Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), the women’s affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism, through its Youth, Education, & Special Projects Fund, has given $370,200 in grants to 19 programs that will strengthen the Reform Movement. These grants will help train future leaders by providing scholarships for youth programs, including for girls to attend a science and technology summer camp, and funding the training of Jewish professionals in Reform seminaries and other special programs. Capital projects include renovating the Leo Baeck College Library in London and building a new housing unit at a Reform kibbutz in Israel for a residential environmental education program, while social justice initiatives include advocating for issues in the U.S. and Israel through organizations in D.C. and Jerusalem.

The 2015 WRJ YES Fund grants were awarded to the following organizations and programs:

Youth

URJ-WRJ PJ Library Partnership, $50,000
NFTY6 Project, $25,000
World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Youth Programs, $15,000
URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy Scholarships for Girls, $10,000
HUC-JIR Student Scholarships, $72,000
Oversees Rabbinical Scholarships, $40,000
Leo Baeck College (London) Library Renovation,$36,000
WUPJ Machon Program, $18,000
HUC-JIR (Jerusalem) Israel Rabbinical Program, $18,000
HUC-JIR Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music Cantorial Prize, $1,000
WRJ HUC-JIR Faculty Award,$1,800

Special Projects

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) Eisendrath Legislative Assistant, $25,000
Kibbutz Lotan Expansion, $25,000
Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) Mother-Daughter Bat Mitzvah Program, $18,000
Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), $10,000
The Torah: A Modern Commentary Translation into Portuguese, $5,400