Friday Five – July 24, 2026
At JewishColumbus we have a bold and audacious goal to become the BEST Jewish community in North America. Friday Five is a way to share how your support makes a great impact possible. Every other week, we are proud to share that impact, community partnership, accomplishments, and our most incredible moments of pride. Thank you for coming along.
Our community reached an incredible milestone: $15 million raised for our 2026 Annual Campaign, a $3 million increase over last year and more than 550 first-time donors who chose to invest in the Columbus Jewish community.
That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects a community that believes in its future. Because of your generosity, we can deepen our investment in our longstanding partners while welcoming seven new organizations into our network, investing deeper into securing the community, and expanding the fabric of Jewish life across Central Ohio and around the world.
To everyone who gave: thank you. Your support makes this work possible, and your generosity is proudly recognized in our Honor Roll.
The Annual Campaign is more than the dollars raised. It gives us the ability to think bigger about what’s possible. Our community and the Jewish world are rapidly changing, and so are the needs, hopes, and expectations of the people we serve. We’re listening closely, learning, and shaping new ideas that reflect this moment. In the months ahead, we’ll begin sharing more about where that work is leading.
Until then, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch our End-of-Year video and continue to deepen your Jewish connection. Thank you for making this past year one of growth, generosity, and momentum. Onward.
When JewishColumbus doubled its support for community partners last year, it empowered agencies to expand their services and offerings where they mattered most. At OSU Hillel, that support is delivering measurable results.
During the 2025–26 school year, OSU Hillel expanded its leadership development programming and initiatives, creating more opportunities for students to grow as leaders and make a meaningful impact on Jewish life at Ohio State. As a result, leadership applications doubled, an unprecedented response that reflected students’ desire to take ownership of their community. To meet this demand, they created new leadership roles and built a stronger, more engaged student board of empowered Jewish Buckeyes. By investing in student leadership today, OSU Hillel is cultivating a pipeline of confident, connected Jewish leaders who will strengthen our community for years to come.
Increased support doesn’t just sustain great initiatives — it expands opportunities, deepens impact, and ensures that every student seeking connection can find a seat at the table.
Allyship isn’t defined by a single event, but by an ongoing commitment to show up for one another. And that is exactly what JewishColumbus is doing with the Hindu Society of Central Ohio (HSSUS). At a recent interfaith dialogue focused on learning about the Jewish faith, members of both communities came together to deepen understanding, strengthen connections, and reaffirm a shared commitment to confronting hate — creating a more resilient community for everyone.
Plans are underway for future connections — including Hinduism 101 and a joint Hanukkah-Diwali celebration. Together, partnerships like these help ensure that when one community faces challenges, none of us stand alone.
Cheri and Tod Friedman have spent a lifetime saying yes to their Jewish community — traveling on missions, strengthening local institutions, and investing in programs they care deeply about. As parents of three adult children, it was important for them to set an example of how to support their community. They established a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) to create a framework for their giving. In addition, they made bequests to the JCC, Columbus Torah Academy, Beth Jacob Congregation, and Temple Israel, ensuring their values will continue to shape the community for generations.
“It wasn’t a single decision so much as the next step in something we’ve been building for decades,” Cheri said. The DAF turned their instinct to give generously into a lasting structure, and a model for their children. “We didn’t just want to tell them what giving means — we wanted to show them,” Tod said.
Planned giving is about more than today’s impact; it’s about creating a lasting legacy. By pairing that philosophy with a thoughtful giving strategy, the Friedmans are helping ensure the organizations they cherish will endure.
To learn more about opening a Donor Advised Fund, contact Lori Maier Wishne at [email protected] or 614-559-3208.
Please join us in welcoming Tali Shai to JewishColumbus as our new Manager, Israel & Overseas.
As JewishColumbus deepens its connection to Israel and Jewish communities around the world, Tali steps into a role that’s personal. An Israeli who recently made Columbus her home, she brings a lived experience that will shape how she will connect our community with Israeli culture and society.
In this role, Tali will supervise our two ShinShinim (Israeli teen emissaries) and lead several of our Partnership2Gether (Kfar Saba) initiatives, helping carry forward the work that ties Central Ohio to Israel. Tali has a natural gift for connecting people and building relationships, exactly what this work asks for.
Welcome to the team, Tali!
