Milwaukee Jewish Federation

About Milwaukee Jewish Federation

Milwaukee Jewish Federation Inc gives at a large, recurring scale to the institutions that anchor Jewish life in Milwaukee and beyond. In the recent grants list, its largest award was $2,190,237 to Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center for general donations, followed by a series of sizable general-support grants to Milwaukee Jewish Day School and Jewish Family Services. The pattern points to a federation that channels major unrestricted funding to core community institutions rather than relying only on project-specific awards. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches congregations, schools, care organizations, and campus Jewish life. Bader Hillel Academy, Jewish Home & Care Center Foundation, Congregation Emanu-el B'ne Jeshurun, Yeshiva Elementary School, and Hillel Milwaukee all appear among its larger grants. That mix suggests support across the lifecycle of Jewish community infrastructure: youth education, family services, worship, elder care, and student engagement. Alongside those recurring institutional gifts, the federation also funds housing and food relief, as seen in grants to Acts Housing and Hunger Task Force Milwaukee. Its active programs add another layer, with scholarships, security support, camp funding, and Israel-related initiatives extending the foundation’s reach into community safety, education, and overseas support.

What Milwaukee Jewish Federation Funds

Jewish education is a clear funding theme. Milwaukee Jewish Day School appears multiple times in the recent grants list, including a $1,272,275 grant in 2025 and an $815,672 grant in 2024, while Bader Hillel Academy and Yeshiva Elementary School also received large general-donations support. Youth engagement shows up through college, camp, and campus programs. Hillel Milwaukee received $245,599 in 2023 and $212,934 in 2025, and the foundation’s scholarship programs support Jewish high school seniors, young adults, and campers through named funds and Jewish Community Foundation-administered scholarships. Community care and basic needs are another thread. Jewish Family Services received $1,112,683 in 2025, and Jewish Home & Care Center Foundation received $372,132 in 2025, reflecting support for social services and elder care. The federation also funded Hunger Task Force Milwaukee for $292,450 in 2023, showing that its grantmaking is not limited to Jewish institutions alone.

How Milwaukee Jewish Federation Gives