By Dara Kaufman / Executive Director, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires

As the days grow colder and darker, I find myself reflecting on the light we bring to one another through our community. The warmth we create together, in acts of compassion, generosity, and shared purpose, is what sustains us through challenging times. Looking back over the past few months, I am deeply grateful for the impact we’ve made together across the Berkshires and beyond. Each story of connection, each act of caring, and each community initiative reminds me of the profound difference we can make when we work side by side.

Right now, our neighbors are facing real and urgent needs. In Berkshire County, more than 22,000 children and adults rely on the SNAP program for food assistance, and because of the recent government shutdown, nearly one in five of them are experiencing a food crisis. At the same time, another 8,000 households are entering winter without adequate heating due to delays in the federally-funded HEAP program.

In response, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires has approved $11,000 in emergency funding for food support and $10,000 for fuel assistance to help local families stay warm. Our partners at the Jewish Women’s Foundation have also stepped forward with an additional $10,000 to strengthen local food pantries across the county. Together, this represents a $31,000 commitment from our Jewish community to help ensure that every family has food on their tables and warmth in their homes this winter, and it is a concrete reminder of what we can achieve when we act collectively.

Federation is also seeing an increase in the number of kosher Meals on Wheels we’re delivering to older adults. These meals nourish not just the body but also the spirit, offering a reminder that our community cares. For those facing other urgent challenges, Federation continues to provide small one-time emergency grants, interest free loans, and our social worker, Jill Goldstein, is available to guide people toward local services and resources that can help them regain stability and hope.

At the same time, we are continuing to invest in the safety and security of Jewish life here in the Berkshires through our LiveSecure initiative. This year alone, Andrew Hoffman, our community security director, has trained hundreds of community members and camp counselors, completed risk assessments at multiple local Jewish facilities, strengthened relationships with law enforcement, and developed new security plans for major community events. These efforts are helping us build a culture of preparedness and resilience, one where we can gather for holidays, celebrations, and learning with greater peace of mind. Knowing that we can come together safely allows our community to thrive. We are deeply grateful to our LiveSecure donors, whose support makes this work possible and ensures that our Jewish institutions remain secure, welcoming, and resilient.

Education has also been at the heart of Federation’s efforts this fall. In November, we had the privilege of partnering with the Simon Wiesenthal Center to launch their Mobile Museum of Tolerance in Massachusetts and bring it to Berkshire County schools. This innovative, state-funded traveling education center uses technology and storytelling to help students explore issues of prejudice, bigotry, and antisemitism, and to understand their role in standing up against hate. For many schools, especially in rural communities like the Berkshires, this is a unique opportunity to engage with Holocaust and civil rights education in an immersive and personal way. The enthusiasm and engagement from teachers and school officials to bring the Mobile Museum of Tolerance to their schools brings me great hope that these lessons will empower young people to understand, speak out, and act to create more inclusive, compassionate, and safe communities. Programs like this demonstrate that education can be a powerful tool to combat hate before it takes root, shaping not only young minds but the culture of our broader community.

This work to educate and build understanding has also been central to my service on the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, which is now concluding its work. I am incredibly proud and grateful for the hard and thoughtful efforts of my fellow commission members and for the leadership of Representative Simon Cataldo and Senator John Velis, who guided our work with dedication and care. Together, we have developed a robust set of recommendations to combat antisemitism across K–12 education, higher education, the workplace, and healthcare settings.

These are spaces where awareness, training, and clear policy can make an enormous difference. Once implemented, these recommendations will have a lasting impact, not only supporting the Jewish community here in the Berkshires but also strengthening equity, understanding, and safety for Jewish people across the Commonwealth. You can learn more about these recommendations by visiting malegislature.gov/Commissions/Detail/646/Documents.

In addition, I have had the honor of working closely with Commissioner Pedro Martinez and his team at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as they develop a new rubric to guide how antisemitism is taught in our schools. I have been grateful to provide input and support to help ensure these lessons are grounded in accuracy, empathy, and the lived experiences of Jewish students and families. It is inspiring to see how seriously the Commonwealth is taking this work and how much potential it holds for shaping more inclusive, informed classrooms across Massachusetts.

Whether we’re feeding families, improving security, educating the next generation, or combating hate, every effort begins with a shared belief in our collective responsibility to make our community and our world a better place for all.

Our Super Tzedakah Challenge this fall was a tremendous success. We met our match and raised more than $204,000 for our 2025 Annual Campaign. Your generosity is the lifeblood of all we do, allowing us to respond quickly when needs arise, strengthen Jewish identity, care for the vulnerable, and continue building Jewish life in the Berkshires. Our 2025 campaign closes on December 31, and there is still time to make a gift that will enable this critical work to continue into the new year. Through all of this, what strikes me most is the power of community, the way people show up for each other, for our neighbors, and for the greater good. That is the essence of Tikkun Olam, and we are deeply grateful to all of our donors, whose generosity and commitment make everything we do possible.

Closer to home, I continue to be inspired by the growing energy of our Berkshire Jewish Collective, our vibrant group of young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. This remarkable community has brought together dozens of young people who are finding connection with each other, exploring Jewish values, and creating meaningful Jewish life right here in the Berkshires. Whether they are gathering for a Rosh Hashanah intention circle, celebrating in the sukkah they built outside Hot Plate Brewing Co, or simply building friendships rooted in shared identity, their enthusiasm is a powerful reminder that Jewish life here is thriving across generations.

And of course, one of my favorite moments each year is when our whole community comes together to celebrate Chanukah. This year, we will gather at The Mount in Lenox for an evening that promises to be truly magical. We will shine our collective Jewish joy and light amid the beautiful artistic light installations of NightWood, enjoy uplifting live music from the Berkshire Jewish Musicians Collective, share in a menorah lighting, and have some glow-filled fun and treats. It is a celebration that has become a beloved tradition, festive, joyful, and welcoming for families and people of all ages.

As winter settles in, I hope you will join us to help spread even more light. Together, we are ensuring that the Berkshires remain not just a beautiful place to live, but a community grounded in Tikkun Olam — repairing our world through compassion, courage, and hope.