from UJA Federation New York: Helping Haredim in Israel Join the Army, Workforce The glue of Israeli society, the experience shared by most men and women over the age of 18, is service in the army. And yet, until recently, a growing slice of Israel’s population hasn’t been part of that experience. It is a tradition rooted early in the state of Israel’s history for Haredi men to continue yeshiva study rather than serve in the army, but in recent years, a program called Shachar has been working with both the army and interested members of the Haredi community to enable these men to serve in a way that is conducive to their religious and familial obligations. The men participating in Shachar acquire relevant job skills they can take with them after they leave the army. Once they … Continue Reading
Siach: An Environment and Social Justice Conversation Continues
Applications for the North American and European cohorts for the 2012 conference are open! WHAT: A unique opportunity to meet, share and collaborate with fellow social justice and environment activists from across the Jewish world. Siach, an Environment and Social Justice Conversation, brings together committed activists from across Israel, North America, and Europe. Supported by the UJA Federation of New York, with anchors in the US, Israel and Great Britain, and scores of member organizations, Siach is deepening the nuanced understanding of Jewish Peoplehood and Israel engagement with those for whom the pursuit of social and environmental justice is one of the defining characteristics of their identity. WHERE: The second annual Siach conference will take place in Ohalo Manor Hotel, on the … Continue Reading
Network-Weaving with Smadar Bar-Akiva
Deborah Fishman sits with Smadar Bar-Akiva. This interview is part of the Network-Weaver Series. [Smadar Bar-Akiva is the Executive Director of the World Confederation of Jewish Community Centers (WCJCC) and an occasional contributor to eJewish Philanthropy.] Tell me about your network. I direct an umbrella organization that represents more than 1,100 Jewish Community Centers around the world - we’re a network of networks. We have a 70-member board with representation from all the JCC networks and sponsor organizations. The purpose of our organization is to enrich Jewish lives and strengthen Jewish communities by connecting JCCs as institutions that open their doors to large number of Jews on a regular basis. What role does network-weaving play in your work? Though I sit in … Continue Reading
Was 2011 the Tipping Point for “Public Space Judaism”?
by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky Ten years ago, the Jewish Outreach Institute (JOI) released a landmark survey of participants in engagement programs, which clarified many of the best practices that are still of paramount relevancy today to any Jewish communal professional interested in reaching less-engaged Jews and unaffiliated intermarried households. One of those findings now seems obvious, but was not at the time: that Jewish programs held in secular venues attract a less-affiliated crowd than the same programs held inside the four walls of Jewish institutions. We believe this past year was a tipping point for the key outreach method of taking Jewish life out to where people are rather than waiting for them to come to us. In that 2001 study, JOI coined the term “Public Space Judaism” to … Continue Reading
Engaging Jewish Teens
by Leonard Saxe Over the last two decades a host of commissions and task forces have assessed how the Jewish community can reach out to post-bnai mitzvah teens. The Reform movement, in their just concluded Biennial meeting, declared “Youth Engagement” as their number one priority. They, along with other non-Orthodox movements, recognize that the bar and bat mitzvah ceremony is an inflection point in the lives of American Jews. The question that has bedeviled adults has been how to engage teens once they step off the bimah at age 12 or 13. In a new report, commissioned by UJA-Federation of New York and The Jewish Education Project, Amy Sales and colleagues at Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies studied New York-area parents, teenagers, and youth workers. They … Continue Reading
Fishka Celebrates New Home with Chanukah Candle-lighting
For those working in, or with Israel's Russian-speaking young adult community, the new place to be seen is the Fishka House in South Tel Aviv. Here, on the 3rd night of Chanukah, an overflowing group of participants, funder representatives and other supporters, were on hand for a candle-lighting and dedication of their new home, complete with good conversation, good food, and musical and theatrical entertainment. Fishka, a community-based organization, programs to a Russian-speaking young adult population through cultural programs, including cinema, music and theater projects, poetry workshops, volunteer initiatives working with south Tel Aviv senior citizens and more. They have recently launched a number of new projects including Laboratoria - a place to pilot projects which impact … Continue Reading
Hanukkah Lights Illuminate A Submerged Jewish Identity
by H. Glenn Rosenkrantz Boston, December 23, 2011 - In some respects, it’s just amazing that this Hanukkah party took place at all. On a recent afternoon in a daycare center in suburban Chestnut Hill, just west of here, preschoolers gathered with parents and grandparents to watch Hanukkah skits, don Maccabee-like costumes, sing holiday songs, and indulge in hot latkes and sticky jelly donuts. Ordinary, but only up to a point. A thick Russian accent here. Tales of anti-Semitism there. A tentative step toward Judaism by one. A full embrace by another. Boston or Newton or Chestnut Hill vs. Kiev or Moscow or Baku. “For many in the older generations, being Jewish was something to hide,” said Larisa Bankovsky, owner of the daycare where the holiday festivities unfolded. “My family … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Leaders Gather for Global Summit
More than 40 Russian-speaking leaders of Limmud FSU coming from Russia, Ukraine, the U.S., Belarus, Moldova and Israel participated in an intensive four-day conference here in Jerusalem this past week. The international Limmud movement, founded in Great Britain 32 years ago, has become one of the most successful and important educational enterprises in the Jewish world. Pluralistic, egalitarian, non-political and volunteer-based, Limmud events take place in more than 60 countries across the globe. Limmud FSU for Russian speakers was founded six years ago and thousands of young people have taken part in its conferences and festivals. Speaking to eJewish Philanthropy, Sandra Cahn (who co-founded Limmud FSU along with Chaim Chesler) said, "This Summit represents a very important juncture in … Continue Reading
UJAFed NY Donors Targeted in ID Theft
from New York Post: High-profile donors were victims of $2M ID theft ring involving Jewish charity Fifty-five gang members and others have been busted for running a $2 million identity theft ring that targeted high-profile donors who'd given to a Jewish charity, prosecutors announced today. The donors who were victimized included billionaire investor Ira Rennert and his wife and former AIG CEO Maurice "Hank" Greenberg. "This is an organized identity theft and financial crime ring that relied on insiders" who had jobs that involved handling checks at places ranging from a luxury auto dealership to the UJA-Federation of New York, a prominent Jewish charity, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Beth Potashnick said. ------------------------- eJewish Philanthropy has learned that the … Continue Reading
Limmud FSU Leadership Summit Opens Today
Fifty Limmud FSU leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Israel, USA, Belarus and Moldova will gather in Jerusalem today for a four day Leadership Summit that includes professional training, team building and learning. They will be joined by staff, the Limmud FSU co-chairs and guests including Israeli author Etgar Keret, MK Yuli Edelstein (Minister of Public Affairs and the Diaspora, Julius Berman (Claims Conference), Natan Sharansky and Carolyn Bogush and Clive Lawton from Limmud International. In describing the Summit program, Chaim Chesler - the high energy founder and co-chair of Limmud FSU, told eJP, " The four day program provides an intensive series of lectures, presentations, excursions, workshops and discussions, all incorporated in the framework of the Summit. The participants will have a unique … Continue Reading
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