Jerusalem, May 23, 2012 - In less than three weeks, 150 Jewish social and business entrepreneurs, technology whizzes, thinkers and artists will model the Jewish future in action as they collaborate on trailblazing initiatives designed to impact the Jewish world and beyond at the 7th ROI Global Summit in Jerusalem. The five-day gathering will connect participants to leading global innovators and activists, including keynote speaker Doug Ulman, president and CEO of Lance Armstrong Foundation - better known as LIVESTRONG - who will share how his three-time struggle with cancer led him to shape a foundation that supports cancer survivors and the fight against the disease. ROI Community is an international network of over 800 social entrepreneurs and innovators in more than 40 countries who are … Continue Reading
A Call for Jewish Innovation Month
In a seemingly parallel world to the political messes of recent months, a new world is being born right before our eyes: a world born out of the visions of young Jewish social entrepreneurs around the world, over a hundred of which will be launching their ventures this June. So I hereby propose: let us declare June Jewish Innovation Month. If the upcoming events in the month of June go smoothly, the reports of a disconnected, past-tense Federation and JCC system will prove to be unfounded. Starting on May 31st in Boston, six communities across North America - and five others worldwide - will host a total of eleven Launch Nights to showcase the 117 new Jewish social ventures that PresenTense partners have catalyzed over the past year. These 117 social ventures, in fields as diverse as education, … Continue Reading
ROI Community Gets Set to Rock and Roll in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, April 30, 2012 - The ROI Community of Jewish innovators will gather 150 dynamic young Jews from across the globe for its annual five-day ROI Summit in Jerusalem, including first-timers from Bolivia, Iceland, Peru and Uganda. This gathering provides these future Jewish leaders with tools, support and the space they need to turn their ideas into innovative work that will change the face of Jewish life. One hundred twenty new members were carefully selected from over 500 applicants, and hail from 26 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, Ukraine, USA and Uruguay. The newest ROIers represent a diverse cohort … Continue Reading
SXSW: An In-Gathering Of Jewish Innovation
by Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone I’m not sure when I first heard about SXSW - but by the time Foursquare was launched in 2009 - I knew I wanted to take part in the festival. After all, what could be more exciting than spending a weekend with innovators, social-media mavens, bloggers and geeks of all types? What didn’t occur to me was the deep Jewish nature that runs down the heart of the festival. When one thinks about it though, what could be more Jewish than a weekend spent thinking about the future, schmoozing with “machers” and eating plenty of good food? (Though even a kosher barbecue unlocks the Porky badge - come on @dens - where’s the Hot Pastrami on Rye badge?) When I was offered a chance to speak on the Judaism 2.0 panel the following year with fellow ROI’er Chaviva … Continue Reading
South By SouthWest, With a Twist of ROI
by Rebecca Youngerman This past week in Austin, Texas, 20 young Jews from cities as diverse as San Francisco, Tel Aviv, and Berlin wrote a new chapter of the ROI Community story, introducing the 2012 South By SouthWest (SXSW) conference attendees to a different meaning of ROI Community. As part of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation’s pilot initiative in Austin, ROIers traded falafel stands for food trailers, setting out to create, connect, learn, and innovate our way through the Interactive, Film, and Music components of the annual conference. The experience of SXSW reminded me of Open Space, a signature exercise that the ROI Community engages in each summer at their global Summits in Israel. Open Space puts forth two simple guidelines: whoever shows up is exactly who’s … Continue Reading
The 10 SXSW “Dibrot”
by Naomi Less This past week, through an incredible professional development opportunity via ROI's Micro Grant program, I was able to step into a world virtually unknown to me, expand my thinking, perspective on the world and understanding of how I can further serve the Jewish community. Oddly enough, that came from the South by Southwest Interactive conference. One would think, as a rock musician, I'd be better suited for the Music or even the Film conference - insanely fantastic networking - but I took a step back and saw SXSW* Interactive as a new opportunity. Needless to say, it was WORTH it: changing perspective, environments, leaving my comfort zone and exposing myself to a whole different world. And, wow, the connections and new possibilities were ENDLESS. * (that's code for South By … Continue Reading
SXSW: People and Ideas, Changing the World
by David Notik SXSW in Austin in March. It's spring break for geeks, only "geeks" is broadly inclusive, it's not quite "spring" yet, and it's not a "break" so much as it is a continuation. Last year, I extended a family trip by a couple of days to see what "South-by" (as it is oft verbally abbreviated) was all about, because it's made its way onto nearly every connected creative's radar including mine, and given what I'd gathered it felt like I should be there. I didn't have a badge but I made my way downtown for a couple of nights and found my way into a few crowds and into some parties. I got the sense that the town was overflowing with smart, creative people, their ideas and products, and a passion for changing the world, or at least something in it, for the better. I knew I wanted to be back, … Continue Reading
Natan Fund 2013 Grant Application Process Open
Natan is proud to announce that the application process for Natan's 2013 grants is now open! We've made several changes to our grant areas for the 2013 Grants, all of which are explained below. Now Open for Applications: Natan is now accepting initial Letters of Inquiry (LOI) from new applicants in two program areas: Emerging Models of Jewish Connection in North America and Jewish Peoplehood. All of the necessary information (and a new FAQ page) can be found on the Grants pages of our website. Organizations may apply for grants of up to $50,000; LOIs are due by noon ET on Monday, April 23, 2012. Following a multi-stage application process, grantees will be notified of their awards by January 31, 2013. Emerging Models of Jewish Connection in North America grants support innovative approaches … Continue Reading
Putting the People Back in Peoplehood
This essay is from The Peoplehood Papers, volume 7 - Reinvigorating Jewish Peoplehood: The Philanthropic Perspective; published by the Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education. by Lisa Eisen Rachel Brody, 26, always knew she was Jewish, but growing up in Houston, Texas, it did not mean much to her. She was much more focused on the parts of her identity that drove her to working with students with special needs. She never realized the connection between the two until she visited Israel in 2009 as part of the pilot cohort of our Foundation’s REALITY Israel Experience, a program that brings Teach For America corps members to Israel to explore the Jewish values that undergird their commitment to public service. “It left a profound impact on me,” said Rachel, who is now working on a … Continue Reading
Jewish Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Connectors Unite at SXSW
by Yoni Sarason Yoni attended South By Southwest festival in Austin in March, 2012, and as by popular demand, he shared his thoughts in this blog below. While much of the young adult geared Jewish world is focused on TribeFest, JFNA’s NextGen get-together in Las Vegas, this past weekend, a number of young Jewish leaders took on South by Southwest (SXSW), the film, music and interactive (digital) industry convention in Austin. The young leaders are part of the ROI Community, a network of Jewish innovators, entrepreneurs, movers, shakers, and connectors. The community is formed and expanded each year by bringing 120 emerging leaders from around the world to Israel for a week of sessions, networking, and ideating. This year, as part of a pilot, ROI enabled a number of Community … Continue Reading
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