The Latest From The Foundation

“We can’t solve our problems ​using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein  This quote was posted throughout The Wexner Foundation’s 30th Anniversary celebration in April.  While it’s easily accessible on the surface, the truth within this statement is quite profound, and deeply complex.  It is worth our attention as leaders to understand its implications for our leadership. As leaders in the Jewish community

The final Heritage class took place last week for Dallas 13. One of their assignments for their “siyyum” was to write, practice and then deliver a 60-second “elevator pitch” that answered the question “Why Be Jewish?” This was to crystallize their thinking on this fundamental question (that many Jewish leaders never actually answer for themselves) AND to work on public speaking skills: being succinct, substantive, engaging, compelling. They succeeded with flying

I am sure many of you can relate: as president of the board, I had the “honor” of making our traditional end-of-year appeal at the trustee dinner last week.  Here in L.A., most other day schools have made their trustee dinners into pure “stewardship” events to thank donors.  In recent years, we’ve gotten more grumbling from major donors that we should consider doing the same and abandoning the appeal.  After

Growing up as a Jewish American I often felt a sense of guilt about not living in the Promised Land and sharing in the development and protection of what I consider to be an integral part of the destiny of my nation. For a variety of reasons I have thus far chosen to stay in the land that I (also) love, America. But I believe that God gives everyone talents

“This is not the religious school you dreaded as a child,” proclaims the website of Adventure Rabbi Kids, a Boulder, CO Jewish educational program for children.  “A unique weekday Hebrew school that works for your busy family” is how Atlanta-based Jewish Kids Groups Afterschool Community describes itself.  “We partner with children in long-term, project-based Jewish exploration, in a warm, Hebrew- and text-rich environment,” says the publicity for the Chicago-area Jewish

Photograph of Judith Trijtel, 1943 by Annemie Wolff (Copyright:  Monica Kaltenschnee, Haarlem Holland) This is the time of year we tell stories.  At Passover, we are commanded to tell the story of our ancestors’ exodus from Egypt.  We recall the story as if we ourselves came out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom.  For the generation of Holocaust survivors and their immediate descendents, this story of oppression and liberation goes

Wilderness Torah led 150 people into the desert to experience the Passover Story. With thanks to NPR, All Things Considered, who broadcast our adventure. Click here to listen or read.  Zelig Golden is a current Wexner Graduate Fellow in Class 27 and the Founding Director of Wilderness Torah. A community Maggid, wilderness guide, youth mentor, environmental educator and attorney, Zelig has helped develop and guide programs such as the Jewish Vision

It Isn’t About Hashtags I was asked to write about the phenomenon of “Hashtag Activism,” in light of  “#JesuisCharlie”; “#JesuisJuif”;  “Je suis George Clooney, the hippest celeb activist at the Golden Globes wearing a ‘Je suis Charlie’ button on stage.” So I understand in view of all this hashtag activism why I was asked to write about the subject, however, I was asked to write about the wrong thing. Yes, hashtagging is

Verdi at Terezín tells the story of the Jewish prisoners in the Theresienstadt concentration camp who performed Verdi’s Requiem 16 times with only a single smuggled score. Their conductor, Rafael Schächter, told the choir, “We will sing to the Nazis what we cannot say to them.” As an alum of the Wexner Heritage Program in New York, I looked to engage myself with a program that was important to me and

Last year I published an article in this newsletter about 9Adar.  As I mentioned then, the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution has established 9Adar as a worldwide Jewish Day of Constructive Conflict, recalling the tragic and violent conflict between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai some 2000 years ago (view the video here). More than 65 organizations (including The Wexner Foundation) and roughly 100,000 people participated in commemorating 9Adar last