Leaders and creators of Jewish life are embracing a networked mindset, and in an effort to help initiate a community-wide shift, we convened some of the best and brightest minds working in Jewish life today to discuss the implications of networks and network theory for the future of the Jewish community.

From Nov. 8-10, 2011, in Boulder, CO, our Foundation hosted NetWORKS: Exploring the Power & Possibilities of Networks in the Jewish Community, which brought together leading thinkers, experts, innovators and activists to discuss how we can harness the power of networks to empower Jewish young adults to strengthen both the Jewish community and the broader world.

We partnered with Leadel.net, a Jewish media hub showcasing the rich variety of contemporary Jewish voices and expressions, to create a series of videos that we hope will our community continue to expand the networks conversation.

1) Recap of the NetWORKS Gathering

Networks, as many have explained, have actually been part of the Jewish tradition for thousands of years—from the concept of the Minyan, in which 10 Jews come together to create something bigger than themselves, to the Gemara, which is full of links just like a webpage. Today, however, networks have taken on new meaning in the 21^st century as people connect, congregate and affiliate in ways once unimaginable. Watch the History (and Future) of Jewish Networks … Condensed

2) Jews and Networks

Why do Jews love playing Jewish geography? Here’s a clue: because we have been a network people for millennia and at the heart of these networks are real, deep relationships. In this video, we explore how communities and networks have helped us become the people we are today.

3) Theory of Networking: Wednesday

The field of social network analysis gives us a language for talking about what networks are and why they function the way they do. In this video, we explore the difference between networks and institutions, and centralized and decentralized networks. We also take a look at why networks are so hard to map and at friendship networks on a Birthright bus.

4) Social Technology and Networking

What does it REALLY mean to have a presence on Facebook and Twitter? In this video, Kari Saratovsky of KDS Strategies and Nathaniel Whittemore of Asset Map help us explore how social technology is fundamentally different from other technologies and how it has evolved how we engage and connect online.

5) Networks and Challenges

The challenges for organizations working in a networked world are manifold, including the loss of ownership and control and the tension between showing results and putting resources where they are needed. How do we navigate this divide?

6) Projects that use NetWORKS

How do leaders emerge in the Jewish world? How are Jewish organizations applying networks and network theory to their work? Take a walk with the ROI Community, Friendfactor, Moishe House, Jewrnalism, Sharsheret, Six Points and J’Burgh.