Julia Malkin Reger Named Vice President, Philanthropic Engagement at JFN

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Julia Malkin Reger as JFN's new Vice President, Philanthropic Engagement. With nearly 20 years of experience working in Jewish organizations across the country, Julia brings deep expertise at the intersection of development, strategy, and leadership.

In her new role, Julia is responsible for developing and overseeing JFN’s member relationship and engagement strategies. She will steward JFN’s membership systems and ensure that JFN services are responsive to the diverse needs of its members. Critically, JFN’s Philanthropic Engagement department cultivates connections among JFN’s global network of funders, enhancing member experience to help drive collaborative philanthropic impact.

Julia joins JFN from Jewish Federations of North America, where she served as Managing Director of Jewish Changemakers. In that role, she led the initiative’s post-COVID evolution and was instrumental in ensuring the program’s strategic and operational sustainability. Her previous leadership roles include Vice President of Development and Expansion at OneTable and earlier positions within Jewish Federations of North America’s Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence and National Young Leadership Department.

Julia is eager to meet with JFN members, and we encourage you to reach out. And don't miss the opportunity to meet Julia at the upcoming JFN Member Orientation, June 11 at 11:00am ET. This is a great chance for both new and existing members to connect with one another, meet our dedicated JFN team, and discover everything we offer to enhance your philanthropic journey.

Funders Gather in Denver to Address Jewish Economic Vulnerability

Last week, funders convened in Denver for two powerful events focused on Jewish human services and economic insecurity. At a local gathering, 25 funders explored national and Colorado-specific data—where 18% of Jewish households struggle to make ends meet—highlighted through JFN’s new TENDatabase.com.

At the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies’ PowerNET Conference, funders learned about the growing challenges faced by Jewish Family Service agencies amid federal policy changes. Hundreds of agency staff have been laid off due to funding cuts, with some offering to volunteer just to keep vital services going. A funder-exclusive panel featured JFN members Ameya Pawar of the Michael Reese Health Trust, Lindy Eichenbaum Lent of the Rose Community Foundation, and Chana Siff of the Neuberger Family Foundation.

Want to engage more deeply in this work? Learn about JFN’s TEN: Together Ending Need peer network.

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | Zoom
12:00pm ET | 9:00am PT | 7:00pm IT

Join us next week for a conversation with Dr. Keren Fraiman, Dean and Chief Academic Officer at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, recipient of the 2025 Ilia Salita Excellence in Research Award (ERA),about this innovative research, recognized for its critical contributions to understanding and addressing challenges in Jewish education.

Barriers to Entry: Exploring Educator Reticence for Engaging with the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict sheds light on the complexities educators face when teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through a mixed-methods approach involving workshops and interviews with experienced educators, she identified key barriers—including knowledge gaps, emotional challenges, pedagogical hurdles, and communal pressures. Her findings offer actionable strategies to support educators in navigating these obstacles with confidence, an area of increasing urgency following the events of October 7, 2023.

Moderated by Rabbi B. Elka Abrahamson, President, The Wexner Foundation.

This program is open to JFN members and non-members.