Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred launched a $3.2 million investment in more than 35 local organizations. This inaugural round of grants supports groundbreaking programs that foster allyship, promote education, connect people of all faiths, and strengthen security at Jewish institutions. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Palm Beach County has the highest number of antisemitic incidents in Florida.
The Palm Beach Center’s grants program offers two types of funding: competitive grants awarded through a public application process and strategic investments directed by the Center’s leadership for urgent needs and long-term priorities. The organizations receiving funding support diverse programs – from a Holocaust-themed ballet and digital anti-hate education to interfaith initiatives and campus activism. Grants also fund security measures so people can safely participate in Jewish life and community events.
“This mission-focused inaugural grant program proactively fights hate through education, partnership, and action,” said Michael Hoffman, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “We are proud to support programs that address the alarming rise in antisemitism and unite people in powerful and creative ways. These investments protect our institutions today and build a more tolerant community for the future.”
Applications submitted through the open grant competition were reviewed by a respected volunteer committee chaired by Jim Foster, a member of the Center’s Advisory Committee, chaired by Richard A. Friedman and Steven Tananbaum.
“Our committee was deeply moved by the passion and innovation reflected in the grant applications,” said Jim Foster, chair, Grants Selection Committee, Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred. “Each leading-edge project selected represents a meaningful step toward confronting antisemitism, building bridges across communities, and ensuring Jewish spaces in our community remain safe and welcoming.”
Grant recipient highlights include Ballet Palm Beach’s production of The List, a ballet exploring one family’s Holocaust experience, expanding on a successful 2025 pilot performance. The emotional show uses the arts to engage a broad and diverse audience to deepen understanding of the impact of prejudice and hate and inspire viewers of all backgrounds to become allies.
“We are deeply grateful to Jewish Federation’s Palm Beach Center for supporting our Holocaust-themed ballet, The List,” said Colleen Smith, founding artistic and executive director of Ballet Palm Beach. “Through the transformative power of dance, we are shining a light on the devastating consequences of hatred and inspiring introspection, empathy, and meaningful dialogue, especially among young people.”
Significant grant funding also went to two digital initiatives aimed at engaging educating diverse, younger audiences, many of whom encounter antisemitic content prevalent in the gaming world. Normandie is a groundbreaking video game project that immerses players in the true stories of Jewish refugees fleeing Europe before WWII.
“We’re blending documentary storytelling with punchy game design to create something both resonant and historically grounded,” said Sam Butin, founder and creative director of On The March, the company that created Normandie. “This grant allows us to reimagine Holocaust education for new audiences. It comes at a critical moment where first-hand accounts of the time are rapidly disappearing. Using the tools of interactive storytelling, we can bring players back in time to engage with history in a much more active way.”
Another initiative for the digital battlefield, Fighting Online Antisemitism, also received a grant for its Online Activist Bootcamp, a program that trains participants to identify and counter cyber hate, misinformation, and antisemitism on social media. This initiative will be implemented in close collaboration with the community, actively involving volunteers from Federation’s Dorothy & Sidney Kohl Jewish Volunteer Center to foster grassroots involvement and empower individuals to become digital advocates.
Recognizing the critical need to safeguard Jewish institutions and synagogues, the Center provided security enhancement grants through the open grant competition for target hardening, strengthening the physical security of six synagogues, by funding projects like security cameras, reinforced doors, and access control systems to reduce vulnerabilities and enhance safety.
All grant recipients are subject to oversight and regular reporting to ensure proper usage of funds.
Funding for the Palm Beach Center’s partners and programs is made possible by the Cornerstone and Annual Founders whose annual gifts of $25,000 or more support the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred. Other generous Center donors and supporters of Federation’s Annual Campaign also make this vital work possible. This includes major underwriting by the One World Tolerance Endowment provided by The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund.
A new round of security-related grants recently concluded. In October, a new grant cycle will open to fund creative, community-focused efforts dedicated to fostering tolerance.
