Before we usher in the Jewish new year, women in our community--dedicated to making the year ahead a brighter one for so many--will gather. They will hear from two extraordinary women who are each passionate about the Jewish people, Israel, curbing antisemitism, and tikkun olam , repairing the world.
The JUF Women's Philanthropy 2025 Lion Event will be held Thursday, Sept. 26. The featured speaker will be Noa Tishby, Israel's former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization and New York Times bestselling author. The event will honor Jane Cadden Lederman, a longtime and committed leader at JUF and in JUF's Women's Philanthropy with the 2024-2025 Chicago Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award, given biennially to a woman who demonstrates an exceptional commitment to the Jewish community.
The Lion Event will be chaired by Debra Kramer Marcus (Women's Board), co-chaired by Amy Fisher (Young Women's Board), Robin Goldberg (Women's City Council), and Robyn Schneider (Young Women's City Council). Sharon Koltin is the Women's Board Vice President of the 2025 Campaign.
The event honors philanthropic women who make an individual gift at the Lion of Judah ($5,000) level, and above. To inspire future generations and to ensure the continuity of our traditions of tzedakah, we invite you to bring your daughters, daughters in law, and/or granddaughters with you to this event.
To inspire future generations and to ensure the continuity of our traditions of tzedakah , attendees are invited to bring their daughters, daughters-in-law, and/or granddaughters to this event.
Register at
juf.org/LionEvent
. Questions? Please contact Shelby Scheck at 312-357-4825 or ShelbyScheck@juf.org.
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Chicago Jewish philanthropy has always been in Jane Cadden Lederman's DNA--literally. Her father served on the JUF Board, and her mother has supported JUF Women's Philanthropy for more than 50 years, including serving as a past president of the Women's Board.
"In my home growing up, there was discussion about giving back Jewishly," recalled Lederman, a Highland Park resident.
Her parents' passion was contagious, and by the time Lederman reached adulthood, she too was passionate about JUF, and eventually found her "home" in JUF Women's Philanthropy.
Now, Lederman has been selected as the 2025 Chicago Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland recipient. The award is given every other year to a woman in each major Jewish community in the U.S. and Canada who exemplifies the spirit of the Lion of Judah through leadership in her local Jewish community, in Israel, and around the world.
Lederman will be honored locally at the JUF Women's Philanthropy 2025 Lion Event in September, and then again at the International Lion of Judah Conference in Atlanta in January.
Lederman has committed most of her adult life to the Chicago Jewish community, and her depth and breadth of involvement make her an ideal selection for the award: She is a longtime member of the JUF Board and was most recently Chair of the Resource Development Committee. She has served on and chaired a number of other committees within JUF. She has served as President and Campaign Vice President of both the Women's Board and Young Women's Board. She is also a Trustee of the Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, as well as a member of the Board of CJE SeniorLife.
Professionally, Lederman--who has a master's degree in education--has worked for the Associated Talmud Torahs as part of the Russian Resettlement Program and as the director of the P'Tach program.
"There are so many reasons that Jane is the perfect choice for this award," said Linda Schottenstein Fisher, JUF Women's Board Advisor. "Jane is committed to Women's Philanthropy, and she gives her time and resources wholeheartedly throughout the entire federated and Jewish community."
What makes the honor extra meaningful to Lederman is that her mother, Edie Cadden, received the award 10 years ago. This marks the first time a mother/daughter pair have both been selected for the prestigious honor.
Edie, still passionate about JUF Women's Philanthropy at age 96, will be there cheering her daughter on at the JUF Lion Event, along with Lederman's daughters and 8-year-old granddaughter.
"I believe," Lederman said, "in the collective power of women, not only in terms of fundraising, but in terms of getting things done--because women get things done."
