By Lisa Colton and Michael Hoffman At this time of year, we take time to reflect on ourselves over the past year, and to set intentions for how we will be in the coming year. All of us have room for improvement (think about Carol Dweck's "growth mindset") to become our best selves. Our personal well-being - physical, mental and spiritual health - is key to unlocking the best of who we are, at the office, with our families and friends, with with ourselves. Beth Kanter's new book, The Happy Healthy Nonprofit, written with co-author Aliza Sherman, is a fantastic resource for leaders and managers in our community to reflect on both their own well-being and to consider how to foster healthier professional environments to help all of us thrive. Over the past few years at See3, we’ve been working … [Read more...]
The Communal Response to Intermarriage: A Time to Reflect, A Time to Resolve
By Edmund Case As the new year approaches, I’m cleaning out my office (I’m a replaced CEO, now a consultant after hiring a terrific successor for InterfaithFamily), sorting through twenty years’ worth of papers and repeatedly reminded that the Jewish community’s response to intermarriage has differed vastly from its response to all other issues. At a time at a time of self- and communal- reflection and resolution-making, I’m asking why that is so, and whether this might finally be the year that a massive, coordinated effort to engage interfaith families in Jewish life and community begins. I. The Communal Response to Intermarriage Is Different The Jewish community is filled with talented, committed, and philanthropic leaders of organizations and funders. When there has been leadership and … [Read more...]
Reflections on Slingshot’s First-Ever Evaluation
By Stefanie Rhodes How do you engage young people in Jewish life? Last week The American Jewish Population Project shared that the 1.4 million Jewish millennials in the United States are also the most diverse generation. When considered with the data from Slingshot’s first-ever formal evaluation, I remain convinced that engagement is in large part about empowering the Next Generation to create the communities and the opportunities that inspire them. This is true for innovators of Jewish life and Next Gen funders alike. Slingshot’s evaluation sheds new light on the innovation ecosystem and our role in it. I am delighted to share the findings. But first some background on Slingshot. Through our three primary initiatives - the Guide, the Fund, and the Day, Slingshot works to help funders find, … [Read more...]
Standing with our Empty Nesters
By Cantor Adina Frydman and Andi Rosenthal As we prepare to reflect on the waning year and to celebrate the annual cycle of renewal, our synagogue leaders can - and should - take note that empty nesters remain in our midst, standing alongside us as we seek meaning and revitalization, and sacred connection in these most sanctified moments of Jewish time. Atem nitzavim hayom kulchem - You stand this day, all of you. This important biblical phrase, uttered in the week leading up to Rosh Hashanah, reminds us that it is all of us standing together: the families with young children, the teenagers, the elders, and the stalwarts of our congregations, the empty nesters. Perhaps you haven't seen them for a while, but they have returned on this holy day. Does your synagogue give them the connections they … [Read more...]
Finding Alignment in Federation Mission (Trips)
By Daniel Larson As a Jewish professional entering his late 20s and who is passionate about the Federation system, I have to clear my conscience and admit that I am a convert to those mainstay programs of myriad Jewish communal organizations: mission trips. What does this mean? As a young(er) adult, I thought that mission trips were anything but authentic experiences. Rather, I believed that they were carefully constructed experiences for potential donors. To my jaded mind, the average mission trip participant gave to Jewish causes out of a sense of blind communal conviction and either didn’t see (or chose not to see) the flaws apparent in the State of Israel or Jewish communities in other countries to which they traveled. Moreover, I felt that many of the individuals and organizations mission … [Read more...]
Succession Planning Should Start Today
The goal of any organization faced with an aging staff should be to have a plan in place that provides for the least amount of disruption to the ongoing work of the agency. By Joy Brand-Richardson Every day in the United States, at least 10,000 people turn 65. Although hitting that mark no longer assures retirement, with people aging better and living longer, it’s certainly a time when they begin to think about next steps, if they haven’t been already. Jewish organizations should be, too. When we hear “succession planning,” most of us tend to think about the process of replacing aging baby boomers who occupy the C-suite, many of whom will be retiring in the next three to 10 years. And that’s a good place to start. It is very important for us to think about those who hold the chief … [Read more...]
Who Shall be at Peace and Who Shall be Tormented?
Increased Rates of Suicide in Adolescent Girls - It’s a Jewish Issue By Stephanie Blumenkranz and Miriam Libove The research is as startling as it is upsetting. The World Health Organization’s 2014 report, “Health for the World’s Adolescents,” included the fact that suicide is the leading cause of death among 15-19 year-olds around the world. The statistic was buried in the report, which is why it didn’t hit media outlets until June of 2015. In April 2016, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on U.S. suicide statistics. While suicide rates were increasing in all age groups, the 10-14 year-old female cohort experienced the largest percentage increase, tripling over the last 15 years. The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York (JWFNY) considered it critical to … [Read more...]
Seeking Foundation Funds: Changing Environment for Foundations Requires Nonprofits to be Smarter in their Ask
By Avrum Lapin My colleagues and I have the honor and pleasure of serving nonprofits on three continents. We listen carefully to the needs and expectations of every nonprofit, and prepare carefully tailored plans and solutions that will enable each nonprofit to meet their goals. That includes a multifaceted, multi-channel effort that opens up the maximal possibilities for each organization. One of the most common questions that often comes our way is the desire to focus the fund development efforts on foundations in lieu of creating a broader and more encompassing platform. Build lists of foundation prospects, make connections to trustees and draw down funding ... if only it were so simple. We have deep respect for foundations and their role in the philanthropic marketplace, representing … [Read more...]
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