Imagine working passionately and tirelessly in the uphill trek towards fulfilling your life’s mission, only to have someone say to you, “I am going to fast-forward your career 20 years.”

That is what Harold Grinspoon, known as one of the most innovative Jewish social entrepreneurs in America, said to 32-year-old Rabbi Ethan Tucker of New York City, as he granted him $100,000 per year for two years, with his inaugural Grinspoon Jewish Social Entrepreneur Fellowship.

Rabbi Tucker, one of the co-founders and leaders of the national independent minyanim movement, is developing curricula for and expanding Mechon Hadar, which he co-founded in 2001. Based in New York City,

Mechon Hadar is a unique, non-denominational institute whose mission is to revitalize communal life – animated by prayer, study and social action – among young Jews in America offering their community members an opportunity to deepen their learning, broaden their skills, and intensify their experiences on the road to enhancing their Jewish lives and building stronger Jewish communities.

Named by Slingshot as one of North America’s 50 most creative and effective Jewish organizations (2007-08), Mechon Hadar was one of the early initiatives developed at Bikkurim. Their central projects include Yeshivat Hadar, the only full-time, co-ed, non-denominational yeshiva in North America, and The Minyan Project, providing education, consulting and networking for independent prayer communities.

The Grinspoon Fellowship will also assist Rabbi Tucker and Mechon Hadar as they develop the ultimate online Jewish Law Think-Tank, utilizing the best and latest technology tools including blogs and wikis for stimulating worldwide involvement in Jewish Law.

note: Mechon Hadar came into our sights about eighteen months ago as eJewish Philanthropy was being conceptualized. We were particularly impressed with not only their vision and the traction developed in a few short years, but their nourishment and development through Bikkurim as they
took an idea, turned it into a cutting edge endeavor and worked towards sustainability. They are one of a handful of organizations referred to in our vision statement as a model of what this generation is creating.

tip to PresenTense Magazine, “New York’s Rabbi Ethan Tucker Receives Inaugural Jewish Social Entrepreneur Fellowship”

also recommended, The Harold Grinspoon Foundation
and Think spiritually, act strategically