Do you have an idea to change the world? If so, pre-applications for Summer 2009 PresenTense Fellowships are now available. The PresenTense Fellowship begins mid-June with an intensive six-week bootcamp for social entrepreneurs. Based in Jerusalem, the Fellows are trained in the practical skills of social start-up development and assisted by the PresenTense Network to launch their ventures into the world. Accepted fellows are provided with residency for a period of six weeks during which they have access to skill building sessions in project management and execution; meet with leading figures in the fields of venture capital, philanthropy, hi-tech, social action, education and the arts; are mentored by a leading innovator in their field; and network with socially-minded entrepreneurs … Continue Reading
The Chanukah of Our Discontent
I found myself with three hours to kill waiting for my delayed flight home from Ben Gurion Airport last week. So, as I typically do when I leave Israel, I spend my remaining shekels at the airport shops. Only this year, I was not in a spending mood. With 250 shekels in my wallet, I wandered in and out of shops looking for some small, special “made in Israel” Chanukah trinkets for my young grandchildren. Guess what. All I found was a box of Chanukah candles and a cheap dreidel buried amidst a whole display of Christmas ornaments! In the end, I found a donation box for a local Israeli shelter for the needy where I gratefully deposited my loose change. That left me thinking about why this Chanukah is going to be different for me, my family and probably for lots of people. Instead of spending … Continue Reading
Creating a Fundraising Culture
The Fisher-Bernstein Institute for Jewish Philanthropy & Leadership (Brandeis University) has announced the launch of a professional development program for the Jewish community: Development at the Core: creating a fundraising culture will be a nine-month program of study and action that intends to strengthen the Jewish community by helping communal professionals increase the annual fundraising capacity of their agencies and organizations. The Development at the Core program is based on three premises: Annual fundraising is the platform for all development endeavors in successful nonprofit organizations Fundraising is the job of the whole organization and not just the development professional Fundraising in the Jewish realm requires a vision for the Jewish people and an … Continue Reading
The Rhetoric of Change
Change is in the air at JAFI. Change, the theme of political candidates worldwide, is mostly an attitude. But, as a verb it means a significant revision to a position, course or direction. And change is most certainly underway at the Jewish Agency. That much was clear from last week's Board of Governors meeting. They (JAFI) recognize the need to streamline, to reduce costs and operate more efficiently. The reduction in the core budget, inflationary pressures and the constantly changing dollar / shekel rates, while not the driver of change, makes the timing more urgent. JAFI, like so many other of our communal organizations, is grappling with four major challenges taking place in the marketplace they serve; all of which we heard a great deal about not only at JAFI events the past two weeks, … Continue Reading
The Kivun Intensive
The Center for Leadership Initiatives, in partnership with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, is excited to announce the launch of The Kivun Intensive 2009. Kivun, which in Hebrew means "direction," is a five-month professional development program that will equip 40 of the finest young Jewish professionals in North America with the top tools for excellence and impact in the Jewish non-profit sector. Upgrade your contribution to your organization through skills training Align your personal life with your professional life Integrate key Jewish lessons to improve your organizational effectiveness Clarify your professional trajectory amidst a changing economic and social landscape Discover the power of cohort-based learning through peer-led trainings, case studies, … Continue Reading
Memo to the Federation File: The New (Human) Capital Campaign
During the past few months, one can rarely avoid a discussion of the impact of the ongoing economic challenges facing many Americans. Avoiding such conversations is even more rare in the hallways of nonprofit organizations that depend on the generosity of their donors to provide critical financial resources to address a variety of compelling needs. These organizations that often struggle for funds even when times are good now find themselves in a time of dramatically increased need even while many of their supporters are more hesitant about their individual ability to give generously. Notwithstanding data that indicates that generosity does not diminish (and often increases) in times of great need, it is nevertheless clear that in these belt-tightening days that many people, when reconciling the … Continue Reading
Jewish Care Wins Direct Marketing Award
Jewish Care's Post-It note campaign won the Direct Marketing Campaign award at last week's Third Sector Excellence Awards. The campaign aimed to raise £150,000 and was launched around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, when Jewish giving is traditionally concentrated and when other Jewish charities launch appeals. Working with values based marketing and communications specialists, The Good Agency, Jewish Care sent a warm direct mail appeal, supported by a "highly targeted and relatively low cost" press campaign in local Synagogue magazines and other Jewish press followed by a reminder mailing six weeks later. The Good Agency's creative strategy focused on the earlier stages of dementia, when carers are encouraged to place Post-It notes on everyday objects as a reminder of what they are. … Continue Reading
Who’s Afraid of ‘Tikun Olam’?
Why does the phrase tikun olam, repairing the world, stir up such negative reactions from some of our most committed Jews? Growing numbers of Jewish organizations, both mainstream and start-ups, are investing in crisis relief, international development, environmental protection and other forms of social action termed tikun olam by their supporters. The UJC General Assembly devoted a session to this trend, explaining that "a recent study of American Jews found that making the world a better place ranked as their personally most meaningful activity." At the same time, many others in the Jewish world are crying out that charity begins at home. What about Israel's security situation, child poverty, Holocaust survivors, terror victims, youth-at-risk? … Continue Reading
Envelopes Stuffed With Cash
Politics and politicians are a staple of every major Jewish organizational event, regardless of venue. So with this year's GA here in Jerusalem, it was no surprise the heads of Israel's three largest parties were invited to speak at the plenaries. But unlike Nashville, one speaker in particular crossed the line. Last year, several senior UJC professionals complained that Howard Dean's address was filled with "blatant partisan comments". At the time, I indicated, "what did you expect when you invited the chairperson of the DNC?". I'm curious what these same individuals had to say about Bibi's remarks during Wednesday morning's plenary. Kadima's Tzpi Livni spoke to us on her perspective of Tikkun Olam. And yes, she did allude to Kadima. But more in the same vein as Secretary of State Rice did … Continue Reading
English