Though the term “innovation” has become an overused buzzword in both the Jewish and general worlds, it nonetheless has become apparent that, like people, organizations need to continually progress in order to survive and thrive. What remains elusive, though, is how to focus resources and energy on growth and change initiatives in order to render them successful. In a recent article entitled “Managing your Innovation Portfolio” in the Harvard Business Review, authors Bansi Nagji and Geoff Tuff present a formula for allocating resources towards innovation, which they argue is necessary for those companies that wish to flourish in the long term. They explain that, for most companies, innovation is most successful when 70% of resources are allocated to innovations related to the company’s … Continue Reading
Talking Ourselves to Free
I recently participated on a panel about reframing the “Jewish narrative” at the inaugural Bay Area Limmud. The topic was suggested by Rabbi Joshua Fenton at the SF Bureau of Jewish Education, and the panel was premised on the notion that the dominant Jewish narrative in the last century was one of survival. The panelists were asked to suggest a new Jewish narrative, one that focused more on the value that Judaism can add to people’s lives, and less on Jewish endurance in the face of hostility. And yet, with the recent tragedy in France, and the shadow of the threat of Iran, and the continued fragility of the State of Israel, it unfortunately remains painfully clear that the Jewish people’s survival is still so fragile. Is it time, then, for a new narrative? Is it naive? Is it … Continue Reading
The Never-ending Story
Is it possible to create organizations that have stable structures as well as the flexibility to grow to meet the changing needs and demands of its target audience? Is it possible for organizations to maintain their values and stay true to their missions, while also adapting to radically shifting times? What is the best way to ensure that established institutions gain the flexibility and skills to creatively address the issues they face, with the support and partnership of creative entrepreneurs, without dismissing the structures and ideals that have defined and sustained them? The Book of Esther, traditionally read twice on the holiday of Purim, reminds us that we have grappled with these questions before, and sheds some light on how to navigate them. The scroll has all of the elements of a … Continue Reading
A Case for Jewish Learning
Since its inception, UpStart has committed itself not only to strengthening the professionalism and efficacy of new Jewish initiatives, but also to strengthening the Jewish knowledge of the leaders and the quality of Jewish content offered by these initiatives. It remains unique in the network of Jewish incubators aimed at bolstering the Jewish innovation ecosystem, and begs the question: why is it important to engage the leaders of new Jewish initiatives in substantive Jewish learning? And, furthermore, why does UpStart believe that it is not only important, but ultimately intricately interwoven with the potential success of these leaders and their projects? Hal Lewis, in a recent piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.com entitled Workplace Happiness and the Jewish Question, notes the disturbing trend … Continue Reading
At Home, and in the Streets
I realized that I wasn’t in the Kansas of the Jewish community anymore when there was a break at four o’clock in the afternoon and there wasn’t a morsel of food in sight. I was attending the Social Innovation Summit which brings together successful social entrepreneurs, funders, and corporations, to discuss how to translate the most innovative and effective practices from the private sector to the social sector. I trailed Nancy Lublin, CEO of dosomething.org and a self- described “loud Jew from New York” who was on the lookout for a cookie, but alas, everywhere, people stood, Perrier in hand, seemingly comfortable, talking animatedly about their work. I learned about a variety of inspiring programs, which included bringing clean water to rural villages, empowering individuals to help save … Continue Reading
Scarcity or Surplus?
There has been much discussion about the importance of connectivity and dialogue in the Jewish community, and the value of the network as a model to enable that. In The Jewish Week, Gary Rosenblatt laments the lack of conversation between Orthodox Jews and Jews of other denominations: “There are discussion groups between Jews and Christians, and Jews and Muslims; how about a few more between Orthodox Jews and the rest of the community?” In another recent piece, Chip Edelsberg of the Jim Joseph Foundation points to the profound shift “from bureaucracy and organizational hierarchy grounded in analog-based communication to a networked universe powered by digital technology” and admits that the funding and education communities still function according to the old model. And Annie Lumerman, a … Continue Reading
Aging, Gracefully, Together
I recently took a walk in the woods with two women, one twenty years older than I am, the other forty years older, to discuss the challenges of aging. We paused when we saw white-tailed deer hop-freeze beside us in the thicket. We shared stories about women in our lives, and how they navigated the aging process. We talked about our own changing bodies, changing minds, changing children, changing communities. We turned our faces towards the sunshine and stopped in our tracks when someone shared a particularly resonant insight, as we let it wash over us. The context was The Conversation, which brings together Jewish professionals from diverse geographical and experiential backgrounds, to talk about the future of American Jewish life. The format was Open Space, which allows the participants to drive … Continue Reading
Response to JDub Closing
JDub has done it right. They’ve delivered impact. Diversified their revenue base. Enacted their mission and driven toward their vision. Made a huge, positive change in Jewish cultural life. From this perspective, we can look at JDub’s short life and say: "mission accomplished." Where the mission was not accomplished, though, was in JDub's ability to create a strategic business plan and organizational structure to continue to do its inspiring work, and the community's ability to guide and support the organization according to its emerging needs. And this is a tremendous lost opportunity. It must give us pause, and challenge us to rethink the way that we support emerging organizations, what we ask of them, how we guide them, and how we sustain them. Not all organizations deserve or need … Continue Reading
Pivoting in the Sands
It is a fitting time in the Jewish calendar for Jewish start-ups to begin or renew their journey with UpStart. As a people, we are counting the days from Passover to Shavuot, from the Exodus from Egypt to the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This period of time is also an agricultural period, during which time the wheat was harvested, and the first fruits gathered, precious offerings to be brought to the Temple. It is a time of reflection and growth, which results in the gift of something new to the community. The Torah states in Leviticus 23:15-16: "And you shall count you from the morrow of the Sabbath, from the day you bring the elevation sheaf, seven whole weeks shall they be. Until the morrow of the seventh Sabbath you shall count fifty days, and you shall bring forward a new grain … Continue Reading
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