Seriously… Seth Godin wrote a scathing blog post about fear induced institutional torpor found in established non-profit organizations: "These organizations exist solely to make change. That’s why you joined, isn’t it? … The problem facing your group, ironically, is the resistance to the very thing you are setting out to do. Non-profits, in my experience, abhor change … Take a look at the top 100 twitter users in terms of followers. Remember, this is a free tool, one that people use to focus attention and galvanize action. What? None of them are non-profits. Not one as far as I can tell. Is the work you’re doing not important enough to follow, or is it (and I’m betting it is) paralysis in decision making in the face of change? Is there too much bureaucracy or too much fear to … Continue Reading
The Jewish Innovation Pipeline: A Google Chrome OS for New Jewish Organizations?
by Joshua Avedon Seth Cohen recently challenged us to think about 5 key questions facing Jewish innovation. While we hope his excellent analysis continues to spark a broader conversation in the Jewish world, Jumpstart sees a big picture answer emerging to the "How?" issue he raises. And we'd like to frame it by taking a page from one of our favorite innovators from the technology world, Google. Google recently announced the launch of the Chrome Operating System, an efficient, distributed platform that is Google's latest run at Microsoft, purveyor of the market-dominant, yet much maligned Windows operating system. In their press release about the Chrome OS, Google said "It's our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be." Jumpstart was created in an attempt to re-think how best … Continue Reading
State of the Jewnion
It’s been a week since the Jewlicious Festival ended. I thought some kind of broad recap would be in order and might even prove to be somewhat instructive to those of you out there who are into that sort of thing, like readers of eJewish Philanthropy or the Fundermentalist. Both of those aforementioned blogs deal with issues related to Jewish philanthropy as well as with organizations and projects they fund. Both have also expressed an interest in issues related to youth, innovation and social entrepreneurship - buzz phrases that one often hears uttered by Jewish organizations both large and small. As far as the Festival goes, it was in almost every respect a smashing success. We had nearly 1000 Jewish students and young adults enjoy a weekend full of fun, food, music and over 120 individual … Continue Reading
NewsBits: Around the Jewish Web
from the Canadian Jewish News: Budget cuts force Montreal aliyah centre to close The global economy, drastic cuts to the Jewish Agency for Israel’s (JAFI) budget and the online age converged last month to force the closure of the Montreal Aliyah Centre, one of several in North America slated to shut down by the summer as part of a “major restructuring” within JAFI. But although the move – effective at the end of January – was to some extent anticipated, it came as a sad blow to those associated with the centre, which was almost as old as the State of Israel itself. They now fear that the absence of people “on the ground” could hurt the level of aliyah from Montreal. from The New York Jewish Week: Jewish Outreach In Lean Times Now that I am a board member of a … Continue Reading
Jewish LA in the Spotlight
Jewlicious...Jumpstart...Limmud...Jewish LA is a busy place these days. For those interested in innovation we had the release of the The 2008 Survey of New Jewish Organizations, the first-ever survey featuring data for understanding the world of Jewish nonprofits in the midst of an economic crisis. Limmud, growing worldwide by leaps and bounds, held their second LA event. And this Friday, the annual three-day gathering, Jewlicious Festival 5.0, largest youth festival of its kind, celebrates its half-decade with a special appearance by Grammy nominated Jewish reggae sensation Matisyahu. If you've never caught the Jewlicious fever before, there is still time to check it out! Here's more about the recent Limmud from The LA Jewish Journal: LimmudLA Fills 3 Days and Nights of Doing Jewish … Continue Reading
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