No one should face hardship alone.
From a hospital bedside in San Diego to a crisis half a world away, Jewish Federation of San Diego makes sure that in the hardest moments, no one is left to face them alone.
No one should face illness, loss, or isolation alone.
This is the most personal expression of a core Jewish value. That in our hardest moments, we are held by community. Jewish Federation of San Diego and our partners make that value real: through the presence of a chaplain at a bedside, the fellowship of survivors who found a home here, and practical help for families in crisis.
Alongside chaplaincy, Federation sustains the ecosystem of care through strategic grantmaking, humanitarian emergency response, and dedicated support for local Holocaust survivors, meeting need wherever it grows, and directing resources where they matter most.
A presence in life's most tender moments
Rabbi Ralph Dalin, our Jewish Community Chaplain, brings comfort and companionship to hospitals, hospice, funerals, and homes across San Diego, for anyone in the community, regardless of affiliation or means.
This year the Chaplaincy Program officiated or facilitated 13 funerals, conducted 167 volunteer visits, and arranged the donation of burial plots valued at approximately $41,000 for community members who could not otherwise afford them. Because dignity should never depend on means.
Community Chaplaincy →How our care reaches the community
From crisis response to everyday connection, the programs behind the promise.
New Life Club
22 Holocaust survivors gather monthly for fellowship, culture, and connection. Survivor Lou Pechi reached hundreds of students this year, from La Jolla to El Centro to Grossmont College.
Connect →Emergency Aid for Survivors
Direct assistance for survivors facing urgent financial, medical, or housing needs, delivered with dignity through Federation and partner agencies.
Ask about aid →Humanitarian Emergency Response
When crisis strikes, locally or globally, Federation mobilizes the community's resources quickly and directs them where the need is greatest.
Support the fund →Strategic Grantmaking
More than $278,000 in targeted local grants this year, camp scholarships and teen immersive experiences, PJ Library, JPride programming, and preschool security.
See what we fund →Community Needs & Gaps
Powered by community study data, including the PULSE survey of 39 organizations, we identify where need is growing and direct resources accordingly.
Read the findings →Burial Assistance
Burial plots valued at approximately $41,000 were donated this year for community members who could not afford them. Because dignity should never depend on means.
Learn more →Who we serve
Care that meets community members wherever they are.
Holocaust survivors
The survivors who call San Diego home, with fellowship, honor, and practical help.
Homebound & isolated seniors
Older adults facing loneliness, illness, or the loss of a spouse or friend.
Families in crisis
Households facing poverty, a medical emergency, or a sudden financial shock.
The sick, dying & bereaved
Anyone in need of a chaplain's presence in a hospital, hospice, or home.
Our global impact
Belonging to a global Jewish people means caring for Jews wherever they are, and whenever they need us.
Caring for the global Jewish community
Our sense of community extends beyond San Diego. Year-round, Jewish Federation of San Diego works closely with our international partners, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and World ORT, to meet the needs of Jewish communities in Israel and more than 70 countries around the globe.
Responding to global emergencies
In times of crisis, we mobilize resources quickly, financial assistance, essential supplies, and other urgent interventions. From aiding those affected by the earthquakes in Morocco and sending goods to war-torn Ukraine, to standing in solidarity with Pittsburgh after the Tree of Life shooting, we respond with compassion and action.
Latest stories
Recent stories from our News & Blog.
Care like this is worth investing in.
Your gift helps ensure that no one in our community faces illness, loss, or isolation alone.
Questions? We're here.
For questions about chaplaincy, grants, our global partners, or how to help, reach the Caring for Jews in Need team.