Israel Gay Youth (IGY) from Israel and Jewish Queer Youth (JQY) from New York were named the winners of UJA-Federation of New York’s $150,000 “It’s All in the Family” campaign. More than 10,000 voters cast their ballots for one of five social projects that aim to deepen the connection between New Yorkers and Israelis by bringing the communities together to address shared challenges.

The winning project from Israel Gay Youth (IGY) and Jewish Queer Youth (JQY), creates inclusive community for LGBTQ+ youth. The $150,000 will be used to foster connections between the LBGTQ+ community in NY and Israel. The mission of the organizations is to strengthen and empower LGBTQ+ youth while building bridges between different parts of the Jewish community – and beyond – to fight violence, racism, and homophobia.

The other finalists competing for the prize included a joint project between Chochmat Nashim and the Orthodox Leadership Project; IsraAID’s New York Humanitarian Network; Innovation Center & Xchange for Gen Y and Z initiatives; and an immigration assistance project by HIAS.