Archive for July, 2008
Hebrew University Marks 6th Anniversary of Terrorist Attack
Six years ago, during the height of the Intifada, I was a participant in a solidarity mission sponsored by the (now defunct) Alliance for Educational Programs in Israel. One of the core Alliance funded organizations was PARDES, where two students, Benjamin Blutstein and Marla Bennett, along with seven others lost their lives in a terrorist attack at the Sinatra Cafeteria shortly before we departed for Israel. To this day, I will not forget that memorial ceremony in the cafeteria courtyard.
Jerusalem, July 31, 2008 - The Hebrew University of Jerusalem today marked the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the university with a memorial ceremony at the scene of the attack on the university’s Mount Scopus campus.
Nine students and university staff members were killed in the attack: Benjamin Blutstein, Marla Bennett, Revital Barashi, David Gritz, David Diego Ladowski, Janis Ruth Coulter, Dina Carter, Levina Shapira and Daphna Spruch. Close to a hundred were wounded.
At today’s memorial ceremony, Hebrew University President Prof. Menachem Magidor said that the shock of the attack was particularly great because it happened right here in our home. Rather than being a random attack on the Israeli public, Prof. Magidor said that the attack was intentionally targeted at the Hebrew University.
“Those who know the details of the event know that the murderers dedicated a great deal of effort to carry out the attack here,” he said. “Their intention was to attack what the Hebrew University stands for – one of the most remarkable symbols of revival of the Jewish people. They tried to uproot the wonderful achievements of study and research. They wanted to taint the atmosphere of this campus, to weaken our commitment to development, pluralism, tolerance and aspiration for peace.”
Eulogizing the students who were killed in the attack, Prof. Magidor said, “We lost Levina’s smile, Daphna’s wisdom, Revital’s pleasantness, David, Marla and Benny’s search for their roots, David Diego’s commitment to serve his country and society, and Janis and Dina’s devotion to the people of Israel.”
Alumni Support
Despite the economic climate, two major Universities (Brandeis and YU) have announced record levels of contributions for the past year. It is interesting that both recognize the value of gifts from their alumni and cultivating their graduates. The value is immense with an estimated 60% plus of gifts at many major universities coming from their alumni community.
But, alumni giving is much more than the dollar gifts. From Tactical Philanthropy:
“Schools that have a large percentage of donating alumni, especially among younger alums, are encouraging a mindset that spans beyond money. A donation from a younger alumnus is a powerful statement that his or her experience really meant something to them. In addition to foreshadowing future giving (likely at a more substantial amount), the same alumni who donate money are the ones helping promote evangelize the school brand, network and help students with jobs and volunteer for development efforts.”
Geez, I wish our Jewish communal organizations would recognize this. There are tens, and more likely hundreds, of thousands of alumni from various domestic youth and Israel long-term programs who having moved onward and upward in the world, maintain a fondness for these programs. Prime material not only for giving but generally supporting and promoting the ‘brand’.
As a community we have been anything but stellar in this regard. Some organizations, particularly the URJ’s camp network, have recently started to successfully move forward and correct this long-time oversight. Others like Hadassah’s Young Judaea, assuming the message they send to WUJS Arad alumni matches their other Israel programs, is quite honestly, a disgrace. (more…)
The Future of the Global Jewish Community and Philanthropy
Recently, Sandy Cardin and Lisa Eisen of the Schusterman Foundation sat with the fellows and members of the PresenTense Institute here in Jerusalem. The discussion focused on the future of our global Jewish community and philanthropy.
Sandy began by speaking about what he sees as the two great divides and one challenge we face:
The divides:
- the one, between the Orthodox and secular Jewish communities and how the twain just do not meet
- the other, between Israel and the Diaspora; what is the existing relationship between the two and how can understandings be created so conversations are possible.
The challenge:
- how to keep Judaism and Jewish life relevant, meaningful and vibrant 10, 20, even 100 years down the road.
Relative to this, the Shusterman Foundation often addresses the question of what can be done to stem the tide of assimilation. How can they make grants and take other actions to link the younger generation to the older generation. And lastly, how to integrate emerging leaders into existing organizations and frameworks.
Here what these two insightful professionals have to say on this and much more. The conversation was excellent; but fair warning, grab some coffee or tea, settle into a comfortable chair and relax. The video is 90 minutes - and worth every one!
Network for Good to Acquire ePhilanthropy Foundation
Network for Good, a leading provider of online fundraising services and how-to resources for nonprofits, announced today that it has acquired the ePhilanthropy Foundation, an educational organization helping other nonprofits to use best Internet practices.
The move comes as Network for Good seeks to expand its help tools for nonprofits at a time when many small- to medium-sized organizations are struggling to raise funds and need assistance in starting online giving programs. Because of their low costs and high yield, online outreach programs are especially important during an economic downturn. (more…)
A Birthright Style Innovation for Educators
from the Jerusalem Post:
Gov’t may foot bill for Diaspora schoolteachers’ Israel trips
The government may soon help fund trips to Israel for Diaspora educators, under a proposal being examined in the Prime Minister’s Office.
On Monday, an internal advisory meeting chaired by cabinet secretary Oved Yehezkel discussed a new track for Masa, a government agency that brings Diaspora youth to Israel for five- and 10-month programs.
“The plan is to create a new path” for teachers in Jewish schools in the Diaspora to come on two-week trips, Yehezkel told The Jerusalem Post Tuesday. Though still in the planning stages, the project could be underway by 2009, since “the money is there” in unused funds slated for Masa participants, he said.
Coming Soon: Worldwide Competition for Donors
American charities will soon be competing with a world of nonprofit organizations for online donations, an international fund-raising expert told participants at a conference in Washington last week, according to Prospecting, The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s fund-raising column.
Jon Duschinsky, founder of Bethechange Consulting, predicts that within five years, and probably sooner, those sites will allow donors to make global, not just domestic, choices about which charities to support.
“International giving could blow the socks off of the charity world, and blow a lot of organizations out of the water,” he says.
Read more here.
Birthright Woes
It was only a matter of time: JAFI, the UJC, the Joint, Hadassah. All mega institutions adjusting life in 2008 to the falling value of the dollar against the shekel. Now, both Birthright Israel and Aish chime in.
from the Jerusalem Post:
Weak dollar forces cuts in Taglit-Birthright
Taglit-Birthright Israel is poised to turn away more than 2,000 students this coming winter due to budgetary pressures resulting from the continued plunge in the dollar-shekel exchange rate and a rise in energy and programming prices…
Other programs which send students to Israel have been burned even worse. Aish Jerusalem Fellowships, which provides heavily subsidized, religious-themed trips to Israel, had to cut its program from 3,600 participants last year to around 2,500 this year, said Chanan Kaufman, the organization’s executive director.
The Death of WUJS Arad; An Educator’s Perspective
by Aubrey Isaacs
The news of the closing of WUJS Arad has caused sorrow to all who have heard of it and maybe to no one more than myself. I served in WUJS for 11 years (1993-2004) as Director of Education, Rabbi, Deputy Director and Director. I guided WUJS through the incredibly difficult years of the second Intifada when buses were blowing up weekly or even daily and spending time in Israel was a hard concept to sell. In those days the going was tough but we struggled on, brought around 65-80 students each year and delivered the best program there was.
Recently I have heard many explanations as to why WUJS is closing, ranging from the influence of MASA, to the financial crisis in the Sochnut, to the devaluation of the dollar and to a claim that Arad is no longer attractive and that the Arad municipality is not supportive. I am sure there is truth in these claims.
Yet the true reason lies in the failure of Young Judaea to recruit students and that failure stems from the fundamental educational mistakes that were made from the day that Young Judea took over in 2004. (more…)
Philanthropy on the Front End
Several months back, I was privileged to be part of a small host group of Israeli bloggers invited to meet with the American Internet gurus visiting here for the Innovation Israel blogging expedition. One of those visiting was Sarah Lacy. Here’s an interview she just did for Yahoo tech ticker:
Not everyone is a fan of the sometimes-mischievous Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff but it’s hard to fault his emphasis on philanthropy. Benioff has authored two books on philanthropy and become a proponent of the idea that you don’t wait until you’ve made your fortune to start giving it away — you do it as you go. Here’s Benioff speaking of his other mission: Turning “Stingy Valley” into a land of plenty. (it may take a minute or so for the video to load)
Ok, You’re a Billionaire. What Now?
Who Needs So Many “Friends”?
Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook aren’t just for college keg stand contest pictures anymore. Nonprofits are joining social network sites to connect with people, strengthen cause awareness and hopefully cultivate donors.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) grew from an intern managing the organization’s social networks to its current two full-time employees working on Internet marketing, according to Carie Lewis, Internet marketing manager for HSUS. Lewis gives some tips for expanding your nonprofit’s social networking presence:
- Bring in a veteran. Pokes and mini-feeds might be foreign to you, but find someone in your organization who uses social networking sites during their own time. Young volunteers or interns might have their own accounts on these sites and already know the features by heart. Use their knowledge to your advantage.
- One comes before two. HSUS built a strong MySpace following before they launched a Facebook presence, and Lewis recommends using that model. Figure out what your goals for the sites and work out the kinks on one site before establishing yourself on another. Launching both at once could be stressful and time-consuming.
- Take the good with the bad. Anyone can create Facebook “causes” — a page dedicated to a mission. Lewis said passionate activists dedicated to the organization’s cause created some pages in HSUS’s name. But nonprofits can use a Facebook flagging feature to report pages that use an organization’s name that isn’t aligned with the mission, which is rare according to Lewis. Use comment approval functions to vet out any profanity or unnecessary comments.
- Connect the dots. Try to integrate your social networking pages with your overall campaign. Your message will be more effective if you reference events or news pertinent to your cause.
- Social networking for a reason. One of the reasons why HSUS’s efforts are so successful is that they respond to every message, according to Lewis. “Open that line of communication,” said Lewis. It may be the difference between making a “friend” or a donor.
source: The NonProfit Times
image: Google Friend Connect