AJFN appeal to grow the next generation

The Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN) has launched a community-wide fundraising campaign to support Jewish families facing fertility challenges, as the community contends with a declining birth rate.

The “Hope Begins Here” campaign aims to raise $400,000, made up of $200,000 from the community matched by majordonors. AJFN said the funding will enable it to support at least another 65 families.

The appeal comes as the number of Jewish children aged 0 to 4 in Australia has fallen by 1400 over the past decade, according to figures the organisation attributes to analysis of the 2021 census by the Jewish Communal Appeal (JCA).

Over the past financial year, AJFN supported 147 families, a 24 per cent increase on the previous year, and a record 27 babies were born, bringing the total number of AJFN babies to 124. It expects to support 169 families this financial year. The campaign will feature a live telethon running from 9am to 7pm on Thursday, August 20, staffed by volunteers across Sydney and Melbourne. A live-

streamed broadcast will feature interviews with families, doctors and spiritual leaders, a live donation tally and matching-gift moments.