It has been quite a year for Jews — and for Jewish philanthropy. Two weeks into 2022, a gunman took a rabbi and three congregants hostage at Temple Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas — prompting a renewed emphasis on funding to combat antisemitism. Just over a month later, Russia invaded Ukraine — sparking a transformation in American Jewish organizational budgets and priorities. The rest of the year was no less momentous — from major philanthropic news about Birthright to new efforts for reproductive rights to, recently, the allegations against Sam Bankman-Fried.

Throughout it all, Jewish funders and organizations placed an emphasis on mental health as the world emerged from COVID-19 restrictions, and found new online tools and platforms to help them give more effectively.

As we head into 2023, here are 10 trends and topics that defined the Jewish philanthropic world this year:

Fighting antisemitism and funding security

This year, the Jewish community got a series of reminders that hatred of Jews is alive and present. After the Colleyville hostage situation, the synagogue’s rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker, credited security training for helping him and his fellow victims get out unharmed. Soon afterward, the Jewish Federations of North America accelerated a program that would inject up to $126 million over three years into security. Jewish groups began a full-court press that led to the government providing $305 million for securing religious institutions and other nonprofits, though that number was short of the $360 million the groups requested.

An Anti-Defamation League audit found that 2021 had a record number of antisemitic incidents, and the hate continued, including a white supremacist shooting in Buffalo in April. Antisemitism on campus remained concerning, especially as eJP found that the federal Education Department had delayed regulations on the issue for years. Later, a coalition of nine groups at The University of California, Berkeley Law School agreed to bar events with Zionist speakers. As Hillel celebrates its centennial, keeping students safe has become a major priority.

Read the full article about Jewish philanthropy in 2022 at eJewish Philanthropy.