Last night, at Jerusalem’s Bible Lands Museum, the third summer of the PresenTense Institute drew to a close. The outdoor tent was alive with energy as this summer’s fellows pitched their projects to over 200 invited guests.

They came from Beijing and New York; Washington, D.C. and down the street, juggling school, families and careers to devote six weeks to projects that will change the future of the Jewish world.

In the words of Institute coordinator Brachie Sprung, “These daring entrepreneurs are our inspiration at PresenTense – pioneers who break new ground in the face of great uncertainty, and who work tirelessly to improve the world and strengthen the Jewish people…

They have clarified their vision and purpose, strengthened their business models to maximize earnings potential, and built connections with individuals and communities that can help transform their ideas into reality.”

I’ve been around the PresenTense Institute since the beginning and while each summer has had talented fellows launching exciting and successful ventures, the power of the collaborative was in full swing last night. And for any doubters out there, the impact of the global PresenTense community, along with proof-of-concept for the Fellowship program, was clearly in evidence.

Stay tuned; we have more PresenTense 2009 on tap.