by Jeff Rubin A nationally renowned Jewish public affairs group just “followed” my organization on Twitter soon after joining the social media site. Welcome, warmly and belatedly, to the Twitterverse! This organization has apparently learned what others have yet to understand: Twitter isn’t a gimmick or a toy; It’s an essential information source for leaders and an important strategic management tool. In fact, it’s become as basic as email to staying on top of events locally and around the globe. Not that long ago, I too was a Twitter nonbeliever. I thought that a “hashtag” was a Middle Eastern dessert. I feared that monitoring Twitter would absorb all of the free time left to me by Facebook, emails, text messages and phone calls. It took a strong kick in the posterior from a … Continue Reading
When a Like Is Worth a Buck: How One Day School Made FB Pay
by Ken Gordon There I was, on January 15th, at the North American Jewish Day School Conference, conducting an intense, face-to-face social-media consultation with Oakland Hebrew Day School’s Rabbi Yehudah Potok. R.Y.P., as his Board President fondly calls him, was deeply focused, asking good questions, making all kinds of notes. Yet as we yammered away, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Could a Head of School really be that interested in social media?” The answer I later learned was this: R.Y.P. is totally serious and smart about Facebook. Y’see, our man at OHDS had asked me about how to increase the size of his school’s FB fan base. I casually suggested that he: Figure out how many Fans his school had at that moment. Pick a reachable Fan goal. Select a date to reach that … Continue Reading
Seven Social-Media Pitfalls for Nonprofits
by Hannah Brazee Gregory Nonprofits are flocking to social media as a way to communicate with stakeholders. While that effort to engage donors and supports is laudable, it's also fraught with challenges. Be aware of these seven pitfalls when venturing out into the world of social media. 1. Setting up your nonprofit's Facebook account as a person instead of a page. This is of the most common mistakes made by nonprofits when they first begin using Facebook. Some do it on purpose for a variety of well-meaning reasons, while others simply don't know any better. A nonprofit should always create a page and categorize it properly as a nonprofit organization. Ideally, nonprofits want to have thousands of supporters on Facebook, and personal accounts allow a maximum of 5,000 … Continue Reading
Social Media: It’s Not Just Facebook and Twitter Anymore!
by Hadassah Levy You get it. No respectable NPO doesn't have a presence on Facebook and Twitter in 2012. Maybe you are a little more familiar with the social media world and you know that LinkedIn and Google+ can bring attention to your organizations as well. But if you are really web 2.0 savvy, you know that the entire web has metamorphosed into one big social community. Social has transformed the web into one big sharing platform. Communities devoted to all sorts of niches exist across platforms. People interested in a specific subject are talking to each other on Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Flickr and YouTube. Even Google searches are now showing results based on who you interact with online. The key to getting your message heard is to be a part of relevant communities. Some of the … Continue Reading
Communications and Resource Development as Cornerstone of Social Media Strategy
by Jo-Ann Mort and Judith Wineman Successful integration of communications and resource development to bring sustainability to mission-driven non-profits is becoming increasingly reliant on new media and online social networking. The tool box is changing. In order to effectively utilize new social media, communications and development professionals should not be trapped into thinking this is an “either/or” situation. The key to successful communications and resource development campaigns is an integrated plan based on both traditional expertise and new technologies. In the last ten years, online giving has seen a sharp increase. This cannot be explained by changing strategy; rather, it reflects the increased availability of online accessibility. Online giving is easy, and social media is a … Continue Reading
Social Media: Building Relationships On and Offline
by Florence Broder One of the things I’ve always loved about the General Assembly (GA) is catching up with old friends and colleagues and, of course, networking with new ones. This year was no different. The networking didn’t actually begin in Denver, but at the gate at JFK. It quickly became a “who’s who” of the Jewish communal world both on the lay and professional side. The networking and relationship building continued on the flight and even at the Denver airport. And with every “low-tech” exchange, I realized the truth behind the sentiment that the GA is the “original Jewish social network.” But the GA was also “hi-tech” with a constant stream of tweets, Foursquare check-ins and more. What is remarkable is that the GA is one of few places where my “hi-tech” and … Continue Reading
When Tweeting Depletes: How Social Media Can Disconnect Us
by Ami Hersh and Leor Shtull Leber As people who barely remember a time before the Internet and who use Facebook (too) often to stay in touch with friends from around the world, we are not ignorant of the power of social media and technology in connecting people and ideas. However, we question the direction we are taking when we rely too heavily on technology and we fear the authenticity of our relationships when they are based on “@s” and “#s” We admit we are guilty too. Once we were sitting around a table with friends, each of us on our own laptop. Somebody walked in and asked if he could join and do homework with us, and we awkwardly apologized that we were actually in a meeting - it just so happened that our meeting involved us all sitting in a circle in silence working … Continue Reading
Resource Links
If you are not familiar with our Resource Library, have a look. We developed this section as a way to assist you in connecting with others, reaching a greater audience and keeping current on the newest tends. We also encourage you to check back often as new links are added on a regular basis. Some recent additions: Building Your Social Media Fan Base If you post a message on Twitter and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a noise? The fact is, there isn’t much reason to tweet if you don’t have an audience - a fundamental truth of all social media channels. As you think about ways to engage constituents and advance your nonprofit and its mission through Facebook, Twitter and blogs, you should also be thinking about how to promote each channel and build your audience. How to … Continue Reading
Oral Tradition to Digital Tradition
by Danny Oberman and Raissa Hacohen Judaism is a religion based on tradition. Our Jewish heritage is passed from generation to generation, and, without the transfer of custom from parent to child, the fabric of traditions quickly unravel. The break in continuity is fast, and red flags are raised in discussions of the Jewish future. As we enter the 21st century, there are signs that technology is about to play a significant role in the transfer of tradition. Most of us have little knowledge of exactly what customs our great grandparents practiced. Few have any idea how their great grandparents ran their Passover Seders. How did they celebrate? Did they drink red wine or grape juice? What did they sing? What type of dishes did they make? What crises in their communities concerned them? How did … Continue Reading
Limmud and the London Riots
A group of Limmud volunteers have been responding to the London riots in a very practical display of tzedakah and gemilut Chassidim. In an email to eJewish Philanthropy prior to Shabbat, Raymond Simonson, Limmud's Executive Director, told us: "We found a couple of days ago that Haringey Council’s Customer Service Centre in South Tottenham was responding to the fact that a number of families have been made homeless (at least temporarily if not worse) as a result of the riots in Tottenham. People live in flats above shops that have been set on fire, so their homes have been badly or permanently damaged. Many have lost clothes and possessions. They feel frightened and alone and are confused how they have ended up victims in this. We asked if they needed anything and found out they need bedding, … Continue Reading
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