What Our Mission Looks Like in Real Life | 
One person, one family, one moment at a time

Our mission is to strengthen and enhance Jewish life in the greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys by promoting and advocating for Jewish values. But what does that truly look like in everyday life?

As the Communications and Operations Manager of the Jewish Federation, I have the privilege of seeing the answer unfold up close. I witness how this mission comes alive, one person, one family, one moment at a time. We are, after all, responsible for one another.

Sometimes, this mission shows up as creating space for connection.

I think of two young moms who met through our Gan Katan program, a Friday morning pre-Shabbat gathering for little ones and their grown-ups. They arrived as strangers. One of them later shared:

“What I did not know on that first day was that this Friday morning class would become one of my favorite activities. It was not only where I found my Jewish community, but also where I met the moms who became my closest and most cherished friends.”

Though one of these families has since moved away, their bond endures. Their children still celebrate milestones together, growing up with the quiet assurance that they belong to something larger than themselves. What began as a simple weekly program became a lasting friendship—and a reminder that Jewish community travels with us, wherever life leads.

At other times, this mission takes the form of remembrance.

For eight years, hundreds of volunteers have stood together at our Every Person Has a Name Holocaust Vigil, reading aloud the names of those murdered during the Holocaust. This act is never abstract. It is personal, sacred, and deeply moving.

One volunteer recently shared that after finishing her reading and returning to her car, she was overcome with emotion and began to weep, holding grief for the past while reflecting on the weight of the present. In that moment, memory, identity, and moral responsibility became inseparable. That, too, is community: standing together in remembrance and meaning.

These are just two glimpses of how the Jewish Federation strengthens Jewish connection - connection to one another, to our values, and to a sense of purpose passed from generation to generation.

There are many more stories like these, some I will share in future columns, and others we may never fully see. If our Jewish Federation has touched your life in a meaningful way, I would truly love to hear your story. Each one reminds us why this work matters.

None of this happens without you. It is made possible by the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers. Every contribution - of resources, time, or heart - builds bridges between our community members, across generations, and between values and action

*I’d love to hear from you: [email protected], or 626.445.0810, or feel free to stop by our office: 114A W. Lime Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016