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Team Schusterman
December 30th, 2010
Podcast: Jewish Advocate and Philanthropist, Lynn Schusterman

The Voices of Oklahoma recently posted an incredible interview with Lynn in which she talks about her childhood, how she learned at an early age about the importance of helping others and how the Schusterman family’s spirit of giving evolved from a $500 loan into a global network of philanthropic initiatives.

If you want to learn more about Lynn and the forces that shape her work and worldview today, this podcast is a must-listen!

Voices of Oklahoma: Jewish Advocate and Philanthropist, Lynn Schusterman

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Justin Korda
December 27th, 2010
ROIers and their Networks Mobilize to Support Carmel Fire Fund

Cross-posted from roicommunity.org.

It has been three weeks since the fires first started blazing in Israel’s North. From this tragedy came a very powerful reminder to us all. First,  it showed how much we each care about Israel—whether we live in Israel or elsewhere around the world, we united around this cause. Second, we were given the opportunity to show what a difference we could make in a short amount of time.

Together with the matching contribution from Lynn Schusterman, the ROI Community and its networks raised $20,000. There were 120 individual donations, averaging $80. Read More »

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Team Schusterman
December 21st, 2010
A Call for 18,000 Teens to Sign the Jewish Community Pledge

With a spate of suicides calling national attention to the epidemic of homophobic bullying and intolerance, Jewish teens across the country are taking the lead to end bullying and support LGBTQ teens.

A recent letter issued by the youth leaders from the major Jewish teen organizations, including BBYO, NFTY, USY and NCSY, calls upon all Jewish teens to sign the Jewish Community Pledge, with a goal of reaching 18,000 signatures. This effort marks the first time these youth organizations have jointly called upon their peers to band together over an issue so closely tied to their experiences as teens.

As Lynn said upon learning of the initiative: “These teens are sending an extraordinarily powerful message: that they uphold LGBTQ inclusion and equality as fundamental tenets of our community, that they believe deeply in building a more welcoming community and that by taking the Jewish community pledge not to stand idly by, they represent a united Jewish contingent on behalf of this vision.” You can read the letter here. Read More »

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Team Schusterman
December 20th, 2010
Opportunity: 2011 PresenTense Summer Global Institute

Have an idea to transform your Jewish community? Passionate about social entrepreneurship? Looking for a community of experienced Jewish innovators to help make your vision a reality?

PresenTense is searching for the most innovative and dedicated Jewish entrepreneurs to participate in the 2011 Global Summer Institute in Jerusalem! The 2011 Global Summer Institute will unite the best and brightest Jewish innovators from around the world to develop and launch high-impact ventures that will better Israel and the Jewish community. Read More »

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Team Schusterman
December 17th, 2010
VIDEO: Do Not Stand Idly By at the GA

In October, in response to a spate of teen suicides brought on by bullying, Keshet launched the Do Not Stand Idly By: A Jewish Community Pledge to Save Lives campaign. It asked all Jewish community members, youth and adults, to take a stand against bullying and intolerance by signing a pledge stating a commitment to speak out when witnessing anyone being demeaned for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

When Keshet launched the Jewish Community Pledge, they weren’t entirely certain how far it would go or what impact it would have. Here are some answers … Read More »

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Lynn Schusterman
December 16th, 2010
An Open Letter About the Conversion Bill

It is with both great respect and grave concern that I write today, as the six-month moratorium on the conversion legislation proposed by MK David Rotem draws to a close.

I was among the Jews in North America who welcomed the call for a freeze on this proposed legislation and supported the appointment of Jewish Agency Chair Natan Sharansky to lead the efforts in finding an acceptable solution to this issue, one that is of critical importance to the unity of the Jewish people. (Read The Perils of the Israeli Conversion Bill.)

Should the proposed conversion law go into effect, I fear it would send a dangerous, exclusionary and wholly unacceptable message to many: that there is only one “official” brand of Judaism. Most of North American Jews—85 percent—belong to, or identify with, the Conservative and Reform movements, which would be directly—and negatively—affected by this proposal. Read More »

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Aaron Bisman
December 16th, 2010
From Our Partners: Hearing Jewish

This piece first appeared in the November issue of Sh’ma, a Journal of Jewish Responsibility. Aaron Bisman is the President and CEO of JDub Records.

I was a senior at NYU studying music business when a friend and I founded JDub, a not-for-profit that forges vibrant connections to Judaism through music, media, and cultural events. We were musicians interested in the depth and breadth of Jewish experience and creativity, unwilling to accept that institutions should dictate where and in what ways one could be or “do” Jewish.

Between us, Ben and I covered a range of Jewish identities worn by “insiders” and “outsiders.” He was from an intermarried home in Pennsylvania, exploring a range of observance levels and immersing himself in academic and personal Jewish study. I came to New York from Arizona, the son of a rabbi yet lover of Jewish summer camp and, at 21, completely disenchanted with what I saw as the disastrously bureaucratic, parochial, and polemical industries of the American Jewish community.  In the words of Steven Cohen, we found American Judaism, and its institutions, to be alien, boring, coercive, and divisive. Read More »

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Jordan Friedland
December 16th, 2010
A Story in the Tapestry: Relaxation, Reflection, and Rejuvenation

Jordan Friedland participated in the 2010 REALITY Israel Experience for Teach For America Corps Members trip.

On Friday, November 19th, 2010, we convened for our first Shabbat dinner as the Monthly Teach For America Chicago Shabbat Crew! The 10-person crew is an extremely eclectic mix, with roots spanning across the U.S. Additionally, four of our members are proud former participants of the TFA REALITY Jewish Experience, which is generously sponsored by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Read More »

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Roben Kantor
December 15th, 2010
Reflections on Rebuilding Jewish Communities Through Young Adult Engagement

I had the good fortune of attending a think tank this week hosted by the Detroit Federation in conjunction with JFNA. Despite the inclement weather, the gathering brought together—both in person and via telephone—community professionals and lay leaders from various cities, including Montreal, St. Louis, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh and several others to discuss not just how to engage young adults but how to actually attract them in the first place. Hence the name of the conference: Rebuilding Jewish Communities by Attracting & Retaining Young Adults. Read More »

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Dan Sieradski
December 14th, 2010
Repair the World Short-term Volunteering Can Have Long-term, Positive Effects on Communities

Cross-posted from Repair the World. Daniel Sieradski is Repair the World’s Director of Digital Strategy.

Repair the World Announces Results of a Study Examining the Effects of Alternative Breaks and Other Short-Term Volunteer Projects on Communities in Need in the U.S. and Abroad

Repair the World is pleased to announce the results of its commissioned study “The Worth of What They Do,” by Ellen Irie, Principal at BTW informing change, to examine the effects of short-term service projects on the communities they serve. Much research has been done on positive impacts for volunteers, such as a sense of accomplishment and first-hand experience of global problems such as poverty and food insecurity. However, relatively little research has been done on the long-term effects of such projects on the communities they serve beyond concrete, short-term gains—for example, a new irrigation ditch or a freshly painted community center. Read More »

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