“It’s a great mitzvah to always be in a state of happiness,” Rabbi Nachman of Breslov — the 19th-century Hasidic teacher — once said.

For Breslov, joy (simcha) isn’t just an added bonus to a life well-lived: Simcha gives you the strength to be there for your family, your community, and the world.

We believe that, too. That’s precisely why JDC helps cultivate simcha for Jews everywhere — by providing Shabbat celebrations for Ukraine’s Jews, by organizing holiday events for Jews everywhere from Buenos Aires to Budapest, by supporting dance classes for young Jews in Latin America, and more. As Jews, our joy is our strength.