The Latest From The Foundation

This week Ukraine happens to be off the front pages, but the Jewish communities continue to be concerned about provocations, particularly from pro-Russian militants or secret agents ahead of the elections scheduled for May 25.  Accordingly, they are forming teams of “shomrim” – quick response units, which are dedicated to ensure the safety of Jews and Jewish sites in Kiev.  If you would like to learn more about their efforts

Pictured: Wexner Service Corps members prepare a greenhouse for an organic garden at a local community center. Click here to watch a brief video and learn more about the Wexner Service Corps.  I am grateful for a very rewarding and beautiful completion of our Wexner Service Corps year (you can see all of my WSC posts here).Today, we had our final volunteering session. We went to St. Stephens Community Center

The annual AIPAC Policy Conference held in Washington, DC this past March was the first AIPAC Conference attended by a current cohort of the Wexner Israel Fellowship. Cohorts usually go to Washington over our Spring Break to meet with politicians and policy makers, which gives Israeli Fellows powerful insight into how the US Government works. This year was special because we decided to time the trip to overlap with the

Pictured: Elisa Spungen Bildner (WHA, Metrowest) and Rob Bildner (WHA, Metrowest) receiving the Shapiro Prize At its annual conference in March in Miami, The Jewish Funders Network awarded Foundation for Jewish Camp the inaugural Sidney Shapiro Prize for Excellence in Philanthropic Collaboration, which acknowledges partnerships of forward-thinking Jewish funders. The award recognizes FJC’s founders, Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert Bildner, The Wexner Foundation, and The Samuel Bronfman Foundation as the

As a parent, I value giving my teenage daughters autonomy over their down time.  I believe that they need space to relax, reflect, and develop interests outside of school that will help them grow as individuals.  My children attend a Jewish day school; one that is rich with profound Jewish experiences that enhance their lives and help them solidify their Jewish identities.  So what is the balance between giving them

We began the Wexner Graduate Alumni Institute with a Talmudic text from Masechet Ta’anit. The passage offered us a framework for thinking about change through the lens of teshuva: One who has sinned and confessed, but has not done teshuva is like a person who holds a sheretz, an impure creature, while in the mikveh. All of the waters of the world cannot wash away your impurity so long as you continue

There’s a lot of talk about how initiatives like Birthright and Hillel successfully engage young people and forge greater self-awareness of their Jewish identities while identifying ways they can contribute to our communities locally, throughout the United States, and in Israel.  Given some of the discouraging findings from the recent Pew Research Study, successful initiatives like these and others to come must be supported. But what about people like me?

The Sunday of President’s Day Weekend, The Wexner Foundation brought Rabbi Yitz Greenberg to Columbus to share his thoughts and his legacy through a day long filming session meant to capture his seminal message, The Triumph of Life.  The video will be shared with the Wexner network when ready, as well as other organizations and future generations. As the film is meant to celebrate Yitz’ life work, I thought I

(Pictured) LA Wexner Heritage Alumni stop for a quick photo on their way in to a breakfast with Yitz and Blu. Photo by Shira Talia Schlessinger, daughter of hosts Dana and Evan. Last Sunday morning more than 80 people woke up early to learn with their beloved teacher from Wexner days, Rabbi “Yitz” Greenberg and his wife, Blu. The breakfast, at the home of Dana Goodman-Schlessinger (LA/Bank of America) and

Instead of asking, “Is there a blessing for the Czar?”(Fiddler on the Roof) WexnerLEADS asked a few of our alumni whether there were leadership lessons to be found in this other kind of Yom Tov that some Americans observe. Feel free to add your thoughts below. “I wear many hats.  I’m not talking about wife, mother, educator, rabbanit, etc.  I literally wear a large variety of hats in color, style,