Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) is a left-of-center advocacy organization focused on the District of Columbia that promotes left-of-center policies including minimum wage increases, paid leave mandates, left-of-center criminal justice policies, looser penalties for delinquent tenants, and firearm-ownership restrictions. It has received funding from the Ford Foundation, George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society, the Open Society Policy Center, and the Hopewell Fund. 1 2
Background
Jews United for Justice was formed in 1998 by Jewish community leaders in the Washington, D.C. area to advocate for left-of-center policies including an increase to the minimum wage, paid leave mandates, liberal criminal justice policies, looser penalties for delinquent tenants, and gun control. 3 4
Activities
In 2021, Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) led a “DC Paid Leave Campaign” to promote increased mandatory paid leave for D.C. residents following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Later in the year, the District of Columbia Council voted unanimously to pass the “Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Act of 2021” that expanded the DC Paid Leave program, which JUFJ claims led to half a million workers and their families receiving greater access to paid leave in the district. 5
JUFJ runs an initiative called Collaborative for Jewish Organizing, a network comprised of nine Jewish organizations that work to organize coordinated left-of-center projects in more than 19 states. 6
In 2023, JUFJ’s “Economic Justice Team” advocated for left-of-center policies including protections for street vending, an early-childhood education system, and a “racially equitable tax system.” 7
According to its website, JUFJ claims that “housing is a human right.” 8 The group advocates in favor of housing policies such as housing stability, protections for renters, and more opportunities for the development of safe and affordable housing. JUFJ partners with several left-of-center organizations in promoting these policies that include Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA), Everyday Canvasing, the Montogomery County chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and Shepherd’s Table. In addition, the website lists additional partners including members of the Montgomery County Racial Equity Network, the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), UFCW Local 1994 (MCGEO), and SEIU Local 500. 9
Finances
In 2021, Jews United for Justice reported a total revenue of $3,036,550, total expenses of $2,794,601, and net assets $1,675,884. 10
Funding
Jews United for Justice received a grant of $200,000 from the Ford Foundation in 2020 to support its development of a training curriculum to respond to hate crimes,. It received a $125,000 grant in 2021 from the Ford Foundation to support its Collaborative for Jewish Organizing, and a $250,000 grant in 2022 from Ford for the same initiative. 11
JUFJ has received funding from Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Foundation, Bend the Arc, the Benjamin Fund, the Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Dorot Foundation, George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society, the Open Society Policy Center, the Hopewell Fund, the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation, the Proteus Fund, and the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. 12 13
Leadership
As of 2023, Jacob Feinspan was the executive director of Jews United for Justice (JUFJ). Feinspan also chairs the Working Families Party (WFP) and the Collaborative for Jewish Organizing, sits on the leadership team for the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, and previously worked at the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC). 14
References
- “Mission-Vision-Values.” Jews United for Justice, Accessed October 2, 2024. https://jufj.org/mission-vision-values/
- “Full Text Search – Jews United for Justice, page 1.” ProPublica. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=jews+united+for+justice.
- “History.” Jews United for Justice. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://jufj.org/about-us/history/.
- Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Jews United for Justice. 2021. Boxes D, I.
- Baltimore, Sam. “DC Paid Leave Campaign Celebrates DC Council’s Historic Vote to Strengthen & Expand the DC Paid Family Leave program.” Jews United For Justice, August 9, 2021. https://jufj.org/dc-paid-leave-vote-final/
- “Grants Database.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/?search=jews+united.
- “ECONOMIC JUSTICE.” Jews United for Justice, Accessed October 2, 2024. https://jufj.org/dc-economic-justice/
- RENTERS’ RIGHTS.” Jews United for Justice, Accessed October 2, 2024. https://jufj.org/housing/
- RENTERS’ RIGHTS.” Jews United for Justice, Accessed October 2, 2024. https://jufj.org/housing/
- Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Jews United for Justice. 2021. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
- “Grants Database.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/?search=jews+united.
- “Full Text Search – Jews United for Justice, page 1.” ProPublica. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=jews+united+for+justice.
- “Full Text Search – Jews United for Justice, page 2.” ProPublica. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?page=2&q=jews+united+for+justice.
- “Jacob Feinspan.” Jews United For Justice. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://jufj.org/team/jacob-feinspan/.