By Barbara Dobkin Today, we celebrate the holiday of Purim - wearing costumes, feasting and drinking, giving gifts and charity, and reading the Book of Esther. It’s a strange book, with an oblivious king (Ahaseurus), an evil vizier (Haman), a non-compliant queen (Vashti, quickly jettisoned in the first chapter), and a young Jewish girl (Esther) who is given to the king’s harem by her strategic uncle, and goes on to speak up for her people who … [Read more...] about Fighting for Gender Equity on Purim
Jewish Philanthropy. Chronicled.
Planning a Donation?
Learn How the Pros Do it
By Natan Sedaka
Thinking of making a donation to your local federation or other charity? Before you send any money, think about how you can be the best steward of your funds. If you adopt the best practices of smart foundations, you can go to sleep at night knowing you’ve met all your responsibilities as a donor.
Let’s say you want to donate $100. Don’t just write a check! You’ll want to know exactly what the charity will do with your … [Read more...] about Planning a Donation?
Learn How the Pros Do it
It’s Time for a Conversation about Change
By Mordechai Shushan The Jewish community is at a crossroads. In order to stay relevant in a shifting landscape, we must struggle to reenvision, reimagine, and reframe the concept of change. We need to up our game to create a more layered, more nuanced, more complex, more vibrant kind of change to be sure we’re on the right side of history. That said, it’s important for the conversation to include inclusiveness, and it must address the root … [Read more...] about It’s Time for a Conversation about Change
From Shushan to Sarajevo (Purim 5779)
By Andrés Spokoiny A 19-year-old boy was arguably the most influential person in the 20th century and, most probably, you’ve never heard of him. His name was Gravilo Princip and by sheer luck one day in Sarajevo, he found himself in front of the Hapsburg Archduke Franz Ferdinand with a pistol in his pocket. Princip, a member of a Serbian nationalist movement that opposed the Hapsburgs’ empire, seized his moment: he pulled the trigger twice, … [Read more...] about From Shushan to Sarajevo (Purim 5779)
Just Because It’s Hidden Doesn’t Mean It’s Not There
By Rabbi Steven Henkin As a child, I used to think of the upcoming holiday of Purim as “the Jewish Halloween.” We give out mishloah manot full of sugary foods (even if it is Hamentashen instead of candy), we get together to celebrate, have a party, and have a great time. And, of course, we dress up in costumes, hiding our true identities, just as we do in October. The concept of dressing up in costumes or wearing masks on Purim fits right … [Read more...] about Just Because It’s Hidden Doesn’t Mean It’s Not There
Got a Good Joke?
By Elka Abrahamson We thoughtfully interview many talented candidates for coveted seats in a Wexner leadership cohort. During interview “season” our selection committees’ probe, prod and pull answers, visions and challenges from hundreds of thoughtful North Americans and Israelis seeking to participate in a Wexner program. Having been engaged with this work for 25 years, I cannot even venture a guess at the number of candidates I have grilled … [Read more...] about Got a Good Joke?
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