February 24th, 2012
As part of Philanthropy Magazine’s Winter 2012 issue on global giving, 13 of America’s leading international donors and development experts responded to a series questions:
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Thursday, May 17, 2012 -
Iyyar, 25 5772
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February 21st, 2012
This post first appeared on eJewishPhilanthropy.
The South African Jewish community, like all Jewish communities, is filled with knowledge, creativity, chesed and, of course, complexity. It is one that has a rich and proud history, bringing its unique Jewish spirit to a continent that is rife with challenges and ripe with opportunity.
Within the community, there is an array of individuals as vibrant and varied as the African fauna that surrounds them. From the exceptional community of Johannesburg, a city of commerce and insight near the great goldmines of South Africa, to the community of Cape Town, which started out as a Dutch veggie patch and now is known worldwide as an amazing center of creativity, and every point in between—innovators, activists and entrepreneurs are reshaping the South African landscape to reflect the Jewish and universal values that drive their work. Read More »
February 17th, 2012
Julie Oxenhandler is a Teach For America alumna and is currently teaching in Baltimore. She participated in the 2011 REALITY Israel Experience for Teach For America corps members program. Julie recently used a Make It Happen Project micro grant for REALITY Israel alumni to host a her first Shabbat dinner for 19 teachers.
As a teacher, Friday afternoons mark the start of many occasions: the weekend, a time to catch up on grading or lesson planning, or simply a night where you go to bed, knowing that you can sleep in the next day. Many of us, deeply absorbed in our work weeks, see the weekend as a time to get caught up or ahead on work.
We are less likely to use our time for rest with the alluring nature of being overly prepared for the week ahead. Thankfully, Shabbat gently reminds us of the true purpose of our time away from work—to rest, to reconnect and to rejuvenate our minds and bodies. Read More »
February 14th, 2012
Across the nation, people are rebooting Valentine’s Day as Generosity Day. They are taking the pledge to make the day about love by forgoing the greeting cards in favor of giving back. In just three easy steps, you can honor your loved ones with a $14 gift that will keep on giving. Read More »
February 14th, 2012
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to spend time with nearly 60 Teach For America corps members taking part in our Foundation’s REALITY Israel Experience, a program that enables corps members to travel to Israel to explore the values that undergird their commitment to public service.
When I asked these passionate young people what motivated them to apply for the program, I heard a wide variety of responses, some inspiring, some empowering, some soulful—and one in particular that was heartbreaking.
“I applied,” one participant told me, “because I knew it would be the first time since I decided to live openly as a gay person that I would feel equal and accepted by the Jewish community.” She desperately wanted to find a place where she could be herself.
Her story is one I have heard far too many times from Jews everywhere—in Israel, in the U.S. and in countries around the world—who feel excluded from our community because of their sexuality. Despite some progress, the pace of change within the faith-based world in general has simply been too slow in this area. Read More »
February 9th, 2012
At a time when South Africa is emerging as a regional economic powerhouse that continues to gain global visibility as a center of new ideas and energy, the first South African Young Jewish Innovators Gathering will bring together 50 trailblazing social entrepreneurs, business pacesetters, activists and thought leaders to create a strategic network that will deepen their impact on their communities, the Jewish world and beyond.
Here is what the media has to say about the gathering … Read More »
February 7th, 2012
This post first appeared on Working Wikily, a blog devoted to exploring how network tools and approaches are creating new opportunities for powerful social impact.
Watching the unfolding events related to the Susan B. Komen for the Cure’s decision (and subsequent reversal) to stop funding Planned Parenthood, one couldn’t help but realize that we were watching our own revolution of the masses.
Unlike Tahrir Square and the Occupy movement, however, this latest chapter in our era of mass mobilization never really moved from cyberspace to the streets. It didn’t have to. As the nation of pink ribbons turned into a sea of red faces, Komen realized the rebellion in its midst and decided to change course.
There is no question that there are many lessons to be learned from Komen’s unplanned Planned Parenthood experience. Politics aside, even while assessing all of the steps and missteps Komen has made (and, we hope, continues to learn from), the Pink Ribbon Rebellion demonstrated one thing Komen actually did right: it built a social network of activists bound together by a collective identity built on education, empowerment and interconnectedness. Read More »
February 6th, 2012
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. Read More »
February 6th, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Out of Africa: Networking for Impact
The First-Ever South African Young Jewish Innovators Gathering
February 11-12, 2012, Saxon Hotel & Sasfin Bank, Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG – February 6, 2012 – At a time when South Africa is emerging as a regional economic powerhouse that continues to gain global visibility as a center of new ideas and energy, the first South African Young Jewish Innovators Gathering will bring together 50 trailblazing social entrepreneurs, business pacesetters, activists and thought leaders to create a strategic network that will deepen their impact on their communities, the Jewish world and beyond.
The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and South Africa’s Sasfin Bank Limited are partnering to shine a spotlight on these dynamic young innovators and help them connect with each other and, where possible, create partnerships that will engage large numbers of young Jews in Jewish life. The invitation-only event will open at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, on Saturday night, February 11, and continue at the Sasfin Bank on Sunday, February 12. Read More »
January 16th, 2012
On the occasion of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, I am honored to share an article of mine that ran in The Huffington Post. It looks at the connection between Martin Luther King’s call to action and the Jewish narrative, suggesting that at a time when our country and our world are so polarized, it is the passion and idealism of the next generation who will return us to the sense of purpose and values inspired by both MLK and Jewish tradition.
In the spirit of the challenge I issue in the article, I am also making a pledge. In the coming year, I will create and support more opportunities for young people to serve real needs in meaningful ways. I am looking at a variety of models, including partnerships with secular service and Jewish organizations, expanding service-learning experiences and supporting innovative efforts, like Repair the World’s Campaign for Jewish Service, focusing on literacy and educational equity in the United States and Israel. I welcome your input and suggestions on experiences that interest you. Read More »
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