Nationwide Initiative to Make Judaism Accessible While Combating Rising Hate
JewBelong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making Judaism warm, real, and welcoming, today announced its Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign. Founded to reach disengaged Jews (DJs), JewBelong is inviting supporters to help turn up the volume on its message of belonging and joy while continuing to raise awareness about the alarming rise in antisemitism across America.
For Giving Tuesday, a generous donor has offered to match every contribution dollar-for-dollar, up to $180,000. This means that donations will have twice the impact. Unlike most nonprofits, 100% of JewBelong’s overhead is covered, so contributions go directly to paying for billboards and outreach programs.
Founded in 2013, JewBelong provides straightforward explanations, readings, and rituals designed to help people connect with Judaism without judgment or intimidation. The organization offers free downloadable booklets for major Jewish holidays, including Passover, Hanukkah, the High Holidays, and Shabbat, as well as resources for lifecycle events. JewBelong serves Jews at all levels of observance, people who are not Jewish but are part of Jewish communities, and anyone who has felt like a Jewish outsider.
In response to the dramatic increase in antisemitism nationwide, JewBelong has expanded its mission to include a high-visibility billboard campaign featuring the organization’s signature hot pink signs. These billboards, placed in major cities across the United States, deliver powerful messages aimed at raising awareness about antisemitism and encouraging allies to stand against hate. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Jews constitute less than 2% of the U.S. population but are targets of 60% of religious hate crimes.
A typical billboard costs approximately $12,000 per month, making sustained public awareness campaigns a significant undertaking. JewBelong’s outdoor advertising has reached an estimated 250 million viewers across the country, sparking crucial conversations about Jewish identity, belonging, and the persistence of antisemitism in contemporary America.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, JewBelong relies entirely on donations to continue its work of making Judaism welcoming and accessible while fighting antisemitism. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
