Imagine if, in place of the story of Joseph and his brothers, the Torah simply said, "Be nice to your family." Or if, instead of revisiting each year how Abraham almost murdered his son, we just reminded ourselves that God doesn't want us to sacrifice our children.

Whether it's on Netflix, in the library, or shared around the family table, a good story is almost always more compelling and memorable than a list of even the most important facts or instructions. Stories enable us to connect with others and build support for the causes we care about and help us develop a vision and plan for the future. 

That's why we've placed storytelling at the center of our JFN West regional gathering next week, called "Be the Story." And we'll be continuing the focus all year, with additional programs focused on sharpening our philanthropic storytelling skills.

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. Andy Goodman will guide us in the process of developing and sharing powerful stories, and we'll also hear from Ezra Edmond, whose short film "Blewish" explores growing up Black and Jewish; award-winning filmmaker and producer Roberta Grossman; and JFN member Gideon Bernstein, co-founder of #BlazeItForward and author of "Giving: A Handbook to Happiness for the Modern Philanthropist."

While registration is closed for next week's gathering, stay tuned for information about upcoming programs on this topic, including ones for JFN members from other regions!