Posted by Jon Federman

Barry Shrage, CJP PresidentJF&CS is thrilled to announce that we will honor Barry Shrage, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) President and CEO, at the 2018 JF&CS Benefit, to be held on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

The theme of the 2018 Benefit is the power of community and we cannot think of anyone in Greater Boston who epitomizes the meaning of the word "community" more than Barry Shrage. For almost three decades, Barry has been at the helm of CJP, one of the most successful nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts. In his tenure at CJP, Boston's Jewish federation, he has raised more than $1 billion for the local Jewish community, developed partnerships with many other charitable organizations, and invested in Jewish institutions that serve refugees, people with disabilities, the marginalized, and the poor.

Barry broke new ground by building a community based on Jewish learning, focusing on Jewish day schools and initiating the CJP Me'ah program, a study program for adults that offers a foundation in Jewish culture, civilization, and its rich traditions and history. His understanding of the role the foundation could play in partnering with other agencies has had an enormous impact on countless people through programs like the CJP Anti-Poverty Initiative. His actions as President and CEO of CJP have served to strengthen every aspect of Greater Boston's Jewish community.

"When you think about the Jewish community of Greater Boston, the first person that comes to mind is Barry Shrage," says Rimma Zelfand, JF&CS CEO. "All the goodness the Jewish community brings to its members would not be possible without him. His objective to help others is squarely aligned with our own mission at JF&CS and he has inspired innumerable people in our community, myself included."

"Barry Shrage is an institution in the Boston Jewish community," adds Jill Cohen, who along with her husband, Michael Savit, and Shari & Robert Cashman, will be co-chairing the 2018 Benefit. "Barry has done an amazing job of inspiring people to get involved in community. His example has shown so many people how they can allocate their time and resources in a similar way that CJP excels at allocating its resources and always being there for the Jewish community.

"As CJP is an umbrella organization, so too is JF&CS responsible for so many programs. We look forward to working with the Cashmans to make the event a great success to help our community."

For the most up-to-date information about the 2018 Benefit, visit the event webpage. Please contact Raquel Morales, Special Events Coordinator, at events@jfcsboston.org with any questions.

Jon Federman Jon Federman is the JF&CS Staff Writer. A practicing attorney for more than 15 years, he is thrilled to bring his legal and persuasive writing skills to the JF&CS Marketing Communications department. Jon has a BA from Tufts University and a JD from Boston College Law School. In his spare time he is an exhibiting photographer and an award-winning cartoonist. Jon lived in London, England for five years before returning to Boston in 2011.