Social Action Fund General Information

The Social Action Committee has two funds: The General Social Action Fund and Yom Kippur Appeal Fund.

The General Social Action Fund:

The Social Action Fund is comprised of donations made by community members throughout the year. This fund is used to fund Social Action events and activities, to support organizations and causes which align with our values, and to purchase gifts for or make donations in lieu of gifts on behalf of our speakers. When you make a donation to the shul, you can earmark it for social action if you wish. Organizations cannot apply for funding through the General Social Action Fund, but can do so through the Yom Kippur Appeal Fund. 
Past recipients of funding from the funds allocated by have included: Eretz Ir, Kehilla Residential Program, Oasis Dufferin Community Centre, Fort York Food Bank, NCJW for the Passover Food Drive, and Mazon Canada.

The Yom Kippur Appeal Fund:

Every Yom Kippur, the First Narayever community comes together to raise funds to support exceptional community projects and organizations that work on causes that are close to our hearts, in Canada and in Israel. We have raised funds to help the homeless, to improve environmental protection, to build better relations between Arab and Jewish Israelis, and to improve accessibility for those with disabilities.
The theme for the 2024-2025 Yom Kippur Appeal is dedicated to organizations which are fighting discrimination, hate and polarization in the context of religious identity. Up to 40% of the funds collected will be allocated to organizations addressing this theme. The current conflict in Israel has caused members of the Narayever community to suggest last year that the money collected and earmarked for Israel (up t0 60% of all donations) be used to assist those in need in Israel due to the current circumstances relating to October 7. The committee agreed and responded accordingly. We will continue to do so next year. 
Organizations and charities that do not focus on the theme as their particular focus are still eligible to apply to the First Narayever Congregation's Social Action Fund.

A list of the 2023-2024 recipients can be found here. 

Applying for a Grant from the Yom Kippur Appeal Fund

We welcome applications that help to advance the following mission:

1. Address the needs of Toronto’s downtown Jewish community;
2. Build an Israel consistent with our values of fairness, egalitarianism, environmental responsibility, social justice and fostering peace; or
3. Build inclusive and just communities by supporting equity seeking populations and communities facing discrimination or anti-Semitism in Canada or Israel

Subject to change, the Yom Kippur Social Action funding is only available as a one-year Grant of up to $5,000. 

The grants from the Yom Kippur 2023-2024 Appeal have been completed and distributed. 

Please see the following application form for funding from Yom Kippur 2024-2025 grants. Recipients of funding in 2024-2025 are required to complete a Use of Funds Form with respect to their grant and that form is also below.

Application Forms:

If you are an organization that would like to apply for funding support, the 2024-2025 application deadline is January 1, 2025. 

Click here for the application form.

Click here for the budget form.

Use of Funds Reporting Forms

For all grant recipients, Use of Funds reports are mandatory.  Use of Fund Reports for 2023-2024 grant recipients must be received by January 1, 2025 (Use of Fund Reports for 2024-2025 grants recipients will be due January 1, 2025).

Click here for the use of funds reporting form.