Jewish Community Federation of Greater
The Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Rochester, New York, serving as a philanthropic and community engagement hub for the Jewish community. Founded in 1961, the Federation fosters Jewish life through philanthropy, education, and advocacy, connecting the community locally and globally.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$53.2M
+14.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.4M
+23.2% YoY
Grant Count
49
+25.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$70K
-1.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To enrich the quality of life for Jews in Rochester, Israel and around the world through financial resource development, planning, education, community relations, and volunteer recruitment and training. The Federation convenes agencies, synagogues, and organizations to address issues of common concern, transforming Jewish tradition and values into action.
Primary Program Areas:
- Distributions to Beneficiaries — Annual allocations to qualified Jewish organizations and distributions for Israel emergency campaigns and other campaigns
- Foundation Development — Programs to assist in the development and growth of Jewish organizations
- Educational Services — Professional development programs and courses for teachers, Midrash H.S. in Rochester for Jewish students, and educational programs on the Holocaust
- Community Relations & Engagement — Center for Holocaust Awareness Information (CHAI), Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), community volunteer recruitment and development
- Specialized Programs — Women's Philanthropy, Partnership2Gether, PJ Library, teen programming, Young Leadership Division, ShinShinim, ROC Strong, Levine Center to End Hate, and Israel & Overseas initiatives
Grantmaking
The Federation makes annual allocations to qualified Jewish organizations and campaigns. In fiscal year 2024, the Federation distributed $1,365,527 through its Annual Campaign and Israel Emergency Campaign.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Federation serves Rochester, New York, with additional focus on Israel and global Jewish communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024 (most recent):
- Total Revenues: $16,698,250
- Total Expenses: $14,744,554
- Total Assets: $53,164,740
- Employees: 52
Foundation Assets: $52 million under management
The organization maintains a donor-advised fund through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $53,164,740 | $46,641,396 | $41,052,152 |
| Revenue | $16,698,250 | $11,501,424 | $11,910,754 |
| Expenses | $14,744,554 | $10,525,284 | $10,113,028 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,107,075 | $812,810 | $767,099 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
194 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Meredith Dragon is listed as a Principal Officer.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAN KINEL | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LISA EXELROD | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| DAPHNE FUTERMAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| RICHARD GOLDSTEIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| BARB ORENSTEIN PRESENT | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| RANDY SCHUSTER | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| MARVIN WOLK | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| HANNAH ROSENBLATT | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| ROBERT BAKER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| HAROLD BOBRY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| GABE CHODAK | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MEREDITH DRAGON | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 37.5 | $292,778 |
| DAVID CLAR | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| HOWARD COHEN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LESLIE CONNOLLY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ZACK ELLIS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROBERTA FELDMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BLANCHE FENSTER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CINDY FINESTONE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BARRY GILBERT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JERRY GOLDMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KATE GOLDSTEIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DEBBIE GORDON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LEON GOSSIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARC HAAS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| WENDY HOWITT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KIMBERLY KALISH | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| HELEN KASHTAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RAMI KATZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN KESSLER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DR JOSEPH KILMNICK | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SHARI KINEL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BARBARA KOZEL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN KESSLER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| NEAL MORCHOWER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SARAH MORGENSTERN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JULIE NUSBAUM | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LISA PELTA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| NAOMI PETERS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JON PRASTEIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARC REICH | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TIFFANY ROTHENBERG | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BEN ROZIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHELE RUDA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| PAULINE RUTBERG | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JOY RYEN PLOTNIK | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| AVIVA SCHOCHAT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL SILVERSTEIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARCH SOLOMON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHELE RUDA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RABBI PETER STEIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARGOT WEINBERG | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| REUBEN AUSPITZ | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROBERTA BORG | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| RINA CHESSIN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| LESLIE CRANE | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL GOLDBERG | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROBERT GORDON | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| HOWARD GROSSMAN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL GROSSMAN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROCHELLE GUTKIN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| WARREN HEILBRONNER | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| DENNIS KESSLER | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| HOWARD KONAR | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| BERYL NUSBAUM | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| CAROLYN NUSSBAUM | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| NATHAN ROBFOGEL | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| JERALD ROTENBERG | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| LINDA CORNELL WEINSTEIN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| SEYMOUR WEINSTEIN | GOVERNOR | 0.5 | — |
| MONA KOLKO | PAST PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| JEANINE MONACHINO | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 37.5 | $158,570 |
| DEBORAH ZARKOWSKY | PHILANTHROPY DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $138,645 |
| ERIC BRANDT | DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY | 37.5 | $123,169 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Federation operates several ongoing campaigns and initiatives, including the 2026 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs and the ROC Strong Campaign. Upcoming events include community gatherings, educational celebrations, and the 2026 Combined Annual Meeting scheduled for June 16.
Federation awards $198,000 in 2025 Local Impact Fund Grants - Jewish FederationThe organization holds a Four-Star rating based on its accountability and financial practices.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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