PresenTense is opening its doors for applications for SocialStart Trainers in North America. SocialStarters train community entrepreneurs and organizational professionals, providing them with skills and tools to launch innovative ventures to impact the Jewish community. Ideal candidates are professionals or graduate students who enjoy speaking and presenting and are passionate about making the Jewish world a better place. Through PresenTense, SocialStarters have the opportunity to develop critical skills, gain visibility, access a dynamic network of innovators and earn supplementary income. SocialStarters participate in a Trainers Course facilitated by PresenTense where they are trained in pedagogy, facilitation and venture development. Upon certification SocialStarters will have the … Continue Reading
Two Upcoming Perspectives Study Tours Announced
Perspectives Israel is opening registration for two study tours during the upcoming academic year, funded through a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Perspectives Israel is a platform for enabling emerging leaders and activists dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict to engage with the Jewish-Israeli spectrum of the conflict. Containing a kaleidoscope of viewpoints, Perspectives does not advocate any particular solution to the conflict, but rather promotes the values of dialogue, understanding and empathy along with critical thinking. Perspectives Israel was founded by ROI member and PresenTense alumni Chaim Landau. … Continue Reading
PresenTense to Launch in Seven New Cities
Jerusalem, Israel, Sept 7, 2011 - PresenTense is excited to announce that in the 2011-12 season, it will expand its social entrepreneur fellowships to reach 13 programs in 10 cities around the world. In addition to seven new programs in Chicago, Washington DC, Cleveland, Kansas City, Nachlaot Jerusalem, Moscow, and a global fellowship with the WCJCC, PresenTense will also renew its partnerships with existing communities in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv, and will operate its sixth summer Global Institute. The fellowships, run as part of the Community Entrepreneur Partnership (CEP) developed by PresenTense, are owned and managed by local partners in each of the cities, including Federations, JCCs, and in Moscow, the JDC. The Community Entrepreneur Partnership is a … Continue Reading
Five Years and Who Knows What’s Changed
In the summer of 2006, I was set on pitching a new magazine in what I was told would be a four-day global contest for funding held in Jerusalem. The magazine, of course, was PresenTense, an effort a few friends of mine and I started in December of 2005 in Morningside Heights of Manhattan. After months of unsuccessful attempts to raise $10,000 for the first print run and distribution, we ended up printing it ourselves. For $5,000 that a friend and mentor gave me, and around $5,000 that lived on as a (growing) debt on our credit cards, we printed 1000 copies of what we called 'Issue Zero' and tried to leverage these copies to gain subscribers and advertisers. We saw this conference as our chance to shine. It brought 120 innovators from around the world and was structured around a series of pitches and … Continue Reading
PresenTense Summer Fellowship Launches Cultural/Educational Projects
This summer’s cohort at the PresenTense Global Summer Institute included three fellows whose ventures touch the Jewish cultural/educational field. Here’s a look at two projects recently launched: from Los Angeles, California, Anne Hromadka: Anne holds dual masters degrees in Jewish Communal Service (Hebrew Union College, LA) and Public Art Studies (USC). Anne is working on NuART [Insert Jewish Culture Here] that, once completed, will be a fully functional art gallery and educational space set-up inside an altered RV. This mobile art space will house cutting edge installations, sound-pieces, performances, paintings, sketches and videos. One year from now, Anne tells eJP, "NuART will be touring in the SoCal area - headed to a street near you, bringing Jewish art and education to all our … Continue Reading
JPropel and Renewing the Jewish Communities of Europe
Over the past two weeks, Schusterman's @Roicommunity, Paideia and the Pears Foundation's JHub have run a series of activities in the classic Swedish university town of Uppsala under the banner of the Summer of Change. @aharonhorwitz and I were privileged to represent PresenTense there as 'staff,' Aharon as part of the incubator, and both of us together at JPropel teaching a few workshops over the course of a few days, from our PTSchool series, and leading a text-based learning on business model development for social enterprise. It was a fun affair. For a little under a week, approximately 50 individuals, the majority from the various countries of Europe, hung out, ate, drank and took boat rides whose main outcome was the bonding of young activist Jews across the world, and an understanding that … Continue Reading
Capture the Passion
This summer's cohort at PresenTense Global Summer Institute included several fellows whose ventures directly touch the world of philanthropy. Here's a look at four projects recently launched: from St. Petersburg, Russia, Zoia Kolton: A native of Russia, Zoia discovered her roots after the collapse of the USSR. As a child, she was an inaugural member of Adain Lo, a Jewish Family Center. Zoia is launching 3D Philanthropy, whose goal is to create a new cluster of young Jewish leaders who could financially and organizationally support the St. Petersburg Jewish community. Zoia on 3D Philanthropy one year from now: "I hope that 3D events will become a part of the social calendar of Jewish young professionals, and that beig a part of an advisory committee for 3D Philanthropy will be something … Continue Reading
5 Questions with … Rachel Brody
by Abigail Pickus This is the last of a three-part series Rachel Brody, 26, grew up in Houston, Texas, and received a B.A. from Texas State University and an M.A. from George Mason University. From an early age, she found herself drawn to working with those with special needs. But it wasn’t until her first visit to Israel in 2009 that she realized the intricate connection between her Jewishness and her dedication to inclusion. Then in her second year of teaching special education in the Metro D.C. area, Rachel joined a pilot cohort of her fellow Teach For America corps members on the REALITY Israel Experience program, which brings a select group of corps members to Israel for 10 days to explore Israel’s education and social justice systems, gain exposure to top Israeli leaders and … Continue Reading
European Social Innovators Connect to Create New Expressions of Jewish Life
Jerusalem, August 3, 2011: As Europe faces an acute identity crisis, 48 social justice activists, artists, environmentalists, media and tech gurus, educators, Israel advocates and intercultural dialoguers will gather for four days at JPropel in Sweden to address the challenges confronting the European Jewish renaissance and to enhance the role of up- and-coming Jewish leaders in shaping a Europe that embraces respect for all religions and cultures. JPropel is a joint initiative of JHub, Paideia and ROI Community to propel forward a new generation of European Jewish leaders. “In the shadow of the horrific massacre in Norway, JPropel shines a light on European Jewish initiatives which combat racism by reviving the spirit and culture of its victims,” said ROI Community Executive Director Justin … Continue Reading
PresenTense Launch Night Rocks Jerusalem
They came from Buenos Aires and Budapest; St. Petersburg (Russia) and Montevideo; Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Kibbutz Yahel; Atlanta, DC, LA, New York and Philly. Six weeks ago, this geographically diverse group gathered in Jerusalem as participants in the fifth PresenTense Global Summer Institute, challenging the staff, coaches, skill-builders and mentors to help them launch their dream ventures. They were not daunted by the recession or a market in which many nonprofits have failed. For these sixteen social entrepreneurs were determined to sow their own seeds in making the world a better place. This past Thursday night they came together - in front of several hundred friends and influencers - for a community celebration of innovation and creativity. To not only formally launch their endeavors, … Continue Reading
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