The Associated Press posted a fascinating story today on people in Poland, whose families had converted away from Judaism to protect themselves, rediscovering and embracing their Jewish roots. Prior to the Nazi era, Poland had more than 3,000,000 Jews; 90 percent of them perished in the Holocaust.

The Birmingham Jewish Federation, by providing funds to the Joint Distribution Committee, has helped create the Jewish renewal described in the AP story. Here's an excerpt:

The discovery of Jewish roots is a growing phenomenon in Poland, where increasing numbers of Catholic or secular Poles in recent years have learned, often from deathbed confessions of loved ones or from chance discoveries of documents, that they are of Jewish descent.

Such knowledge was often repressed due to the trauma inflicted by the Hitler era and anti-Semitic persecution during the communist decades that followed.

Today, as democracy here matures, many Poles who discover their Jewishness have turned from hiding their Jewish roots to celebrating them, and non-Jews also are finding themselves drawn to the rich Polish-Jewish past.

By Sally Friedman, Executive Director, Birmingham Jewish Foundation

It is gratifying when people say "yes."

Seven years ago, I approached long-time Birmingham Jewish community volunteer leaders Brenda and Fred Friedman about an exciting idea to involve teens in philanthropy.

Our vision was to create a program through which young people in grades 7-12 would make a $250 donation to open a Donor Advised Fund in The Birmingham Jewish Foundation and this $250 would then be matched by an additional $250.

Brenda, Fred, and their children, Jordan and Leah, readily agreed to underwrite this new program through the Frank and Fred Friedman Family Foundation. Thus, "Teen Tzedakah...The Beginning of a Giving Future" was born. (Tzedakah is a Hebrew word that refers to a responsibility to share one's resources to help others.)

The goal was to teach our young people how to become knowledgeable philanthropists -- and we are succeeding! Each year, Teen Tzedakah members participate in hands-on educational activities and make recommendations for charitable grants from funds established in their names.

And now that Chanukah is here (it begins Tuesday night), a special and meaningful way to say "Happy Chanukah" to a Teen Tzedakah young person is to make a $18 Chai donation to the fund in his or her name. ("Chai" is a Hebrew word associated with life.) Let us know and we will send them a card telling them of their Chanukah gift.

As of now, 125 teens have participated in Teen Tzedakah, a huge success for our small Jewish community. Time marches on and we have seen our first class of teens graduate from college and begin their adult lives.

Seven of our funds, thanks to additional donations over the years, have reached the funding level needed to become full-fledged Birmingham Jewish Foundation funds. These include funds in the names of Daniel Barstein, Jamie Barstein, Zach Corenblum, Liora Friedman, Haley Kianoff, Asher Krell and Yitzi Peetluk.

For more information about Teen Tzedakah or to give the perfect Chanukah gift, contact Susan Lapidus, Director of Teen Tzedakah, at 205-879-0416 or susanl@bjf.org.

It's not too late to get a 2011 charitable deduction for your gifts to The Birmingham Jewish Federation and The Foundation. Here are some things to remember.

If you are writing a check, it must be mailed and postmarked by Saturday, Dec. 31. If you are hand delivering a year-end check, it must be delivered to us by 3 pm, Friday, Dec. 30. If you want to make a payment via credit card, please do it by 5 pm Thursday, Dec. 29, to allow time for processing and proper crediting.

If you are transferring stock, it must be in the Birmingham Jewish Federation or Foundation account by Dec. 30. If the order to transfer is given, but the stock has not reached our account by then, it will be considered a 2012 gift by the IRS.

In the event you are gifting stock, please notify us that a stock gift has been made and whether it is for The Federation or The Foundation. Please also describe the stock and number of shares, and also tell us the name of your broker. To give us this information, please contact Tiffany Hyche at The BJF at 205-803-1513 or tiffanyh@bjf.org.

As always, The Birmingham Jewish Federation and Foundation appreciate your support. Thank you!