The Birthright Israel Foundation will be the recipient of the largest grant ever provided by the Jim Joseph Foundation. The $17.5 million gift, to be distributed over the next five years, will provide $5 million in trip support, and an additional $12.5 million as a matching grant for building community initiatives among young adults after the trip. The program’s success has been remarkable, and that success has generated unprecedented demand from young Jewish adults to travel to Israel. Over 160,000 young Jews worldwide—110,000 of them from the North America—have participated in the Taglit-Birthright Israel trips since the program’s inception in 2000. “It is our goal, and our hope, to allow every qualified young person who applies to have the ...

A sampling of recent stories of particular interest... A Town Under Fire Becomes a Symbol for Israel; from the front page of yesterday's New York Times: SDEROT, Israel — This long neglected immigrant town a mile from Gaza, pounded by Palestinian rockets for the past seven years, is taking on a new identity, edging into the center of Zionist consciousness as a symbol of the nation’s unofficial motto: “Never Again.” Federation's Stanley Gold slashes board size, reorganizes When Stanley Gold took over as Board Chair he promised major change. He also pledged to have 50% of the board under 50 y.o. within two years. I hope he understands this means including two generations of adults, not one. Last week the 133-member board ...

At the 2008 Summit in Washington, D.C., last night, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life announced a $10.7 million grant from The Jim Joseph Foundation to expand the Experiential Educator Exemplar (E³) Program and to support the Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative.

This is the largest single grant in Hillel's history.

"This generation of students, the Millennials, learn through their hands, their hearts and their minds," says Hillel President Wayne L. Firestone. "By providing them with immersive experiences in which they are exposed to Jewish history and tradition, such as Taglit-Birthright Israel and social justice alternative breaks, they are beginning Jewish journeys that will continue back on campus with E³ educators and CEI students."...

Do you know someone graduating college this Spring? Think they could contribute to our Jewish world? Hillel's Schusterman International Center is accepting applications for its 2008-2009 Schusterman International Center Fellowships in Washington, DC. With its recent strategic plan and new mission to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, each of the five Schusterman International Center Fellowships is designed to align with one of the organization's high priority areas of focus:

• Center for Jewish Experience
• ...
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The Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities at the University of Pennsylvania made history Tuesday night. With the launch of a new collaborative initiative called Bridging the Gap, these communities took a step toward building long-lasting working relationships within the Penn community. Through dialogue and cultural events, this program hopes to foster a sense of mutual understanding that "is often lacking in the world today," said Mariam Ezz, Wharton senior and president of Penn Arab Student Society. "While there will always be a place for partisan events on campus, an initiative like Bridging the Gap will expose Jewish, Arab and Muslim students to a way of thinking that will foster compassion and mutual understanding," added Ezz. "I found it ironic that we hope ...

Last night I engaged in my usual Motzei Shabbat stroll through downtown Jerusalem. While Israel may be in the midst of an unusual cold snap and most of the winter break tourists have departed, Birthright still rules the Midrachov. With a minimum of six bus loads filling every single eatery around Kikar Zion, these laughing, hugging, and generally just enjoying themselves, young (mostly) American college students could not be missed. Hillel alone is bringing approximately 3,500 students to Israel during these few weeks, through Birthright, the Charles Schusterman International Leaders Assembly, and an alternative break program emphasizing social justice. In addition, the Israel on Campus Coalition, a partnership of Hillel and the Schusterman Family Foundation, brought 43 students ...

A name coined by the UJC. Yet, as was mentioned to rounding applause at one of the sessions, perhaps a poor choice. For using the word 'next' we are not concentrating on who they are but rather on who they will become. If this GA showed us anything at all, it is they already are. It did not matter where you turned during these few days. From the Academy Award winning film, West Bank Story to Ethos Water; from talented and accomplished Israelis like Miri Ben Ari to Pnina Gaday, this demographic is already leaving their mark. BTW, while Miri turned in a stellar performance Monday night at the GrandOleOpry, virtually nothing was said about ...

The official program lasted barely forty-eight hours. Beginning with a most unusual rendering of the Star Spangled Banner and concluding with inspiring words from Rabbi Jacob Schacter, 3500+ strong professional and lay leaders gathered in Nashville for this year's rendition of the GA. The official program offered something for everyone; and yet like these conferences always are, the real interaction occurred in the hallways, sitting areas and certainly behind closed doors. As can be expected, politics played a part; both American and Israeli. Governor Howard Dean spoke at the opening plenary with what several senior UJC staff members complained were blatant partisan comments. C'mon guys, what did you expect when you invited the ...