This post is part of a series on new innovation being created at the Jerusalem based incubator PICZ, The PresenTense Institute for Creative Zionism. Introducing... The Bible Raps Project: a new approach to Jewish education "Therefore, write down this song and teach it to the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 31:19) The Bible Raps Project is a new initiative aimed at exciting young Jewish students about Judaism, Jewish Heritage, and Jewish texts. Built around a series of raps that draw on texts from the Bible and Midrash, the Bible Raps Project will resonate with Jewish youth in a way that traditional media cannot by fusing rap music, this generation's most powerful mode of cultural communication, with Jewish discourse. It is an innovative strategy, consisting of professional grade music … Continue Reading
Calling all Entrepreneurs
Do you have a project you've been dying to launch? Are you a socially-minded pioneer who wants to create value for the Jewish People and the world? Or are you a hacker who wants to spend a summer in Israel at an incubator and bring your project to market? If the answer is yes, consider the PresenTense Institute for pioneers -- a six-week, intensive inter-disciplinary launchpad for socially-minded entrepreneurs running this summer from June 23rd until August 3rd in Jerusalem, bringing together innovators from the fields of hi-tech, business, social action, education and the arts. Read more about the Institute below or here and Apply today. The PresenTense Institute for Creative Zionism is dedicated to enriching the Jewish People and the culture of Jerusalem through the training and equipping of … Continue Reading
Turn Your Dream Project Into Reality
Make your project ideas real this summer in Jerualem Are you an entrepreneur who cares deeply about the future of the Jewish People? A hacker, programmer, educator, social activist--a rapper, a painter or a biotech visionary who wants to make an impact on the world? Then come learn more about how you can launch your project or scale up your current venture in a special session of the PresenTense Institute for Creative Zionism, a six-week intensive summer program in Jerusalem for socially-minded entrepreneurs. This past summer we hosted 18 young entrepreneurs in Jerusalem for six weeks from the fields of hi-tech, business, social action, education and the arts -- providing them time, support and training as they took their ideas and made them fully-fledged start-ups. For example, a rapper from … Continue Reading
Innovation: a.k.a. “Application Time”
It's that time of the year again. Grad school applications, fellowship applications. All those endless forms we so love to fill out. Here are just three of the many that might have been off your radar scope. Bikkurim, whose mantra is "nurturing innovative Jewish projects from start-up through sustainability", is seeking NYC-based, Jewish, non-profit projects that are in the early stages of formation and organizational growth. Pre-applications are due by February 1, 2008. Bikkurim's track record of successful projects reads like a 'who's who' of 21st century young Jewish innovation. The Foundation for Jewish Camping along with the Brandeis Hornstein Program have announced the second Robert and Elisa Spungen Bildner Fellowship. Be sure to check out this great article, Hornstein Goes Camping, … Continue Reading
Rethinking the Business Model of Jewish Community
Most people treat Jewish community work like a casual non-profit. But perhaps there’s a more effective, more business-like way to encourage innovation within a responsible, results-oriented framework? PresenTense Editor and Publisher Ariel Beery and his frequent business partner Aharon Horwitz think so, and tell you all about it in their new article in Ha’aretz, “Investing in Value." To save our community from the boom-and-bust dynamic, we need to prioritize value over image, and encourage young entrepreneurs to seek out value-enhancing opportunities that will allow them to generate returns on investment. To do so, the model of today’s Internet start-ups might be instructive: Start-ups now begin with a prototype and seek small seed investment. When a prototype is deemed to work, the … Continue Reading
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