The AFP 45th International Conference on Fundraising is underway in sunny San Diego, California. And, for the first time ever (or certainly in recent memory) we have both a presentation and an affinity session devoted to Jewish Philanthropy! eJewish Philanthropy is appreciative to Dr. David A. Mersky and Dr. Amy L. Sales of the Fisher-Bernstein Institute for Jewish Philanthropy and Leadership for the opportunity to post the power point of their presentation this morning. The Abstract: The success of Jewish fundraising has an almost mythic quality yet, for better or worse, Jewish nonprofits have struggled to adjust to significant changes in Jewish philanthropy. The successful ones have grasped the Jewish philosophy that underlies charitable giving and ...

From Ghana to Venezuela to Israel, 10 Brandeis University undergraduates have been selected to participate in social justice internships around the world this summer. Through The Louis D. Brandeis Legacy Fund for Social Justice, established by the generosity of an anonymous donor on the occasion of Justice Brandeis's 150th birthday, the students are provided a $3,500 stipend to alleviate costs associated with an unpaid internship in a social-service agency that addresses issues of social justice.

"There is in most...some spark of idealism, which can be fanned into a flame. It takes sometimes a divining rod to find what it is; but when found, and that means often, when disclosed to the owners, the results are ...

The recently awarded Bronfman Prize in Jewish Communal Innovation produced over 200 entries. Certainly, many good ideas were presented and many are (or will be) in various stages of implemenation. Here, as we learn from the El Paso Times, finalist Anita Diamant is the featured speaker at a communal fundraiser for a new Mikveh; but one with a possible twist... "El Paso's Jewish community has embarked on a fundraising effort to build a spa-like community mikvah where Jews of all backgrounds can explore water as a source for spiritual renewal and healing." Meanwhile, for those of you following every detail about the recently announced Bronfman Chair-Prize, we bring you the audio version of the public presentations. Note: ...

Today the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, upon the recommendation of the Bronfman Chair search committee, offered the position to Yehuda Kurtzer, Harvard PhD candidate and Wexner Graduate Fellow, who entitled his project

"The Sacred Task of Rebuilding Jewish Memory"

The committee took into consideration the proposal itself, the ability for that idea to become an accessible book, the candidate's interview, the symposium presentation, the courses candidates proposed to teach at Brandeis, outside recommendations, and responses from the symposium audience. No candidate won in all categories and every candidate impressed the committee. From Yehuda's project proposal... "The next great step for the Jewish future will be the reclamation of the Jewish past. ...

updated two hours later: The JAFI Board meetings the past few days has put me a bit behind in posting. We can now bring you breaking news about the Bronfman Prize Finalist. Here is the original post from earlier today. This past Sunday, Brandeis University's Hornstein Program played host to the five semi-finalists for the new Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation. The winner of the current competition, which is supported by philanthropist Charles R. Bronfman, will receive salary, benefits and research assistance for two years. The winner will be expected to teach one course each semester at Brandeis, and to deliver lectures or seminars based on the project, but the bulk of ...

Brandeis University has been in our news quite a bit recently. In December, we learned of a $22.5 million transformative gift from the Cleveland based Mandel Foundation for a new center to study and protect the humanities. So far this year, we have been exposed to an exhibition on the Healing Power of Art at their Women's Studies Research Center; heard about the five finalists for the new Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation; and just a few days ago welcomed the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy. Now, comes official word of a brand new degree program to help train the next generation of Jewish leaders. I first heard ...

Philanthropy expert Joel Fleishman inaugurated the opening of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy at the Heller School of Brandeis University with a standing-room only lecture calling for family foundations to become more transparent and accountable, while also crediting them with nurturing and empowering social change such as the environmental revolution, women’s rights, and the civil rights movement. Fleishman, a former trustee at Brandeis and professor of law and public policy at Duke University, praised the Sillerman Center for targeting family foundations, helping them become more effective, accountable, and strategic in their philanthropy. Sillerman said the inspiration for the center grew out of his Brandeis education during the tumultuous Vietnam era. “We became ...

Waltham, Mass. - The competition for Brandeis University's new Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation has narrowed to five finalists, who will present their proposals for changing the way Jews think about themselves and their community at a symposium on campus February 24. The winner will be awarded two years to develop his or her ideas into a book. The finalists were announced by Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, who chairs the committee composed of Brandeis faculty that made the selections. The finalists and their topics are: - Ariel Beery, founder and publisher of PresenTense magazine, whose project is "Translating Judaism for the Post-Digital Age" - ...

Describing Taglit participants as such, Israeli Minister Isaac Herzog, led off a session early this afternoon at the Herzliya Conference. Joined by Gideon Mark of Birthright, Professor Leonard Saxe of Brandeis University and Knesset member Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson for a session titled, 'Trends in the Connection of the Diaspora's Young Generation to Israel', the focus was on the young demographic being called, the Birthright Israel Generation. We did learn a few facts. While 3/4 of all participants to date are from North America, a total of 44 countries have been represented since 1999. Bringing 160,000 to Israel so far, an additional 100,000 have been left behind due to lack of space. According to Professor ...

Brandeis University's Women’s Studies Research Center and International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life present an exhibition about the healing power of art in South Africa

Photographs by Brandeis U. fine arts major and Haifa native Naomi Safran-Hon will be part of an exhibition opening Wednesday, January 16th. As a 2006 International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life student fellow, Naomi worked with AIDS orphans at the Art Therapy Centre in Johannesburg. “Healing, Community and Transformation: Student Visions from Johannesburg” will explore how art can be a means of healing and a powerful tool for change. The exhibition, presented by the Women’s Studies Research Center and the International Center for ...