by Andrés Spokoiny

Friday, I wrote a bit about how funders, like all humans, are programmed by millions of years of evolution to hate failure. But our DNA hasn’t kept pace with the changing times. If our brains were adapted to the modern world instead of the prehistoric reality of the first apes with opposable thumbs, we would have created different neurological and chemical reactions to failure. We would have realized that in these times our survival depends on embracing productive failure. Until that realization occurs, we need to trick our brains into interpreting failure differently.

For philanthropists and funders, embracing failure means creating a culture change. In complex endeavors, failure is a given. Here are seven strategies to help capitalize on the inevitable.

1. Remain focused and strategic, but diversify. Create a grant portfolio. A world in which failure and success aren’t clear-cut is, by definition, a world without silver bullets. We won’t solve a problem with a single successful grant, or by investing in a single area. Smart funders need to create grants portfolios with the full knowledge that some of the initiatives will fail. Naturally, we need to remain focused, but even within a particular field, there’s room for diversification.
2. Ready, fire, aim. If you know that many projects will fail, you need to cut the time and the money that you invest in process. “Perfect” just doesn’t exist. Agility is the key: Even from a failure you can obtain a wealth of information to help you guide your course.
3. Have a mechanism to analyze and create feedback loops. One of the biggest benefits of failure is that it provides excellent feedback. My son is writing a school project on Leonardo da Vinci. Looking at Leonardo’s notebooks, it’s easy to see that creation is not a stroke of genius, but an iterative process of trial and error. You need to be able to analyze both failure and success and incorporate the feedback into your planning. This cannot be left to chance or happenstance. There has to be a well-oiled mechanism to analyze and incorporate lessons from both success and failure.
4. Fail cheap and fail fast. You don’t need to spend many years and many millions to realize you failed. Develop a series of early warning signals. As an Argentinean I’m culturally conditioned to cut corners, but the truth is that shorter processes help you see faster and more cheaply if a project will fail or not. Use pilot projects, or try samples in controlled contexts before investing massive resources.
5. Organizational culture matters. If failure and success are contextual, then the culture of your organization is the key to how people will interpret their success or lack thereof. Let’s eliminate the idea of success and failure from the organizational vocabulary. What if we analyze our grants and projects based on a series of parameters and stop short of labeling them as successes or failures? Take it a step further: An organizational culture is made of many elements, and the way professionals are rewarded is a key component. If you speak about embracing failure but your rewards mechanisms – both monetary and cultural – penalize failure, constructive failure will never be embraced. Instead, do something to celebrate failures! Why not institute an annual prize for the best failure? If you’re not failing, it’s because you‘re not innovating.
6. Let the information flow. One of the keys to learning from failures is to promote the free flow of information. We tend to publicize what we see as successes and be reserved about failures. Instead, by allowing information to flow, we can get more feedback and ultimately make our failures more “profitable.” The more people know about all our projects, the more somebody can see an unintended consequence we may have overlooked.
7. Network. As funders, you may be experiencing similar issues to other funders. Be sure to learn from others by sharing your experiences in regular and formal ways. Often, innovation and creativity come in direct relation to the number of people you are in touch with. The more people you interact with, the more creative you become. In his great book about innovation, Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson claims that this is the reason why cities are much more creative than villages. Make time for formal networking. You need to use the critical mass of brain power that networks allow and the exponential increase in creative thinking that happens when you break out of your own ivory tower.

It’s a common misunderstanding of Darwin that evolution is about the “survival of the fittest.” That’s oversimplified and not what he said. He claimed that the “most adapted” thrive and survive. Strength per se is nothing, and the lesson for philanthropy is no different than for life generally. Resilience and adaptation are the key to coming out on top in evolution. It’s time for us to jump-start the process and adapt our brains to a world in which failure and success are not what they used to be.

Andrés Spokoiny is president and CEO of the Jewish Funders Network.

by Robert I. Evans and Avrum D. Lapin

Nonprofit leaders face tremendous pressures today: living, operating and succeeding in a competitive marketplace of ideas, programs and services presents innumerable challenges. Donors who are guided by a passion for certain aspects of an agency’s mission and vision might be unaware, or unconcerned, about the everyday deliverables the agency must produce to achieve certain goals. Keeping both supporters and constituents happy is often a delicate dance.

Nonprofit leaders must continuously upgrade and strengthen their abilities to translate their mission into a “selling proposition” for a variety of interest groups. This selling proposition involves creating a case for support that clearly communicates what the agency does, their goals, and the methodologies used to achieve these goals. All of these complexities must then be translated into “everyday language” and communicated in the fundraising context to donors of all shapes and sizes, from national foundations to individual givers.

In today’s economy, customers drive the marketplace, and in the philanthropic world, donors drive the discussion around sustainable funding. The essential question then becomes, “What do donors want?” What are their motivations to give, and what do they expect from the agencies they support and the staff who run them? How are decisions made in the current giving climate, and what are the “deal breakers” today?

We thought that it would be most helpful to address these issues through questions that are often raised during our interactions with donors across North America. Let us predicate this conversation with two basic assumptions about why people give:

• They care about the person making the “ask.” Despite advances in technology and the way people give to agencies (text to give, online fundraising websites, etc.) the dictum “people give to people” is still as true as ever.
• They care about the impact of their gift. The vision of the organization and the resulting impact of the contribution are critical to encouraging a donor to make a gift. The difference that the gift will make in the lives of people, the life of the community and in the life of the donor remains essential parts of the “selling proposition.”

Now, let’s move onto the top three questions we receive as fundraising consultants.

DONOR QUESTION #1: Do you have a Business Plan?

We first heard this question more than ten years ago during a meeting with a prospective major donor to a prominent Jewish arts group in New York City. Nowadays the question seems intuitive enough, yet the organization’s Artistic Director who was leading the meeting was taken aback.

“Well, we have a budget,” she responded.

“I’m not looking for a budget,” the prospect responded. “I want to know that my investment will not be swallowed up because the organization – as much as I love what you do – won’t exist five years from now. Show me that you believe and can demonstrate that you will be around and in good health and I will make the gift that you are asking for.”

SOLUTION #1: Be prepared with current facts and long-term vision.

Be ready with the facts: your nonprofit is a business with a ”selling proposition” that provides demonstrable benefits within your community. Know what those benefits are and how they will change over time. Luckily for our example organization, the Director had considered the long-term viability of the mission and vision and was able to communicate it to the donor, who then made a significant gift. It is essential for nonprofit leaders to consider the long-term vision for your nonprofit: where it is today, where it will in five years, and in ten years. This long-term vision (which will often include grand plans such as new programs, services, and resources) will inspire and motivate your donors.

DONOR QUESTION #2: Why does it take so long to understand what you do?

“It is like I have ADD sometimes: I cannot listen to long explanations,” complained a leading benefactor to a growing Israel-based organization. This individual, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, made a good point.

In today’s fast-paced and hyper-competitive world driven by smart-phones, tablets, and the demand for instantaneous responses and results, donors want the information now. In addition, loyalty is an almost-dying commodity; unlike in decades past when someone picked one cause and stayed with it for a lifetime, today’s donors spread themselves around.

SOLUTION #2: Make your point quickly and use varied communication channels.

Modern nonprofits needs to be deft and nimble, framing their”selling proposition” in small, understandable bites through a variety of communication channels. Create an “elevator speech,” no longer than 30 seconds, that explains your organization’s mission, vision, and deliverables, and distribute it to your executive staff, Board of Directors, and leading donors. Utilize online tools, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as traditional media like newsletters, press releases, and direct mail. You must always be ready to make your case quickly, because donors who notice that you are slow to respond to their interests might move on to the person or organization that best fills that philanthropic vacuum with easily digestible information.

DONOR QUESTION #3: I cannot ask my friends for money; can’t you just do it for me?

This is the question we most often receive from leading donors and Board members. For example, a committed Board member of a Jewish day school was recently approached to set up meetings with his contacts for the head of the school, who would then present the school’s “selling proposition” and hopefully engage these prospects as donors. The Board member was devoted and generous with his contacts but would not attend a prospect meeting with a contact he knew personally.

“Just tell him I said he should give,” the Board member offered. “If he hears that, and knows that I am also supportive, then he will give.”

“Come with us,” we implored him, knowing the power of personal connection. “We will help you prepare and role play for the meeting. Tell him yourself how much you support this cause, and he will be moved and surely respond.”

“I cannot ask my friends for money,” he lamented. “What if they say no?”

“He agreed to a meeting and knew why we requested the meeting. If he was going to say no, he would have done so already,” we advised.

We went to the meeting without the Board member and made our presentation.

“I really like what I am hearing and am interested in supporting the school,” the prospective donor replied, “but I really need to speak with my friend who set this up to know why he’s giving and how much before I’ll give you a final answer.”

SOLUTION #3: Conquer your fear of the “ask.”

So many leading donors do not want to ask their contacts to support their favorite charity. What drives this phenomenon? Fear! Leading donors are afraid that if they ask friends for money, these friends might then turn around and ask them for money. That sometimes happens, but is typically for a good cause, and should not be considered reason enough to NOT ask. Secondly, leading donors fear of losing a friend when they ask for money. In our 21 years of consulting, this has never happened. Strong prospect research eliminates candidates who do not want to give, so that by the time a leading donor asks his/her friend to help support a cause, the answer is always yes. The amount varies, and sometimes it takes more than one ask, but at EHL Consulting we have never seen a friendship dissolve because of this situation.

Remember, the mission and not the market drives the donor, so know WHY your agency is in business and be clear and concise in how you communicate your “selling proposition” to your stakeholders. Use ALL of the tools that you have at your disposal … from online marketing to far-reaching contacts of your Board members and agency leadership. They all have their role in helping communicate long-term vision. Also, don’t be afraid to ask others to support your passions. The real reason a donor supports a worthwhile cause is because he/she receives a formal request. Finally, if you want to close a major gift, take a deep breath and meet face to face.

Don’t rely on technology to do what humans do best.

Robert I. Evans, Managing Director, and Avrum D. Lapin, Director, are principals of The EHL Consulting Group, of suburban Philadelphia, and are frequent contributors to eJewishPhilanthropy.com. EHL Consulting works with dozens of nonprofits on fundraising, strategic planning, and non-profit business practices. Become a fan of The EHL Consulting Group on Facebook; TWITTER: @EHLConsultGrp; EHL Consulting Group Blog: biggiver.wordpress.com

by Smadar Bar-Akiva

“You are going where?” was the question asked time and again when I said I was leading a WCJCC delegation from five countries to the JCC of Milwaukee. While not as exotic as some of our recent travel destinations, we found a JCC that exemplifies community building and Jewish education at its best. At the conclusion of three intensive days we learned a thing or two on how to do things right:

A strong Jewish core: While Milwaukee’s JCC is similar to many North American JCC with 40% of the members not Jewish, the Jewish vision and mission of the JCC is apparent in every department and in almost every program. Two full-time senior Jewish educators – Jody Hirsh and Rabbi Shari Shamah – infuse the J in the JCC in so many different ways. From the common Kabbalat Shabbat services and adult Jewish education classes to a more creative Artists’ Lab, funded by a grant from the Covenant Foundation, which studies “wandering” as a Jewish theme or rabbinic quotations engraved across the pool and gym.

This is augmented with a strong focus on Israel education in partnership with the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, boasting an established tradition of hiring Shilichim, an active “Partnership Together” with the Sovev Kinneret Region and hosting two young emissaries as well. No wonder they scored number one in a recent JCCA benchmarking national survey on the Jewish impact of the JCC.

Bridge building: For the dynamic duo of Mark Shapiro, the Executive Director, and Moshe Katz, the President, a seamless community is not an empty slogan. They are actively seeking partnerships with a myriad of institutions. From daily cooperation with the nearby Milwaukee Jewish Day School to providing a home for the cancer support club, Gilda’s House, that lost its premises during a flood.

Tikun Olam: One does not necessarily have to travel to Africa in order to provide meaningful assistance to those in need. A remarkable Jewish Community Food Pantry provides meals to hundreds of local – mostly non-Jewish families on a regular basis. The spark in the eyes of the volunteers as they described their work and efforts for improving their service was so moving. We found out that some volunteers are former employees of the Jewish Community – what a great way to keep them involved.

Outreach: We saw first hand an innovative way of implementing the “JCC without Walls” concept. A partnership with the nearby Bay Shore Town Center Mall resulted in “J Shore.” A JCC store front at the mall which provides welcoming programs for visitors and a strong marketing presence. When we listened to Chris Jaeger, the manager of Bay Shore, speak about the joint venture, we could have sworn he was a trained Jewish communal worker.

Last but not least, the connection to World Jewry: Not many JCCs spell out in their mission statement their connection to world Jewry. Milwaukee does. Participating in WCJCC programs and conferences brings them closer to Jews in other countries. One vignette that illustrates this connection is “Tastes of Jewish Tradition.” A Jewish holidays recipe book that was written and produced by the JCC and later through WCJCC contacts translated into Russian by JDC and distributed to JCCs all across the FSU. Two of our delegates from Ukraine were pleasantly surprised to find out that this specific JCC was the source of a resource they use on a regular basis.

We were wrapped by the warmth and care of the hospitality, so many members, staff members and board members who are proud to be part of this endeavor. As we often seek sources of inspiration and models that can be emulated, my suggestion is to spend some time at the Harry and Rose Samson Family JCC of Milwaukee.

Smadar Bar-Akiva, Executive Director, World Confederation of Jewish Community Centers (WCJCC) – an umbrella organization representing more than 1,100 JCCs worldwide. She can be reached at: Smadar@wcjcc.org

by Robert L. Kern

When organizations ask me to discuss marketing strategies, Facebook is always the first item – and often the only item – on their agenda. I always caution them that despite its many benefits, it is not a “silver bullet” solution.

I was, therefore, not surprised by the news that General Motors announced it is discontinuing its Facebook advertising, worth about $10 million a year. Analysts believe this will cause other marketers to reevaluate their own Facebook advertising and it was also bad timing for the ubiquitous social media giant, whose lackluster $105 billion IPO was Friday, May 18.

Rather than focus on GM cutting $10 million in advertising on Facebook, it is important to note that they will continue to spend nearly $30 million to manage and develop applications for it. Although GM may be disappointed that Facebook advertising did not produce sales for them, they recognize the ability of social media to attract people and praise it as a “very effective tool for engaging with our customers.” I would also not be surprised if this is all a ploy to negotiate better rates and placement, but that remains to be seen.

The lesson here for Israel/Jewish organizations is to recognize that Facebook is just one of many valuable components of an integrated, multi-platform marketing plan. However, like everything else, it has its limitations and is not the “answer” to everything. Amassing legions of people who “Like” or “Friend” you is important. Facebook can undoubtedly help you raise your brand, but it does not raise significant funds. Not yet, anyway.

On the other hand, perhaps your organization will attract the attention of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. We have proof that he actually uses the social media giant that he founded because he changed his relationship status to “married” over this past weekend. Unfortunately, to date, he has not extended his philanthropic focus to Jewish or Israel causes.

Robert L. Kern is the owner and director of Robert Kern & Associates, a marketing and communications agency specializing in Israel and Jewish community advocacy. Previously, he was Director of Marketing & Communications at American Friends of Magen David Adom, National Communications Director of American ORT and also held marketing, communications and public relations positions at the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest and UJA.

by Alan M. Dershowitz

The world well knows of Israel’s military prowess in protecting its citizens against threats of terrorism and the even greater threat of a nuclear armed Iran. If one were to put the word “Israel” on a Rorschach test, the association, for most people would be to “conflict,” “wars,” and for some the continuing dispute with the Palestinians and the entire Arab and Muslim world. These images and associations are, tragically, an important part of Israel’s history and reality. It is not, however, Israel’s chosen identity. Most Israelis crave peace, normalcy and the end of conflict. They want to turn their swords into plow shears and get on with the business of helping to repair the world.

What is truly remarkable about Israel is that in the face of 64 years of unremitting hostility, warfare and terrorism directed against the Jewish state and its citizens, Israel has managed to contribute more to the world, on a per capita basis, than any country in history. It will continue to do so even if the conflicts continue. Imagine how much more it could do for the world as a peace dividend from the end of the conflict.

Israel is so much more than “the conflict.” For many of the world’s ills, it is an important part of the answer.

Once people’s eyes are opened to Israel’s promise and her contributions to modern society, they realize how close-minded you have to be to ignore the tremendous potential that exists within this tiny nation.  In almost every modern discipline, Israeli innovators have changed the world for the better. In medicine, researchers have designed methods to better diagnose and treat some of humanity’s most debilitating conditions. In computer science, Israeli inventions are integral to the vast majority of personal computers in use around the world and to business, industry and even popular devices in high demand for our entertainment.

Israel has succeeded in rallying its bitter experiences on the battlefield to design solutions for the handicapped, offering them greater accessibility and mobility. And in a nation where much of the country lies in arid climates, Israeli innovators have literally made the desert bloom through drip irrigation and water reclamation, which are now being implemented all around the globe.

This is just a glimpse into the world that is Israel’s modern day renaissance, but it reveals how there is so much more that so many in the international community chooses to ignore when it comes to understanding the real Israel.

Towards that end, I am encouraged by a series of ongoing initiatives that channel this “positive spirit” in engaging a whole new side of public diplomacy on behalf of the Jewish State. Among the most significant has been the recent release of a groundbreaking documentary film narrated by Tal Ben-Shahar, an Israeli visionary voted a favorite lecturer at Harvard. The film, Israel Inside, which has been met with critical acclaim since its recent release, successfully shows that the time has come to focus on what is great about Israel, instead of obsessively responding to its detractors.

History has made quite clear that the Israeli people will always have their bitter discreditors, including those committed to violence with the aim of destroying the nation. But history has also taught us that while Israel can never lower its defenses and must remain committed to protecting its citizens against all threats, we must also seize the opportunities to highlight her numerous positive aspects.

The challenge, therefore, falls upon us as advocates for the Jewish State to find innovative and effective ways to meet this challenge. Presenting the positive case for Israel’s contributions to the world – past, present and future – is an important aspect of meeting that important challenge.

Alan Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor at Harvard Law School and the author of “The Case for Israel.” A free online web stream of Israel Inside will be available from May 14th to 25th by visiting israelinsidethemovie.com

by Ross Bloom

2012 has seen the release of a number of regional Jewish day school tuition grant programs. While these programs vary in terms of how they’re funded, who qualifies, and what percentage of tuition is being paid for, they all aim to transform the affordability issue from a liability into a way to welcome new families. They also give schools a chance to promote their value and connect with the community in meaningful ways.

Schools and communities have used many tactics to address the affordability issue, but the regional approach is one that has been gaining traction in recent years. Here are a few examples of communities that are implementing tuition grant programs:

Milwaukee. Milwaukee Jewish Day School recently announced an anonymous donation that is funding tuition grants for the school. The Building Our Future Program provides grants to both current and prospective students, including a first-year free tuition opportunity for new students. The amount of grant money available for each student depends on their grade level and whether they are current or prospective students at the school.

Philadelphia. The Kohelet Foundation has teamed up with nine schools to form the Jewish Day School Collaborative of Greater Philadelphia. The Collaborative provides grants for one-third of the day school tuition after financial aid, for up to four years in elementary school; three years in middle school; and four years in high school. The qualifications vary slightly based on whether a student is in elementary, middle, or high school.

Syracuse. The Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York has created the Central New York Discover Day School Fund to provide tuition grants to families attending Syracuse Hebrew Day School in Dewitt, New York. The grants provide $2,500 for three years to the “first in family” attending SHDS.

These tuition grant programs are but three in a series of similar affordability efforts that have been popping up across North America in recent years. Boston is currently entering the second year of its Discover Day School grant program, which provides money for the first child in a family to attend a local day school. Similarly, the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle created a New Student Discovery Grants program to attract new families to the school. In Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Jewish Day School Council, like Milwaukee Jewish Day School, has offered free tuition for families transferring to any of its three schools in grades 3-11. The schools have enrolled over ten new students as a result. In Calgary, Akiva Academy has likewise promoted a three-year free tuition program for families that relocate to Calgary from another city. Note that the “grant” model is just one of many tuition strategies. Day schools also partner with foundations, central agencies for Jewish education, federations, donors, and other local organizations to develop other ways to address day school affordability.

As day school affordability continues to be a challenge across North America, communities are developing innovative strategies that fit with their local needs. What’s particularly great about these particular programs is that it they give schools the opportunity to project positive messages about the value of day school while reducing the actual cost. We look forward to learning more about the impact of these programs as they grow and develop!

Ross Bloom is the Program Associate for Regional Advocacy at the Partnership for Excellence for Jewish Education. This piece is cross-posted at the PEJE Blog.

“It was a great privilege to meet a group of such passionate and talented leaders from across Europe and to hear of their inspiring work, grounded in Jewish values, yet impacting positively on people of many faiths and backgrounds all over the world. They are a living example of the Jewish renaissance happening in Europe and represent what I call a Judaism unafraid to engage with the world. I wish the members of Siach continued success in all they do.”
U.K. Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks

On Wednesday 9th and 10th May Pears Foundation’s JHub hosted a gathering of over 35 social justice and environmental professionals and activists from across the continent and beyond [UK, France, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Chile, Australia and the USA]. The group included those working, inspired by Jewish values and experience, on issues such as Asylum, Genocide, Climate Change, International Development, Human Rights and Fairtrade. This regional gathering was in preparation for the second global Siach conference taking part in Israel in June.

The gathering began with an evening reception hosted at residence of Chief Rabbi Lord Sack’s and Lady Sacks, where the Chief Rabbi shared his thoughts on the Jewish imperative to be engaged with acting for a fairer and more sustainable world for all humanity. One highlight included the Chief Rabbi citing his encouragement of UJS to be at the forefront of combating Islamaphobia on campus as an example of ‘paradoxical intervention’. It was suggested this approach is one we could all employ more often, rejecting fear and surprising people with our positive hope filled responses to the challenges of globalisation. Reflecting on his recent series of books, Lord Sacks enthused the crowd with Abraham’s example of Faith as protest and the sense that Judaism is about asking the challenging questions about how we bring more Justice and Righteousness into the world as partners with God in perfecting creation.

The following day the group participated in sessions exploring how Jewish social action allows us to offer a reinvigorated and forward looking expression of Judaism for our young people and communities, one that recognises we want to inspire people with Jewish heritage yet at the same time equip them to be active in wider society. There were also practical workshops where existing collaboration across Europe and the Jewish world were highlighted and new ideas for projects developed. Simone Abel, Director of Rene Cassin shared her experiences of the global Siach network, including joint work with Hungarian counterparts connecting Jewish and Roma communities in the fight against xenophobia and adapting a development programme for European Human Rights Activists into an international fellowship with peers in the States.

Julia Itin from Germany joined a panel with Amy Philip, deputy director of Pears Foundation and Jonathan Boyd, Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, discussing the current opportunities and challenges facing European Jewry, based on a range of recent studies. The panel and the group may not have agreed if there is a clear sense of what European Jewry is, but the overwhelming positive examples of innovation and social action across the continent were heralded as cause for optimism that the quality of Jewish life in Europe is vibrant and diverse.

The current economic and political realties in Europe shaped some of the conversation, as the group sought to articulate what part of the European contribution to the global Siach network may be. It was clear that protecting vulnerable groups during this time of austerity, offering a different economic narrative, combating fascism and embracing diversity are areas of activity where the European experience may offer useful insight and existing projects within the global social justice and environment conversation Siach is fostering globally.

According to Itin, “While in entrepreneurial America the Jewishness is mainly based on individual and in national Israel mainly on the Jewish State, in Europe – after the recovery from communism and Shoah – Jews are developing in more than a few exiting directions. Siach Europe is the European platform to learn and to discuss about new exiting ways to build this community – vital, pluralistic and fully engaged in the wider society.”

With the establishment of an online Holocaust Education Resource Center in Bulgaria, World ORT has facilitated a grass roots move by the country’s teachers to plug a gap in Bulgaria’s education. The Resource Center will serve as a repository for lesson plans and other material which teachers can access to help raise awareness and understanding of the Shoah among teenagers.

The project, co-funded by World ORT and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, has also held training seminars at which 180 teachers from across Bulgaria have shared experiences and best practice.

“During the days of socialism it was not taught for ideological reasons, because those who helped the Jews – such as the church – were out of favor with the ruling regime. When communism collapsed there was huge interest in the topic but it was mostly debate about who the rescuers were, which led to a variety of ideological approaches. The Holocaust has no place in the curriculum not because people are against it but because of inertia. The result is that young people in Bulgaria are poorly informed about the Holocaust,” said the project’s curriculum developer, Dr. Albena Taneva, Associate Professor in the University of Sofia’s Department of Public Administration.

Now with greater skills, resources and support, the teachers who participated in the World ORT project have become an effective network to advance the teaching of the Holocaust in a meaningful, thought-provoking and engaging way.

Bulgaria is renowned for not handing over its 50,000 Jews to Germany for extermination – the community survived the war and most of them left for Israel when the communists took power. The reality was, however, more checkered: it surrendered 11,000 Jews from annexed Macedonia and Thrace to its Nazi ally’s death camps. And it was only after a sustained and intense campaign by the public, politicians and the church, that the government decided not to do the same with its own Jewish citizens. Instead, it confined them to rural camps where they were subjected to often cruel, but not fatal, forced labor.

The completion of World ORT’s project is timely as next year is the 70th anniversary of the success of the civil campaign against the deportation of the Jews.  Discussions are already underway how to commemorate the event in an educational setting.

“The sustainability of the project is very important to us. Next year’s anniversary is an opportunity for the network of teachers and the website to generate work. Ideas include an essay competition, locally-based research and exhibitions – events which encourage active learning,” Dr. Taneva said.

Also, as Hannah Rosenthal, the US State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, has noted, extremist far-right groups have entered parliaments in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland on anti-immigration and racist platforms, prompting her to declare that educating the young is a priority.

Antisemitism in Bulgaria has yet to manifest itself in ways more serious than vandalism, inflammatory rhetoric and offensive graffiti but Dr. Taneva is a firm believer that prevention is better than cure.

“The lack of Holocaust education has created a vacuum which has the potential of being filled with extremist ideas, including from abroad,” she said. “I distributed a book to seminar participants which focused on the way the church was able to have a key role in the rescue of Jews during the war and a teacher from a religious high school, whose students go on to become priests, said it was a powerful antidote to antisemitic ideas that some of his students may have.”

ORT Bulgaria President Dr. Emil Kalo said he was very happy that the Claims Conference had supported the project.

“For 50 years, the history of that era was all about the Soviet role in the war and about the communist-led resistance. The word ‘Holocaust’ doesn’t appear in any school text books; it’s almost as if it hadn’t happened. It’s very important that we start with the teachers because there’s a multiplier effect: each teacher educates hundreds of students,” Dr. Kalo said.

He added: “This is an opportunity to examine the anti-humanity face of the war because the Holocaust is a very important part of this. Many people died on all sides of the fighting but there was one people which was the ‘universal victim’.”

“BIG IDEAS. BOLD SOLUTIONS – The Challenges and Choices of Today’s Jewish Community Professional” is the theme of the 2012 Annual Program of the Jewish Communal Service Association of North America, convening Tuesday, June 5th at Weinberg Park Heights Jewish Community Center in Baltimore.

The Keynote Address will be delivered by Dr. Chip Edelsberg, Executive Director of the Jim Joseph Foundation of San Francisco.

On a panel following the address are Shifra Bronznick, founding President of Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community; Rabbi Nina Cardin, a trailblazer in the fields of Jewish feminism, healing, liturgy and the environment, and David Cygielman, co-founder and CEO of Moishe House, which provides meaningful Jewish experiences for young adults around the world.

The gathering will also honor the service of outgoing JCSA President Jacob Solomon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, and celebrate the installation of Marc B. Terrill, President of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, as the incoming JCDA President. Rabbi Lawrence Ziffer, Director, Center for Jewish Education of Baltimore, will deliver the D’var Torah.

In a full day devoted to innovative and engaging professional development topics, a wide variety of distinguished leaders in the field will conduct workshops and career-linked seminars for professionals on all levels during morning and afternoon sessions.

The morning sessions include The Art of the Ask, led by Vicki Agron; Strengthening Boards, Maximizing Leaders, with Audra Berg; Engage! “Like”-able Social Media, with Miriam Brosseau; Why Are You Really Here? Reconnecting with Your Passion and Purpose, presented by Clare Goldwater, and Managing Up, with Elissa Maier.

Also, Appreciative Inquiry: Shifting Your Focus from Problems to Possibilities, led by Deborah Grayson Riegel; Professional Success Factors: How to Make Sure You Shine, with Debbie Smith; Give Corporate Sponsors the Means to Really Develop New Customers: A 2012 Approach for Our Agencies to Secure and Retain Corporate and Institutional Sponsors, presented by Ken Weintraub, and Israel Advocacy on Campus and in the Community, with Geri Palast.

Afternoon sessions are Effective Fundraising in the Today’s Marketplace, with Vicki Agron; Breaking Down the Silos and Building Coalitions, led by William Daroff and Rafi Rone; 3 Basic Tools/Skills for Building Community and Weaving Networks in the Context of a Real World Case Study, presented by Naava Frank and Lara Nicolson; Evaluating Risk and Reaping Rewards, with Matt Freedman, and How to Communicate with Presence, with Sarah Gershman.

Also, Challenges and Effective Strategies for Proactive “CEO-level” Transitioning and Leadership Continuity: A Comprehensive Survey Analysis of the Broad Jewish Nonprofit Field, led by Steven Noble; Can’t Wait to Get to Work: Inspiring and Motivating Yourself and Others, inspired by Deborah Grayson Riegel; The Gift of Feedback, with Debbie Smith, and Building Your Jewish Career, led by Jacob Solomon and Marc Terrill.

For additional information and to register visit the JCSA website.

Kick-starting the holiday of Shavuot, Sh’ma, a journal of Jewish ideas, is hosting its second “virtual tisch” – a unique online, interactive learning table that will foster Jewish connection and global conversation. Once again, Rabbi David Ingber of Romemu, a New York City-based spiritual community, will lead the learning session. will lead the learning session.

“The May issue of Sh’ma, ‘Claiming Torah,’ coincides with Shavuot, when, tradition tells us, the Torah was revealed,” said Editor-in-Chief Susan Berrin. “Jews throughout the world have long marked the eve of the festival with a tikkun leilShavuot, an all night text study session that includes conversation, reenactments, and explorations of how Torah and learning shape our lives. Our tisch, we hope, will spur connection and introspection in the days leading to the holiday.”

Please join Sh’ma online Thursday, May 24th at 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT for this community pre-Shavuot “tisch” (Yiddish for “table”), which will also feature Rabbi Elie Kaunfer of Mechon Hadar, educator Rabbi Lee Moore, author and scholar Tzemah Yoreh, rabbinical student Aaron Potek, and many others on a live webcast.

Participants will enter the tisch through, shma.com, and can ask questions or make comments in a real-time live feed.