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Dispatches from the network and updates from the Foundation.
Nov 2013
Last year, after having lived in San Francisco, I returned to my home town of Melbourne, Australia, with my wife, Jennifer, and our 5 small children (all aged between 2 and 9). Many of my friends from Wexner days wonder what it’s like living in Melbourne as a Jew, so I thought I would tell you a little bit about our lives. In Melbourne, Australia, 70% of the Jewish population
I am excited to be involved with the Global Day of Jewish Learning and invite you all to participate. It is taking place this Sunday, November 17, in more than 380 communities in 37 countries, with more joining every day. The Global Day of Jewish Learning is just one of the ways the Aleph Society furthers Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz’s mission – “Let My People Know”. This year, the Global
Nov 2013
So there I was, onstage, singing an extremely out-of-tune, “Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika…” all while tickling the ivories in an enthusiastically amateurish manner. I was, thank goodness, the only one who sensed how bad it all was. In fact, my audience of seniors at the JCC in Northeast Philadelphia didn’t seem to notice. They were just happy I was there, and that for a few hours on a Friday they could sip chicken
Nov 2013
WGFA Stefanie Zelkind, Class 16, recently published this piece on eJewishPhilantrhropy, which we are reprinting, thanks to eJP and Stefanie. Enjoy, as this unique holiday rolls around… From menurkeys to sweet potato latke recipes, there are many creative ways to celebrate this year’s unique overlap of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. In an effort to move beyond the kitsch, I would like to offer some additional ideas for blending the Hanukkah tradition
Nov 2013
Pictured: Top Left to Right: Iris Wagner (Montreal), Lori Weitzman (Montreal), Eta Blitzer (Montreal), Lewis Dobrin (Montreal), Helen Levy (Montreal), Tina Apfeld Rosenthal (Montreal 09), Andrea Daniels Rosenbloom, (Montreal 09), Angela Lehrer. Bottom Left to Right: Rabbi Ed Feinstein, Jonathan Goodman (Montreal 09), Joel Shalit, (Montreal 09), Lynn Garfinkle Etinsen (Montreal 09), Mark Kaplan. “Rabbi Ed Feinstein gave a talk last night in a public lecture at the Shaar Hashomayim
The Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards celebrates exceptional Jewish teen community service leaders. Hundreds of teens from across the United States apply each year. Ten receive a $36,000 award from the Helen Diller Family Foundation to further their vision for tikkun olam and/or to support their college education. How do we go from hundreds of applicants to just 10 recipients? You, that’s how. Join other Wexner alumni already volunteering as
One of my favorite lines regarding the urgency of Big Data adoption in the Jewish community comes from Gordon Hecker, Executive Director of the Columbus Jewish Federation and former SVP of Marketing at Nationwide Insurance: “Big Data is the way all large businesses are going. The Jewish community can hop on this train now or get left in the dust.” How right he is. Fortunately, Jewish organizations across the country
Pictured: Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on election night, monitoring the close results in his situation room. It was a very intense transition from the Harvard Kennedy School’s intellectual haven as a Wexner Israel Fellow, to the hot and complicated politics of Jerusalem. During my Wexner Fellowship last year, trying to figure out how I would leverage my new learning and pay it forward through my next job, I met with
A few weeks back I ended my term as president of The JTA. But great news, our new president is now Wexner Heritage Alum (NY 1) David Eisner. This makes for the fourth Wexnerite in a row as president of The JTA. So Danny Krifcher (DC 03) begot Elisa Bildner (Metrowest NJ) who begot David Rudis who begot David Eisner. All of us are still trying to answer Les’ challenge,
Oct 2013
Pictured: Rodney Freeman, WHA LA/Bank of America, and his wife Beth at the finish line of the Tour de Summer Camps A couple of years ago while cycling down the coast of California, I thought of creating a cycling event for our community to help send every child that wants to experience Jewish Summer Camp, to do so regardless of their family’s financial capabilities. Jewish camping has proven to me