Episode 29 of What Gives? the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network.

An analysis by Yohanan Plesner, president of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute.

Scroll down or click here to watch a webinar with Yohanan and other IDI leaders on this topic.

When asked to list the greatest challenges facing the Israel Defense Forces, most would probably mention the prospect of a nuclear Iran. Others would refer to the latest wave of terror emanating from the Palestinian territories, or Hezbollah’s rockets aimed at Israel from Lebanon. While there is no minimizing these dangers, many in Israel’s national security community have come to the conclusion that the greatest challenge facing the IDF is not external, but internal. Specifically, deep changes in Israeli society are threatening the IDF’s model of service and future ability to defend the country.

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Shavuot made me a Zionist.

Well, maybe it wasn’t just Shavuot, but that holiday played an important role. Why? Because when you grow up in the Southern Hemisphere, the Jewish holidays make you keenly aware of being in the wrong place; especially those that, like Shavuot, have a strong seasonal component.

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"Good Stories. New Friends. No Zoom."

That's how one participant summed up JFN West's Be the Story, as part of a final assignment to share a six-word story about the gathering earlier this month in Los Angeles.

At Be the Story, JFN West's first-ever in-person regional convening, 50 JFN West members from throughout the JFN West region reconnected with peers, networked with colleagues, and honed their philanthropic storytelling skills. Enjoy the best photos from the convening in the slideshow below and read an article about the convening here. JFN members can watch videos from the convening on our members-only video page. If you attended the convening but are not a JFN member, email [email protected] to request the video links.

Please stay tuned for more upcoming events about philanthropic storytelling!

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More than 80 Israeli members attended a special in-person program Sunday in Tel Aviv marking JFN Israel's bar mitzvah (though given that the staff is all-female, bat mitzvah might be the more appropriate term) and saying farewell to Founding Executive Director Maya Natan, who is now CEO of Keshet-DAF, Israel's first-ever vehicle for donor-advised funds, and welcoming new Executive Director Sigal Yaniv Feller.

From eJewish Philanthropy (May 18, 2022)

One of the most famous lines from Pirkei Avot, the compilation of Talmudic wisdom that it’s customary to read at this time of year, is Bar Zoma’s question: “Who is wise? He who learns from all people.”

This teaching is at the heart of participatory grantmaking, an inclusive philanthropic approach that encourages funders to learn from – and in some cases share decision-making power with — the individuals and communities that the funding is designed to benefit.

Read op-ed by JFN Senior Program Director Tamar Frydman in eJP.

Download JFN's "Participatory Grantmaking in the Jewish Community and Beyond."

From eJewish Philanthropy (May 13, 2022)

On arrival at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel earlier this week, there was joyful reunion in the form of cautious hugs, elbow bumps and smiles from mostly maskless participants in the Jewish Funders Network (JFN) West conference, as some 50 philanthropists and fundraising professionals from the western United States gathered for nearly two days of discussion and writing.

“You’re here today because you want to learn, you want to be even more strategic and impactful in your giving, and you want to do it in community with other funders,” JFN West Director Tzivia Schwartz Getzug said in introductory remarks at the event.

Read full article by Esther Kustanowitz in eJewish Philanthropy

Learn more about Be the Story, JFN West's first-ever in-personal regional convening.