Each cohort of the Chai Giving Circle is a small group of like-minded women who appreciate the importance of giving and the power of combined resources and knowledge. The women pool their charitable donations, engage in social justice learning and philanthropic research together, and collaborate in deciding how to allocate their giving.

To learn more, please contact Michelle Kracoff at [email protected] or (650)-223-8693.

2021–2022 Participants and Funders:

Host Committee: Leslie Behar, Madeline Chaleff, Cynthia Cohan, Andi Frenkel, Wendy Miller, Beth-Ann Schwabacher-Wenger, Rebecca Shomair, Shannon Stein
Mallary Alcheck	Catherine Crystal Foster	Lori Kaplan	Orli Rinat	Sara Schnell
Julie Arnheim	Jennifer Foster	Dana Kleiman	Talya Ronen	Pamela Shames
Cheryl Bader	Hillary Frank	Sheryl Klein	Debbie Roose	Susan Sims
Vera Baum	Lisa Friedman	Dana Kornfeld	Lisa Rothstein	Deborah Sloss
Sabrina Braham	Yael Goshen	Lori Krolik	Susan Steiner Saal	Kate Vanzanten
Margarita Casanova Cohen	Liza Hausman	Elaine Leff	Jennie Savage	Viviane Wildmann
Alison Elliott	Sandy Hirsh	Aliza Peleg	Emily Scheinman	Emily Wu
Mimi Ezray	Miranda Junowicz

A group of 45 women pooled their resources in support of Local Afghan Resettling at our first-ever pop-up giving circle program. With thought, intention, information and strategy, the group met for a few short hours and granted funds to Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay and Pars Equality Center.

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2019–2020 Participants:

Co-chairs: Andi Frenkel and Wendy Miller
Kim Brummer	Mimi Ezray	Elena Shvarts	Beth Wenger
Cynthia Cohan	Yael Goshen	Shannon Stein	Rahn Basche
Nancy Dobronsky	Elaine Babayan Leff

Participants of the fourth funding cycle of the Chai Giving Circle have chosen Juvenile Justice Reform as the main focus. Funds were granted to Fresh Lifeline for Youth, New Door Ventures and Young Women's Freedom Center.

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2018–2019 Participants:

Co-chairs: Ellen Brown, Andi Frenkel and Rebecca Shomair
Leslie Behar	Liza Hausman	Aliza Peleg	Elana Shvarts
Kim Boyanowski	Patty Krigel	Orli Rinat	Mimi Spier
Maddy Chaleff	Lori Krolik	Rivi Rochkin	Shannon Stein
Mimi Ezray	Esther Levy	Susan Steiner Saal	Judith Stubbs
Myra Gilfix	Lucy Milgram	Sara Schnell	Beth Wenger
Yael Goshen	Wendy Miller	Pam Shames	Deborah Wexler
Karen Gould	Stacey Newman

Participants focused their learning on two key areas: mental health and housing insecurity, each with a sub-focus on girls.  Funds were granted to Shalom Bayit, Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC), Unity Care Group and Jewish Family and Children's Services (JFCS).

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2017–2018 Participants:

Co-chairs: Maddy Chaleff and Rebecca Shomair
Leslie Behar	Liza Hausman	Stacey Newman	Pam Shames
Kim Boyanowski	Sara Janzen	Orli Rinat	Shannon Stein
Ellen Brown	Erica Katz	Rivi Rochkind	Andrea Stern
Mimi Ezray	Sharon Leslie	Susan Steiner Saal	Beth Wenger
Andi Frenkel	Linor Levav	Sara Schnell	Karen Zuckerberg
Karen Gould	Wendy Miller	Jodi Schwartz

 

This cohort of Chai Giving Circle learned about social justice issues in the local, South Bay community, specifically as they relate to hunger and food insecurity. Members worked together to make impactful decisions while infusing Jewish values into their philanthropic discussions. They ultimately granted funds to Ecumenical Hunger Program, MAZON and Project WeHOPE

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2016–2017 Participants: 

Chair: Michelle Sandberg
Tavi Alcheck	Jennifer Dibrienza	Jonna Hunter	Rebecca Shomair
Leslie Behar	Andi Frenkel	Lauren Kutcher	Emily Waldorf
Ronit Bodner	Tricia Herrick	Sharon Leslie	Hilary Weisfeld
Maddy Chaleff	Vanessa Hood	Susan Steiner Saal	Emily Wessler

Participants from the inaugural giving circle focused on three pressing, relevant issues: reproductive justice, religious and racial tolerance and immigration rights. Ultimately the group granted funds to the Center for Reproductive Rights, If | When | How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies and Facing History and Ourselves. 

 

 

Last update: March 2022