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March 27th, 2012
From First Fruits to Abundant Harvest: Maximizing the Potential of Innovative Jewish Start-Ups

Summary: The Jewish community is faced with the new, significant and exciting challenge of supporting and integrating the most promising post-start-ups in a systemic way. Currently, the Jewish community offers very little support specifically geared toward post-start-up needs, nor are those needs broadly understood by funders, capacity builders and even by the organizations themselves.

This study focuses on those start-up and post-startup organizations, few in number but strong in transformative potential, that are poised to make a significant contribution to the Jewish community. It examines the unique needs and opportunities of both start-ups and post-start-ups in the Jewish community and the challenges they face as the innovative Jewish start-up sector matures.

This report also provides useful direction on how the three critical players in this sector—funders, support organizations, and the new organizations themselves—can work together to advance those initiatives with the greatest potential to transform the Jewish community.

Author: Bikkurim and Wellspring Consulting

Download Executive Summary: From First Fruits to Abundant Harvest: Maximizing the Potential of Innovative Jewish Start-Ups

Download full report: From First Fruits to Abundant Harvest: Maximizing the Potential of Innovative Jewish Start-Ups

Bikkurim.org

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March 20th, 2012
Repair the World Releases First-Ever Journal on Jewish Service-Learning

REPAIR THE WORLD RELEASES FIRST-EVER JOURNAL ON JEWISH SERVICE-LEARNING

– Experts Reveal Insights into Emerging Field –

MARCH 20, 2012—NEW YORK, NY – Repair the World and the Jewish Communal Service Association today released “People of the Book, Community of Action: Exploring Jewish-service-learning,” the first-ever issue of the Journal of Jewish Communal Service dedicated to Jewish service-learning (JSL). The creation of this landmark publication, which includes articles from experts in Jewish service-learning and from organizations such as American Jewish World Service, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Agency for Israel, focuses on trends and best practices for the JSL field. It marks Repair’s continued commitment to the growing the JSL field and aiding the professionals who work in it.

Jewish service-learning combines direct service that responds to real community needs with learning and time for reflection on why that service represents a Jewish value. The new Journal provides background on the field and the relationship between Jewish identity and Jewish service-learning. It also tackles topics such as the cost and value of Jewish service-learning, the creation of a “service people,” the integration of Jewish learning and service, and the state of service in Israel. The Journal also highlights the impact of JSL on the communities its volunteers serve, on participants performing the service, and on the Jewish community at large.

“To succeed, JSL service must be authentic, it must support the needs of the community being served, and it must effectively align its learning program to the work itself. At best, it can help build connections between and among participants, and enhance their long-term commitments to service,” said Jon Rosenberg, CEO of Repair the World. “We hope the Journal will help deepen and broaden the knowledge about Jewish service-learning in the Jewish community and breed best practices.”

Repair the World has been studying the Jewish service-learning (JSL) field since it was founded in 2009 and fostering its growth by providing grants, technical assistance, leadership, support for educators and conducting research and evaluation to inform the field’s development. In 2010-2011, Repair the World released several reports including The Worth of What They Do: The Impact of Short-Term Immersive Jewish Service-Learning on Host Communities–An Exploratory Study, Volunteering + Values: A Repair the World Report on Jewish Young Adults, and Year 2: Refining the Pedagogy of the Group Leadership Training Institute for Immersive Jewish Service Program Leaders.

Journal Highlights include:

  • From Service-Learning to Service-Activism: What Teach for America Can Teach the Jewish Service Movement, Aaron Dorfman, American Jewish World Service
  • Dual Benefits, Dual Challenges: The Theory and Practice of Integrating Community Impact and Participant Development in Jewish Service-Learning Experiences, Max Klau, City Year and Dana Talmi, Yahel
  • A Judaism that Matters: Creating Integrated Service Learning Communities, Lisa Exler, American Jewish World Service and Jill Jacobs, Rabbis for Human Rights
  • If We Build It, They Will Come: A Case for Developing the Field of Jewish Service-Learning in Israel, Dyonna Ginsburg, The Jewish Agency for Israel
  • Making Meaning: Emerging Adults and Service, Beth Cousens, Imagine Jewish Education
  • Becoming a Servant: How James Kugel’s Conception of Avodat Hashem Can Help Us Think About the Dispositional Goals of Jewish Service-Learning, Jon Levisohn, Brandeis University

The Journal was made possible with support from the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

“We see the depth and breadth of inquiry on display in this exciting edition of the Journal of Jewish Communal Service as a sign of the growing sophistication of the field of Jewish Service Learning,” said Al Levitt, president of the Jim Joseph Foundation.

“Our Foundation works to expand service opportunities that help young people make a difference in the world while connecting to their Jewish values and tradition,” said Lisa Eisen, National Director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. “We hope our support of this journal will increase awareness and understanding of the rich field of Jewish service learning, and how it can strengthen our young people, our community and our world.

People of the Book, Community of Action is available in both print and online at RepairLabs.org/JJCS, Repair the World’s blog devoted exclusively to providing resources and a community to the field’s practitioners. This is the first time that the Journal of Jewish Communal Service will be available online. The Journal’s release also includes a digital supplement comprised of smaller pieces from practitioners and experts in the field, including the likes of Ruth Messinger, Jordan Namerow, Michelle Lackie, Amy Weiss, Shimshon Stuart Siegel, and Rabbi Bradley Solmsen.

ABOUT REPAIR THE WORLD

Established in 2009, Repair the World is a national nonprofit organization that mobilizes Jewish Americans to contend with the world’s most pressing issues through service.  Headquartered in New York City, we connect individuals with meaningful volunteer opportunities to help their local, national and global communities, and builds the capacity of individuals and organizations to run effective service programs rooted in Jewish values. For more information, visit weRepair.org.

CONTACT

Dara Lehon, Repair the World, 646.695.2700 *18, Dara@weRepair.org

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February 29th, 2012
Mapping the Landscape: The Emerging Field of Israel Education

Summary: Mapping the Landscape: The Emerging Field of Israel Education follows up on a 2003 study by the Gilo Family Foundation that called for “Israel Education to become a field in its own right—with the requisite development of a curricular approach, systemized training, professionalization and the creation of a ‘central address’ to coordinate and streamline this process.”

Over the past decade, a series of indicators point to a developing response to that call. Though much work remains to be done, it seems legitimate to identify the emergence of a field of Israel Education that encompasses clear definitions, foundational principles, professional development frameworks and twenty-first century educational expertise.

A full articulation of these areas is found in the report. In addition, strategic goals that would represent significant advancement of the field are identified.

Author: iCenter

Download full report: Mapping the Landscape: The Emerging Field of Israel Education

www.theicenter.org

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February 6th, 2012
Out of Africa: Networking for Impact

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 »

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December 5th, 2011
Ambassador Itamar Rabinovich’s Book Launches at Brookings Institution

AMBASSADOR ITAMAR RABINOVICH’S BOOK LAUNCHES AT BROOKINGS INSTITUTION

The Lingering Conflict looks at the stalled peace process through lens of Arab-Israel relations

Washington, DC—December 1, 2011 – As social and political turmoil continue to roil the Middle East, a question remains at the forefront of debate and discussion: how did waging peace turn into lingering conflict?

On Thursday, December 1, scholars, policy makers, diplomats and academics gathered at the Brookings Institution to discuss Middle East unrest with one of the subject’s foremost experts, Ambassador Itamar Rabinovich, at an event co-hosted by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. Among the distinguished guests were philanthropist Chaim Saban, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, Ambassadors Martin Indyk and Sam Lewis, and Middle East scholars David Makovsky and Ghaith al-Omari.

The occasion was the launch of Ambassador Rabinovich’s new book, The Lingering Conflict: Israel, the Arabs, and the Middle East, 1948 – 2011, which draws on Rabinovich’s extensive scholarship and firsthand experiences as Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. and chief negotiator with Syria to explore the long history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, with particular emphasis on the past decade.

“We are dealing with a very different Middle East and a much more difficult Middle East,” Ambassador Rabinovich said during his remarks. “Israel is operating in a much more difficult environment and the impact of the Arab Spring is not at all clear. I don’t see a resolution now. I don’t see a peace process now. The challenge is to find creative and innovative ways to restart it.”

Ambassador Rabinovich addressed topics ranging from the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama to the Arab Spring to the current political situation in Syria. He also took questions from the audience, which included representatives from a broad swath of organizations and institutions such as American University, Anti-Defamation League, Israel on Campus Coalition, Embassy of Israel and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Ambassador Rabinovich was introduced by Ambassador Martin Indyk, Vice President and Director of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution.

As co-sponsor of the evening, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation has had a long-standing relationship with Ambassador Rabinovich. The Foundation has been at the forefront of efforts to expand the field of Israel studies and to create opportunities for people to learn about Israel, in all of its richness and complexity, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Ambassador Rabinovich has served as a trusted advisor for the Foundation on its work related to advancing the field of Israel studies, serving on the boards and advisory council of several organizations and programs, including the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Professors programs, which aims to bring rigor and a diversity of perspectives into university classrooms within the field of Israel studies.

“Ambassador Rabinovich has been a trusted advisor and valued thought partner,” said Lisa Eisen, National Director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation during her opening remarks. “He brings to the table a wealth of knowledge and deep experience on the Middle East, offering a balanced global perspective that often challenges conventional wisdom.”

The Foundation will sponsor another event in the spring honoring Ambassador Rabinovich at the Taub Center for Israel Studies at New York University.

“A respected colleague and long-time friend, Ambassador Rabinovich has made enormous contributions to the field of Middle East and Israel studies, as a scholar, as a university president, as a diplomat and as a global leader,” says Lynn Schusterman, chair of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. “He has elevated the level of discourse surrounding one of the most vital topics of our time: Arab-Israel relations. As a foundation devoted to shedding light on and deepening knowledge of modern Israel, we hope that by sharing the sharp insights of one of the foremost experts on the Middle East, we can provide a much-needed catalyst for further thought and constructive action in this critical arena.”

For more information, please contact Roben Kantor at rkantor@schusterman.org or at 202-289-7000, ext 6.

About the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is dedicated  to ensuring vibrant Jewish life by empowering young Jews to embrace the joy of Judaism, build inclusive Jewish communities, support the State of Israel and repair the world. Established in 1987 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Foundation also provides assistance to non-sectarian charitable organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our hometown, especially in the areas of education, child advocacy and youth development. www.schusterman.org

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November 21st, 2011
HRC Foundation Launches Jewish Organization Equality Index Survey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2011
Paul Guequierre | paul.guequierre@hrc.org | 202-423-2860

HRC FOUNDATION LAUNCHES JEWISH ORGANIZATION EQUALITY INDEX SURVEY TO EXPLORE PROGRAMMING AND PRACTICES OF JEWISH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Lead Grant from Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Funds Expansion of Workplace Equality Advocacy

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation announced today that it is launching the first-of-its-kind Jewish Organization Equality Index (JOEI) survey.  Modeled after HRC’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), JOEI is designed to measure lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion in the programs and employment practices at Jewish non-profit organizations.  JOEI is supported by a generous lead grant from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and supporting grants from The Morningstar Foundation, Stuart S. Kurlander—a leader in several non-profit Jewish and Jewish LGBT community organizations—and an anonymous donor.

“HRC’s work has transformed workplace policies in many of the nation’s major corporations, allowing LGBT employees to work productively and free of discrimination,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese, “The goal of this work is to inspire a new dialogue on LGBT diversity in the Jewish community. HRC will establish collaborative partnerships with participating organizations and act as a conduit to the wealth of existing resources within the LGBT Jewish community.”

“It is my hope that the Jewish Organization Equality Index will serve as a strong step toward strengthening the important Torah value of seeing all Jews as made in the image of God and deserving of the highest of human dignity and kavod, no matter their gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background,” said Rabbi Hyim Shafner of the Bais Abraham Congregation in St. Louis, Missouri.

HRC first announced the formation of JOEI in January 2011. Shortly thereafter, HRC hired a program manager who has spent the past ten months consulting with leaders in the Jewish community, executives of Jewish non-profit organizations and members of the clergy on how to most effectively rate Jewish nonprofit organizations on their workplace policies related to LGBT employees.  The work will also include an assessment of organizations’ cultural competency in delivering services to the LGBT community, such as whether the agency has inclusive language and messaging for LGBT clients, members, students, campers, youth or parents.

The final JOEI report, due in the spring of 2012, will focus on accomplishments and highlight opportunities for improvement within organizations and the community as a whole in a non-punitive framework that encourages education, dialogue and improvement.

The survey is open to all Jewish community non-profit organizations. Participants have until March to complete the survey. HRC will work independently with each organization to provide an opportunity to implement positive changes in their policies and resubmit these changes in order to receive a more inclusive evaluation.  Any organization interested in participating in the survey can email HRC Foundation staff at JewishEquality@hrc.org or can visit www.hrc.org/joei.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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September 8th, 2011
Former Executive Director of Street Sense Joins Schusterman Family Foundation

FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STREET SENSE JOINS SCHUSTERMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

Abby Strunk Saloma to head suite of training experiences and opportunities to enhance the skills of young Jewish service leaders and professionals

Washington, DC—September 8, 2011 – The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to helping the Jewish people flourish, announced today that Abby Strunk Saloma will join its national office in Washington, DC, as a Program Officer.

Strunk Saloma will develop and implement initiatives to engage and support young Jews involved in secular service work and otherwise as they explore and become creators of Jewish life. She will focus on broadening and deepening the Foundation’s work with Teach For America, particularly through its REALITY Israel Experience program, which brings corps members to Israel for 10 days to explore their commitment to leadership, education and social justice through a Jewish lens.

The success of the program, in tandem with the recent release of Volunteering + Values: A Repair the World Report on Jewish Young Adults, has highlighted a significant opportunity to help young Jews see their commitment to volunteerism through the lens of a Jewish framework and to strengthen the Jewish community’s social impact. The program offers a replicable model for engaging young Jewish volunteers across other secular service organizations.

“Imagine how powerful it would be if all young Jews understood their commitment to service as an authentically Jewish value,” said Lynn Schusterman, chair of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (CLSFF). “By bringing Abby on board, we are able to expand and deepen our efforts to enrich the Jewish lives of young adults and to heighten the impact they are able to have on the Jewish community and the world at large.”

“Assuming this role with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is much like coming home,” said Strunk Saloma, who previously worked as the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for BBYO, the world’s leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement. “My five years working in the Jewish community were the most professionally fulfilling of my career, and this particular position allows me to draw from and build on my experience supporting people in their personal journeys. I am thrilled to bring a unique vantage point that bridges both the Jewish and secular worlds, so I can create the most innovative leadership development experiences.”

Strunk Saloma brings to the Foundation a breadth and depth of experience from the for-profit, non-profit, Jewish and secular sectors, as well as extensive experience managing and coaching young and emerging professionals. Following her tenure at BBYO, during which she helped to nearly double teen involvement in meaningful Jewish experiences, Strunk Saloma assumed the Executive Director role at Street Sense, a DC-based non-profit organization that works to empower the homeless. Most recently, she led the development efforts for The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, a non-profit organization that trains health and mental health professionals, educators and community leaders.

In addition to her work with young Jewish secular service leaders, Strunk Saloma will design, manage and evaluate initiatives to recruit, network and train the best and brightest young Jewish professionals.

Strunk Saloma’s role is a natural extension of the Foundation’s work over the past two decades to help as many young Jewish adults as possible connect with one another and work together to build vibrant, inclusive Jewish communities. She will work in close collaboration with the Foundation’s global staff to build on and support its continuing efforts to expand the reach and impact of our work; incubate, pilot and launch new programs and initiatives; and empower young Jewish innovators to create new avenues of Jewish experiences.

“Our work engaging and inspiring young Jewish service leaders and professionals is a key pillar of our effort to build a more dynamic, relevant and purposeful global Jewish people,” Lisa Eisen, CLSFF’s National Director. “Abby is the ideal steward for advancing a cutting-edge strategy to support young Jews in their personal exploration of Jewish life and leadership.”

For more information, please contact Roben Kantor at rkantor@schusterman.org or at 202-289-7000, ext 6.

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About the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is dedicated  to ensuring vibrant Jewish life by empowering young Jews to embrace the joy of Judaism, build inclusive Jewish communities, support the State of Israel and repair the world. Established in 1987 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Foundation also provides assistance to non-sectarian charitable organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our hometown, especially in the areas of education, child advocacy and youth development. www.schusterman.org

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August 11th, 2011
Priorities for Change in the Oklahoma Child Protection System

Summary: In Oklahoma, thousands of innocent children and youth face the terror of abuse and neglect. Now is the time for our state to commit to bold changes. Improving the system that protects children and youth will bring a significant return on investment-saving lives and creating a brighter future for Oklahoma.

To this end, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation convened three summits of over 100 professionals in the broader child protection system. These professionals generated 20 Priorities for Change to help children and youth heal from the trauma of abuse and neglect and reach their potential as self-sustaining adults. This document details those 20 Priorities for Change.

Download: Priorities for Change in the Oklahoma Child Protection System

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June 23rd, 2011
Volunteering + Values: A REPAIR THE WORLD Report on Young Jewish Adults

Summary: Volunteering + Values: A REPAIR THE WORLD Report on Young Jewish Adults is the first-ever comprehensive study of contemporary Jewish young adults and their attitudes and behaviors toward community service. Prior to this study, little was known about the full extent of Jewish young adults’ service commitments as national surveys of volunteering either did not include information about the religious identity of respondents or contained too small a sample of Jewish young adults to permit meaningful analysis.

The study reveals that Jewish millennials believe their service can make a difference in the world and in the lives of others. While the majority of these young adults currently do not connect their service with Jewish values and identity, the findings provide a path forward for Jewish leaders who believe that making this connection is important for strengthening the Jewish community.

Authors: Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University and Gerstein | Agne Strategic Communications

Download Press Release: REPAIR THE WORLD Releases Results of Landmark Survey of Jewish Young Adults and Volunteerism

Download Executive Summary: Volunteering + Values: A REPAIR THE WORLD Report on Young Jewish Adults

Download Full Report: Volunteering + Values: A REPAIR THE WORLD Report on Young Jewish Adults

Download Technical Report: Volunteering + Values: A REPAIR THE WORLD Report on Young Jewish Adults

www.werepair.org

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June 7th, 2011
Holiday: Chag Shavuot Sameach!

Shavuot starts tonight! Check out the latest from our friends at G-dcast, and read more about the “Feast of Weeks” on MyJewishLearning.com. Chag Sameach!

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