2025 Sustaining Partnership Form
  • Sustaining Partnership Form

  • Overview - What is the Sustaining Partnership Model?

    The Jewish Community of Amherst rests on a core of fundamental values:

    • The JCA is a vital part of our collective Jewish lives
    • We are a community responsible to and for each other
    • Our community sustains itself through the generosity of its members
    • The congregation thrives when every person is treated with dignity and respect

    Our Sustaining Partnership model reflects these values. We ask each household to share in the financial responsibility of our synagogue as part of a Sustaining Partnership.

    The Sustaining Partnership contribution is the amount which, if paid by every household, would sustain the synagogue for one fiscal year. In 2025 a Sustaining contribution of $2,500 paid by every household will sustain our synagogue for the coming year. The sustaining amount is determined by the board each year.

    We invite you to think of the sustaining partnership contribution as a financial commitment that is informed by the needs of sustaining our synagogue AND by your personal connection and engagement within our community.

    We also ask that you consider increasing your contribution year over year.  The costs of running the JCA go up every year due to inflation, and we depend on the generosity of our members to help us continue to raise enough money to account for this.

    We recognize that this is not a perfect world and that each family’s circumstance is different. We ask each household to contribute at the highest level that their heart and financial ability allow.

    • For those who are financially blessed, we hope your generosity will exceed the Sustaining Amount.
    • For those facing financial challenges, we are happy to accept your heartfelt contribution at the level you can best afford.
    • Finances will never be a barrier to partnership at the JCA. No one will be turned away.

    Please consider the following ranges when making your sustaining partnership pledge. 

  • For Current Members

    Existing member household have all received a personalized letter in the mail detailing your prior year dues pledges and annual appeal donation, and containing a SUGGESTED SUSTAINING COMMITTMENT.  You are also welcome to make a pledge that is higher or lower than your household's suggested amount. 

  • Annual Appeal

    This year, because of the timing of the high holidays, there is not time to have a separate annual appeal drive before beginning to collect dues pledges. 

    In past years we have raised almost $100,000 during the annual appeal drive, in addition to your dues pledges, and this money is critical for supporting day to day JCA operations and programs. 

    Please consider pledging to our annual appeal, an additional amount on top of your sustaining partnership dues you have selected above.  Below you will have the option to combine your annual campaign pledge into your dues payment plan, or to pay the two separately the way you have in the past.

    By combining the annual appeal and dues drive into one time period, we also hope to reduce the feeling that we are "always asking you for money". If we can raise sufficient funds during this combined drive to fund JCA operations for the coming year, additional fundraising will be unecessary and we can focus on providing you with robust and meaningful programming including educational, spiritual, communal, and more.

  • Dues Only Payment Options - you have elected not to make an annual appeal contribution.

    1. Pay in Full - Pay the full amount of your dues in one lump sum.

    2. Installments - Pay your dues in installments (5 monthly payments).

    Whichever option you pick, you will be able to select between credit card, ACH bank transfer.  Check payments are only available when paying in full. 

     

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