bakery and coffee bar offering fresh-baked challah, babka, and baked goods using Counter Culture Coffee. Products available for pre-order with pickup at Levin JCC, including ceremonial challah for celebrations ($34 per ceremonial challah). Also distributed through Durham Co-op Market and Sundries @ LocoPops. INDY Week 2020 and 2021 Finalist for Best Bread in Durham County.
• Food Pantry Community food assistance program providing non-perishable food, fresh produce, and hygiene essentials to nearly 100 local families monthly. Includes Jewish holiday food assistance with items such as horseradish, gefilte fish, borscht, matzo, and honey cake. Supported by Jewish Food Festival proceeds and donations.
• Child Care and Kids' Club Drop-in childcare service for Health & Wellness Center members for children ages 3 months to 9 years, offering up to 1.5 hours daily. Child Care room for infants to 4-year-olds and Kids' Club for ages 5-9 in the teen lounge. Online sign-up required 24 hours in advance.
• Personal Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-TIME Best Gym in Durham County (2019, 2020, 2021)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Dance FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership spanning many years where ADF brings Israeli dance companies or Israeli choreographers to its stages in Durham, fulfilling the Israel Center's mission of bringing Israeli arts and culture to the Triangle.
• Triangle Israel Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish for Good's Israel Center, together with area Jewish Federations, formed the Triangle Israel Task Force to spearhead support of the Ethiopian community of Ganei Alon in Hadera, Israel. Efforts have been lauded in Hadera.
• Harold Grinspoon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2016, the local Jewish community has been participating in the Grinspoon Life & Legacy program. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation has invested $20 million dollars nationally to secure the future of vibrant Jewish communities through legacy giving.
• Network of Jewish Human Services AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStaff providing social work and clinical services remains affiliated with the Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies.
• Jewish Center Community AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe entire team continues to connect and gain resources from the Jewish Center Community Association.
• Jewish Federations of North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintains relationships with various communities and staff working with the Jewish Federations of North America.
• Durham Co-op MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Durham Co-op Market stocks the J Café challah and babka, often having loaves available through the weekend.
• Sundries @ LocoPopsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSundries @ LocoPops stocks the J Café challah and babka, often having loaves available through the weekend.
• Food Festival Community PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partners for the Jewish Food Festival include Brandwein's Bagels, Isaac's Bagels, Hummus Y'all, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Alyza Kitchen, Even Dough, The Parlour, Beit Am, Beth El Synagogue's catering kitchen, and Chabad of Durham-Chapel Hill.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta: Major Atlanta-area JCC with preschool, day camp, fitness center, and cultural programming. Closely mirrors Jewish for Good's multi-program structure with a similar membership and philanthropy mix.
• Charles E. Smith Jewish Community Center: Large multi-program JCC serving the Greater Washington DC area with fitness centers, summer camps, social services, and Jewish programming. Directly comparable in scope, size, and the integration of wellness, education, and community services.
• JCC Staten Island: Mid-sized JCC offering wellness, aquatics, early childhood, senior services, and social programming. Comparable in operating scale to Jewish for Good and the integrated federation+JCC model that Jewish for Good also embodies.
• Shalom Austin: Austin-area Jewish community center combining a JCC, Jewish Federation, and Foundation under one roof. Directly comparable in integrating wellness, camp, philanthropy, and Jewish community programming.
• JCC Chicago: Large Chicago-area JCC with multiple facilities offering early childhood education, camps, fitness, and senior services. Directly comparable in offering breadth and Jewish community-building mission.
• JCC Manhattan: Comprehensive Jewish community center on Manhattan's Upper West Side offering fitness, aquatics, cultural programming, and education. Operates a similar one-stop community hub model with diverse revenue streams.
• YMCA of the Triangle: Regional community fitness and recreation operator serving the same Durham-Raleigh geography. Direct competitor for Health & Wellness Center memberships, swim programs, childcare, and family wellness spend in Jewish for Good's backyard.
• 92nd Street Y: Comprehensive Jewish community and cultural center in NYC offering wellness, education, arts, and social programs. Closely comparable in multi-program JCC model with giving, living, and helping pillars, though larger in scale and geography.
• JCC of Greater Baltimore: Multi-location Maryland JCC offering aquatics, fitness, day and overnight camps, early childhood education, and senior services. Operates a similar Giving/Living/Helping-style multi-stream program structure.

Emerging players

• Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta: Federation-style Jewish nonprofit combining fundraising, grantmaking, and community programming. Comparable as a Jewish communal organization with philanthropy as a major revenue stream, though less facility-based than Jewish for Good.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jewish-federation-of-durham-chapel-hill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Jewish for Good