FEBRUARY 25 • 2021 | 17

M

ichigan’s Jewish 
Women’s Foundation 
is resuming its 
grant-making activities under 
the leadership of a new director, 
after temporarily halting activi-
ties last spring due to COVID.
Sigal Hemy started as director 
in September. She is the only 
paid staff of the organization, 
which is directed by a leader-
ship committee of its trustees.
The Jewish Women’s 
Foundation of Metropolitan 
Detroit (JWF) began in 1998 
as an autonomous fund within 
the United Jewish Foundation. 
A number of studies in the field 
of philanthropy had shown that 
few grants nationwide were 
going to programs that benefit 
women and girls — and even 
fewer were going to programs 
that promote social change and 
gender equity. 
Women can become JWF 
trustees by making a significant 
donation that is in addition to 
their annual gifts to Women’s 
Philanthropy of the Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit. There are also opportu-
nities for lifetime and intergen-

erational trusteeships. From its 
original 11 trustees, the organi-
zation grew to more than 65 at 
the end of its first year and now 
numbers more than 145. The 
foundation fosters a democratic 
environment where all trustees 
have a voice and a vote.
The JWF’s 2020 grant 
cycle was suspended after the 
COVID pandemic hit. The 
organization curtailed its activ-
ities and gave $100,000 of its 
2020 grant funds to Federation’s 
emergency COVID relief fund.
The organization is now con-
tinuing its 2020 grant cycle by 
evaluating all open grant appli-
cations; it is also preparing to 
accept new applications for the 
2021 cycle. With a maximum 
grant of $20,000, the JWF has 
granted more than $3 million 
to local nonprofit organizations. 
These agencies, many of them 
Jewish-sponsored, have used 
JWF grant dollars to respond 
to domestic abuse, help women 
become economically self-suf-
ficient, enrich the lives of girls 
and women of all ages through 
educational programs and cul-
tural events, support women 

dealing with substance abuse, 
fund work training programs 
and help women with chronic 
illnesses.
Hemy was a program officer 
at the Fred A. and Barbara M. 
Erb Family Foundation, where 
she managed a $3.6 million 
grants portfolio in arts, culture 
and sustainability.
She grew up in Pittsburgh 
and holds an undergraduate 
degree from Michigan State 
University and a master’s in 
clarinet performance from the 
University of Michigan. After 
working in arts administration 
for five years, she earned a 
master’s in business adminis-
tration at U-M’s Ross School of 
Business, specializing in strategy 
and social impact.
Hemy, 32, was appointed by 
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the 
Michigan Council of Arts and 
Cultural Affairs and is on the 
board of directors for People for 
Palmer Park. 
“The trustees at JWF are an 
amazing group of women, and 
my favorite thing about this 
position is working with them 
to ensure that their giving is as 

meaningful as it can be,
” said 
Hemy, who lives in Pleasant 
Ridge with her husband, Mike 
Spiegel, a software developer, 
and Sammie, a rescue German 
shepherd mix.
Leaders of the JWF trust-
ees are thrilled with Hemy’s 
knowledge and enthusiasm. 
“She is intelligent, skilled and 
very engaging in an unas-
suming way,
” said Helen Katz 
of Bloomfield Hills, who was 
one of 11 founding trustees of 
the JWF and served as its first 
director. 
While respecting the group’s 
traditions, Hemy is “poised to 
make the kinds of changes that 
will help us grow and thrive. 
The leadership is thrilled with 
what she has accomplished in 
her short tenure at JWF,
” Katz 
said.
Debbie Singer, chair of the 
trustees’ leadership team, said 
she was impressed with Hemy’s 
calm demeanor and breadth of 

knowledge of foundation grant 
making. 
As the organization moves 
into its 2021 cycle, Hemy will 
be teaching the trustees how to 
evaluate grant applications, said 
Singer, and will be working with 
community members to assess 
the needs for Jewish women 
and girls. 
Mara Moss of Bloomfield 
Hills, trustees’ co-chair, added, 
“She’s young and dynamic, and 
we’re excited to have her.
” 

Women’s Foundation resumes grants with new director.

Aid for Women
Is in the Works

BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sigal 
Hemy

JWF provides 
support for 
Giving Gardens

