Charleston Jewish Federation Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Jewish Education and Jewish Life Charleston Jewish Federation supports agencies and initiatives to cultivate Jewish life and Jewish education locally and worldwide. REMEMBER Program for Holocaust Education and Genocide Awareness The Remember Program connects the greater Charleston community to the lessons of the Holocaust and provides resources to help ensure that we never forget. Through our Speaker's Bureau, we reach thousands of students and community members each year with stories of survival and resilience. Oftentimes a speaker will participate in a daffodil planting through our partnership with the Daffodil Project, a worldwide initiative to plant 1.5 million daffodils in memory of the 1.5 million children murdered in the Holocaust. Through the REMEMBER Program, we connect local teachers with opportunities to learn, travel, and connect with each other. In this way, we ensure best practices when teaching this highly sensitive topic. In partnership with the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust, we present at teacher trainings and share resources. Remember Project In 2019, CJF professionals met with the heads of social studies curriculum in local school districts, and the overwhelming message we heard from them was, "If the students want it to happen, it'll happen." With this in mind, we created the Remember Project. In its 5th year, we have reached over 100 students in 20 local schools. Throughout the year, the students can work together to promote Holocaust education and genocide awareness. They also become ambassadors against hate through ADL trainings. Due to this initiative, we have seen an increase in schools taking advantage of the REMEMBER program resources. Proclamations In moving ceremonies during city and county council meetings, proclamations are read each year to commemorate the Holocaust. Yom HaShoah Each year, for Holocaust Remembrance Day, we bring the community together to honor and remember the victims of the Holocaust. During this meaningful ceremony, names of victims of the Holocaust with local ties to Charleston are read, and our rabbinical leadership leads us in prayers, and we recommit to telling the important and horrific stories of the Holocaust. Charleston Jewish Voice OnlineFormerly a printed quarterly publication, the digital Jewish Voice is sent to the e-mail inboxes of thousands of community members. The digital format allows us to provide timely news items and events from our partner organizations to the community. We encourage community members to share their stories with the greater Charleston Jewish community through the Jewish Voice. Securing our Jewish Institutions and Jewish Community and Combating Antisemitism Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Charleston The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Charleston's mission is to educate and advocate on issues of importance to the organized Jewish community based on consensus, civility, and a commitment to living Jewish values in the pursuit of justice. By joining the leaders of the Jewish organizations of our community, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Charleston provides an amplified and unified voice of the greater Charleston Jewish community on critical issues in the public sphere. Through this public advocacy, along with ongoing government affairs work, collaborative efforts to reduce food insecurity, and coalition building, we are building bridges that enhance cooperation and mutual understanding between the Jewish community and our neighbors. ADL Partnership The Director of Educational Initiatives is in a collaborative partnership with the ADL. This position allows us to bring ADL educational curriculum, resources, and support into our schools and community, offering ADL support and resources. The creation of this position represents the Charleston Jewish Federation's commitment to addressing the alarming rise in antisemitism right here in our community. With support from the ADL, our SCN Regional

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 78.6%; rating input score 79
• Program expense ratio: 81.7%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.77 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Limited
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 93.2%; rating input score 93; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.74; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.13; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.2%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings