Dr. Jonathan Sarna in The London Jewish Chronicle: Communal life after the recession We need new ideas - and ideals - to meet radical change in the Jewish world So, what does the future hold? One week, we hear that intermarriage is going through the roof, and the next that new Jewish day schools are bursting at the seams. Will the Jewish community be able to identify a mission compelling enough for young Jews to become passionate about? Certainly, one emergent trend is that of “sweat equity” - young, creative, technologically savvy Jews giving time to causes that inspire them. Expect to see more of this in the months ahead. But the great causes that once energised contemporary Jewry - immigrant absorption; saving European, Soviet, Arab and Ethiopian Jewry; creating and sustaining … Continue Reading
How to Create (Or Transform) an Organization: Top Ten List
Dr. Anita Friedman, Executive Director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, the oldest charity west of the Mississippi, and one of the most innovative and successful Jewish organizations in the United States, was this month’s featured speaker at UpStart’s Executive Director Round Table series. Bringing her stellar leadership experience of over thirty years, her sense of humor, and her honesty to the table, she wowed participants with her Yoda-like wisdom - “Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness,” “I hated it so much that I decided to take it over,” “It’s the difference between a Sushi Restaurant and a Cold Dead Fish Restaurant” - and with her genuine passion and phenomenal knowledge about making organizations thrive. Here is her top-ten list of … Continue Reading
Hang Tight and Follow What You Believe In
from The Chronicle of Philanthropy Young People Urged Not to Give Up on Nonprofit Careers The economic crisis is shaking up the nonprofit world in ways that are making it more difficult for young workers to find jobs but could also present them with new and unusual opportunities to advance, said speakers and participants at a conference that wrapped up on Saturday. “Business as usual is out,” said Diana Aviv, president of Independent Sector. “You may have thought that long before the economic crisis, but now you’ll have a lot of executives who will be interested in the kinds of solutions you have in mind. This is the time for creativity and innovation.” … Continue Reading
Rethinking Our ‘Human’ Communal Investment
Waves of cutbacks and layoffs during the past few months by local and national Jewish communal organizations seem prudent in the face of declining philanthropic dollars and reduced budgets. Hundreds of Jewish communal professionals - fundraisers, social workers, rabbis, planners, programmers, communicators and marketers, along with administrators and support staff - with years of expertise and collective wisdom - have hit the pavement. Sure, it’s easy to proclaim to board members and donors: “We’ve trimmed our budget and cut back our expenses.” Unfortunately, these decisions belie aggressive outreach during the past three decades to recruit and train Jewish communal professionals. The loss of so many dedicated workers translates into a huge waste of communal investment. Where’s the … Continue Reading
Bildner Fellowship in Jewish Camp Management
Full Scholarship for Jewish Camp Professionals - Earn an MBA and MA at Brandeis University This innovative dual-degree program, a partnership of The Hornstein Program in Jewish Professional Leadership and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, both at Brandeis, prepares future Jewish camp leaders with a full complement of MBA/non-profit skills and specialized knowledge of Judaic studies and contemporary Jewish life. In addition to courses with scholars throughout the university, including the nation's leading researchers on Jewish camping, students take management courses focused on non-profit organizations, as well as courses specific to the Jewish community. Students also attend camp-related conferences, interact with top leaders of the camping world, and attend seminars in … Continue Reading
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