Explore ways that your funding can build a more vibrant, meaningful, inclusive, interconnected, creative and compassionate world.
The world we live in has been shaped by people's movements for social change. Philanthropy—Jewish philanthropy in particular—has made a key difference on the Free Soviet Jewry and marriage equality movements, and many other causes. These movements often begin as
controversial, daring ideas: supporters have been attacked, leaders censored, and institutional roadblocks erected to slow progress. What can Jewish philanthropy do to support today's social change leaders whose ideas challenge contemporary norms? What is the Jewish funder's role in embracing daring approaches, fostering open dialogue, and discerning productive forms of
controversy from counterproductive ones? Leading voices around three hot-button topics—Israel/Palestine, climate change, and reproductive freedom—come together this morning to discuss the personal and institutional costs and benefits of controversy, and the role of funders in supporting risk-takers. Differing viewpoints from the audience are welcomed and encouraged, and together we will explore how our community experiences controversy.
Hosted by the Nathan Cummings Foundation
1. New Approaches to Teen Education and Engagement—A series of studies released over the past two years have provided new examples of how innovative approaches to Jewish teen education and engagement can influence the lives of adolescents during this critical time of identity development. Join the Jim Joseph Foundaton to discuss research findings and a new community of practice for local and national funders of teen education and engagement.
2. Your Jewish Philanthropy Roadmap—JFN and Jewish Communal Fund discuss this new resource to help people navigate their charitable journey. For new and veteran funders, the Roadmap tool uses challenging questions to help you be more intentional and strategic in your giving.
3. Ethiopian Youth in Israel—Jonathan David shares his experience with an excellence in education program for Ethiopian youth. Cultivating a strong self image is the key to unlocking the vast potential of these youth in becoming leaders, achievers and contributors in Israeli society.
4. Jewish Community Foundations--Creating a family giving plan can be an overwhelming endeavor; join the conference’s Jewish Community Foundation participants for breakfast, discussion and tips on engaging the next generation, connecting to local resources, and facilitating family meetings.
5. Relational Judaism—Chabad's success is based on their incredible commitment to building relationships. Ron Wolfson convenes discussion around his vision for a non-Orthodox alternative to Chabad’s success, one that builds deep and lasting relationships with and among those we seek to influence.
6. Sustainability—Jay Shofet of the Green Environmental Fund convenes a discussion on how Israel’s social protests of 2011 are still echoing in issues of planning, urbanism, and transportation–and may just have spurred Israel’s sustainability revolution.
What does it mean to bring a text to life visually and how is learning in this way different and “sticky”? G-dcast invites you to come look in depth at a short selection from the Book of Samuel through G-dcast’s unconventional art + Torah methodology. Bring your creativity – we’ve got the soft lead pencils.
1. Advocating for Jewish Renewal in Israel—Join the AVI CHAI Foundation to discuss a new initiative they are creating with UJA-Federation of NY and the Posen Foundation to raise public awareness and advocate for government support of pluralistic Jewish programs in Israel.
2. Giving Circles—JFN’s Giving Circle peer network welcomes the leaders and members of giving circles for informal discussion to share best practices and network with each other.
3. Jewish Girls and Young Women—Ellen Flax, Director of the Hadassah Foundation, convenes discussion on how to serve the needs of Jewish girls and young women, promote their leadership skills, physical and emotional development, and develop gender-sensitive programming and policies.
4. Building an Israeli-American Community—Adam Milstein shares the Israeli-American Council’s successful community model that reaches out to the many unaffiliated and unconnected Israelis in Southern California, and galvanizes them into an active, giving Israeli-American community. Hear how the model helps the next generation maintain their Jewish identity and connection to Israel, and provides the Israeli-American community a bridge to the Jewish-American community.
5. Balance Work and Life with a Virtual Office—Michael Hill shares experience and lessons learned–some expected, some surprising–from the Dorot Foundation’s recent transition to a virtual office. Topics include benefits and challenges for staff, technology options, and need-to-know issues for before, during and after the transition.
Hosted by Alan B. Slifka Foundation and the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation
Over the years, the NGO sector's advocacy of productive engagement between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens has made it an essential player in recent Israeli Government decisions to invest in the Arab sector. In many cases, NGOs supported by private philanthropy have led the way to positive change through research, advocacy, and pilot projects, enabling the Government to commit substantial resources to implement some of the best ideas on a national scale. There are many opportunities, however, to develop the Arab sector and to prioritize social inclusion and cohesion in Israel. Continued NGO activity and philanthropic support, with an eye towards future government engagement, will help Israel meet these challenges. Questions the panel will address include:
Hosted by Peter and Janine Lowy
Who cares how great your cause is if no one’s heard of it? Why do Jewish leaders complain they’re not attracting new members and new donors to their organization? One reason is that they spend too much money on overhead and not enough on branding. Branding is as important to your organization as an invitation is to a party; it draws people into your cause and makes them remember it. It elevates everything else you do. It’s the value of a good name. We'll hear from the pioneers of the Jewish Journal's branding division how to build successful branding campaigns for numerous causes.
Open to all conference participants interested in learning about how to turn local conversations into action, this breakfast is a follow-up to "Innovation to Transformation: Changing Jewish L.A., Changing L.A. Jewishly," a Jumpstart/JFN summit for a peer group of philanthropists and foundation professionals committed to making the world's fourth-largest Jewish city a global center for 21st-century Jewish creativity and community—here at home, across the country, in Israel, and around the world. We'll discuss the specific strategies and tools that emerged from the summit, including insights for funders interested in advancing innovation and collaboration in their own communities.
