Are Foundations’ Doors Opening?
Alex Daniels, Chronicle of Philanthropy
After Removing Grantee Burden, What Next?
Meredith Blair Pearlman & Carolina de la Rosa Mateo, Center for Effective Philanthropy
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EVENTS
*The IDF's Biggest Challenge / *Be the Change: A CANVAS Conversation / Antisemitism Across the Political Spectrum / *Grantmaking Pros Monthly Convening / Sabbaticals in Jewish Nonprofits / *Impact Investing Roundtable / Honeycomb Convening
*=Newly added
NEWSÂ
Yom Ha'atzmaut Message/ In-Person Lessons Learned / JFN West Hosts Storytelling Intensive / CANVAS Welcomes Inaugural COO / JFN in the Headlines
EVENTS
Unless otherwise indicated, events listed here are limited to JFN members and those eligible for JFN membership. Eligible non-members must request permission and can attend a limited number of member events.
The IDF's Biggest Challenge
Online: Wednesday, May 11, 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT, 19:00 IL)
Join experts from the Israel Democracy Institute for a fascinating discussion on the changing relationship between the army and society in Israel and their implications for Israel’s security and its democracy. Speakers include Prof. Amichai Cohen, Dr. Idit Shafran Gittleman, and Yohanan Plesner.
Be the Change: A CANVAS ConversationÂ
Online: Thursday, May 12, 2-3 p.m. ET (11 a.m.-12 p.m. PT, 19:00-20:00 IL)
How did a legendary Jewish activist influence a Jewish artist to launch a national art project rooted in the Jewish tradition of tzedakah? Learn the answer to that question and many more in this CANVAS conversation with Ruth Messinger, Caron Tabb, and Jewish Arts Collaborative. CANVAS is a Jewish arts and culture funding collaborative incubated at JFN.Â
Antisemitic Attitudes Across the Political Spectrum
Online:Â Tuesday, May 17, at 12-1 p.m. ET (9-10 a.m. PT, 19:00-20:00 IL)
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The Ilia Salita Excellence in Research Award (ERA) is inspired by Ilia Salita z”l and Ilia's passion for informed, data-driven philanthropy. Join us for a dynamic conversation with Dr. Eitan Hersh, the first recipient of the award, in which he shares key findings and philanthropic implications from his study "Antisemitic Attitudes across the Ideological Spectrum."
The Ilia Salita ERA is funded by the Genesis Philanthropy Group and facilitated by JFN.
Grantmaking Professionals Monthly Online Convening
Wednesday, May 18 at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT, 19:00 IL)
Please join us for a monthly virtual convening for grantmaking professionals where we will come together for shared learning and community-building. Facilitated by Mike Berkowitz of Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies and Tamar Frydman of JFN.
 Sabbaticals in the Jewish Nonprofit Sector
Online: Thursday, May 19, at 12–1 p.m. ET (9-10 a.m. PT, 19:00-20:00 IL)
Learn more about the importance of sabbaticals in the Jewish nonprofit sector, and how grantmakers and grantseekers can work together to build opportunities for rest and rejuvenation. This webinar will be led by Josh Feldman, Founder of R&R: The Rest of Our Lives, and will include a panel of speakers from The Durfee Foundation, a leader in sabbatical support.
A joint project of JFN and UpStart, GrantED works to strengthen relationships between grantmakers and grantseekers in the Jewish community.
Open to all.
Impact Investing Roundtable
Monday, May 23, 12–1:30 p.m. ET (9-10:30 a.m. PT, 19-20:30 IL)
Join JFN’s growing community of impact investors for a lively and action-oriented monthly roundtable, each featuring JFN members for shared learning and shared action.
Whether you are new to impact investing or a seasoned veteran, the roundtables will help you to build skills, deepen your collaborations and deal access, and add meaning to how you're managing your money. Each session is facilitated by JFN Board Member Vanessa Bartram of ZORA Ventures.
Read JFN's Guide to Jewish Impact Investing
Honeycomb Convening
Wednesday, June 15 - Thursday, June 16
Join Honeycomb for its facilitator training, to enhance professional skills, knowledge, and experience in delivering effective youth philanthropy programs. Attendees can join this special experience in New York City or join remotely.
Created in 2006 as a program of JFN, Honeycomb (formerly known as The Jewish Teen Funders Network) is the leading resource for Jewish youth philanthropy.
Open to all.
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
Zionism Is Our Positive Psychology
(Israel Independence Day)
"The concept of 'learned helplessness,' coined by psychologist Martin Seligman, became the cornerstone of his groundbreaking 'positive psychology' theory that now helps millions overcome depression and anxiety," writes JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny in a special message for Yom Ha'atzma'ut (Israel Independence Day). "And while Jews could have become the ultimate example of learned helplessness and developed a 'victim mentality,' Zionism, the Jewish national liberation movement, is an example of another key concept developed by Seligman: 'learned optimism.'"
NEWS
What We Learned From Going Back to In-Person
As one of the first major Jewish organizations to hold a large in-person conference since Covid, we have learned a lot about how to return safely to in-person gatherings at a time when the pandemic has abated, but not disappeared — a situation that may continue for a long time. In-person gatherings require more planning now than they did in pre-Covid times, but at JFN, we strongly believe that it is worth the extra effort. In an op-ed published in eJewish Philanthropy this week, JFN Executive Vice President Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu shares some learnings to help other Jewish organizations regain the magic of "in person."Â
Next Week: JFN West Members Focus on Storytelling
More than 50 Jewish funders from California, Texas, and other western states, along with the Canadian West, will be joining us in Los Angeles this Monday for an intensive experience with four master storytellers.Â
While registration is closed for this gathering, stay tuned for information about upcoming programs on this topic, including ones for JFN members from other regions!
CANVAS Welcomes Inaugural COOÂ
CANVAS, the Jewish arts and culture funding collaborative incubated at JFN, is delighted to welcome its first-ever Chief Operating Officer Sarah Burford, who begins her role this week.
Sarah is a D.C.-based arts professional with a passion for creating an equitable future for the arts. After seven years at the National Endowment for the Arts, where she served artists and cultural organizations nationwide as a Program Specialist in Media Arts, she joins CANVAS with a vision to help it better serve its grantees and elevate the entire Jewish arts and culture community.
JFN IN THE HEADLINES
eJP Highlights Israeli Philanthropy
In reporting on the growth of Israeli philanthropy, eJewish Philanthropy wrote about Keshet-DAF, Israel's first-ever donor-advised fund, launched by JFN Israel with partners in 2020. It also extensively quoted JFN Israel Executive Director Sigal Yaniv Feller and former JFN Israel Director (and now Keshet CEO) Maya Natan.
As Israel grows more affluent, “people are realizing that they’re also able to give financially, and I think they’re going to start,” Sigal told eJP. “It’s part of our mission to change the philanthropic culture in Israel, and those who can give should understand that it’s part of their responsibility as a citizen of the state.”
See more news articles featuring JFN.
FROM THE FIELD
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Both Chronicle of Philanthropy and Inside Philanthropy offer special discounts for JFN members. More about member discounts here!
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The Next Generation of Nonprofit Workers Are Demanding More, and We Should Support Them
Lisa Pilar Cowan, NYN Media
Why Ramadan Generates Millions in Charitable Giving Every Year
Liam Stack, The New York Times