Our Beneficiary Agencies
Everyday, the needs in our Jewish community - Here in Hamilton and overseas—continue to grow. Hamilton Jewish Federation acts as a safety net, ensuring these needs are met. The beauty of our system is that with just one gift to our Annual Campaign, you can touch many, many lives. On any given day, your gift offers invaluable support for frail seniors to live independently. On any given day, your gift provides children with a Jewish education. On any given day, your gift helps hungry Jews overseas with life-sustaining food packages. On any given day, your one gift makes a world of difference.
Each year, Hamilton Jewish Federation strives to keep our community's most-needed programs and services in place—with your help. Through your generosity, we can cast our safety net even wider as we support a caring community, an involved community, a learning community and a community that seeks social justice.
Featured Beneficiary Agency: Beth Tikvah
Chris Barone has big plans for Beth Tikvah. The recently hired executive director of the Arkell Street residence for developmentally delayed adults said he’s been given a mandate by the agency’s board to expand the agency’s services, which includes outreach service. Currently the residence is home to six individuals of both Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, as well as offering support to individuals who live outside the residence. But Beth Tikvah’s outreach services, run until now by dedicated volunteers, has not reached its full potential.
“The way Joy Zians and Sandra Morris put together the content was excellent,” said Barone, “but the attendance has been very disappointing.”
It’s been three years since the agency has had an executive director and Barone is wasting no time in getting the word out about the role he believes Beth Tikvah should be playing in the Jewish community at large.
“We are the only agency this side of Toronto that can support individuals within a Jewish framework,” he said. Barone’s vision is Beth Tikvah’s taking its place among other Hamilton agencies in offering support to individuals with developmental disabilities “at every life step down the road.” That’s why it’s so important to him that the community be informed that families seeking support for their loved ones can state a preference to be assisted by a Jewish organization.
“If that information is there, it would only make sense for us to provide that service and support because we have the knowledge, we have the background, we have the history.”
“But we not only have an obligation to the Jewish community,” he added. “We have an obligation to the Hamilton community to try to minimize the wait lists for residential or supported independent living.”
A native of Ancaster, Barone, 41, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He spent 14 years working Rygiel Supports for Community Living, working his way up to Director of Services.
“I feel very lucky to be in this role because I’m going to be with an agency that is focused on growing,” he said. “As Franklin Simkevitz, chair, and the board indicated at the very beginning, ‘we know there are needs out there that are not being met within a Jewish framework and our goal is to fill those needs, so to have this opportunity is huge.’”
Beneficiary Agencies of the Hamilton Jewish Federation
Our Local Partners
Hamilton Hebrew Academy
Kehila Jewish Community Day School
Beth Jacob Hebrew School
Temple Anshe Sholom Religious School
Midrasha - Hamilton Hebrew High
Hamilton Jewish Social Services
Camp Kadimah
McMaster Hillel
Beth Tikvah Foundation
Jewish Community Centre
The Hamilton Jewish News
Community Programs
Community Relations & Public Affairs
Hamilton Jewish Professionals Group
Holocaust Education
March of the Living
PJ Library
Ralph Travis Israel Experience
Young Adult Division (YAD) Leadership Program and Activities
Our National Partners
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
Birthright Israel
Canada Israel Experience
Jewish Federations of Canada UIA
Our Israel & Overseas Partners
Jewish Agency for Israel
Joint Distribution Committee
FEDERATION LINKS