Shalom friend,

Happy New Year!

Here is the latest Gift in Action installment in our ongoing effort to share the impact of your gift to the Jewish Federation of Ottawa's Annual Campaign.

Since 2020, Federation's MicroGRANT program has provided funding to agencies and individuals in support of creative initiatives that contribute to vibrant Jewish life. There have been more than 40 grants awarded amounting to $80K in total disbursements, and more than 5,000 community members engaged. And this number keeps growing!
JET's Clean
Speech Ottawa
Today’s Gift in Action focuses on one of those MicroGRANTs: JET's Clean Speech Ottawa program. Held last May, the program received a $2,500 Microgrant for a community-wide 30-day education and awareness campaign that used daily videos, emails and a booklet to unite people in the practice of Jewish mindful speech with the goal of building a more positive, respectful, and peaceful world.

Each day for a month, a different community member delivered a video message about clean speech that was shared via Facebook, YouTube and Instagram as well as emailed to the participants.
“With 27 agencies and 2,500 people reached, Clean Speech Ottawa has helped change the conversation to a more positive one. Many participants commented on the positive impact the campaign had on them.
As one participant wrote: 'I was very excited to participate in Clean Speech. As I followed the program every day, it really made me think before I spoke. Since listening to Clean Speech every day, I became more aware of some bad habits I had slipped into. I learned how to make a suggestion without hurting anyone’s feelings. I started to realize that saying something without thinking, could give the wrong impression of my intentions. How would I like it if someone said this to me? How would it make me feel? I learned that we should not enable bad behaviour and bullying of any kind. I have become more aware of people using bad language and understand that there is a better way to express ourselves.'

The multi-dimensional campaign allowed participants to fully absorb the lessons. 'Many thanks for the booklet, the links & the knowledge. All of it, together, brings to the forefront of one's mind the necessity and requirement to think before we speak. A grand job!'

We look forward to another Clean Speech Ottawa campaign with all new materials, in November.”

Zischa Shaps
JET
What a powerful and impactful program. Yasher Koach to JET and to all the participants, and todah rabah to you, our donor. It is because of your generosity that Federation can support such community initiatives.

Thank you for making Jewish Ottawa thrive.

Warm regards,
Yudit Simmons