NEWSWelcome to The Samuel Bronfman Foundation press room. Here you’ll find links to recent press releases and media coverage about the foundation and our grantees. |
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| Foundation News NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE |
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| 12-04-12 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SECOND STAGE FUND GRANT RECIPIENTS In April, The Samuel Bronfman Foundation (SBF) invited post start-up organizations to apply to a new Second Stage Fund. This fund was created to provide general operating support to organizations at critical junctures in their growth trajectories as they move into their second stage of development. Grant recipients Mechon Hadar, Keshet, and Hazon were announced by the Foundation in December. click here |
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| 11-05-12 THE CURRICULUM INITIATIVE RELEASES REPORT ON ITS 16 YEAR HISTORY The Curriculum Initiative has published Through the Prism: Reflections on The Curriculum Initiative, a chronicle of the organization’s development since its founding. The report details the innovative changes and adaptations TCI made along its way to becoming a leader in multicultural Jewish education. For the pull press release and a link to Through the Prism: Reflections on The Curriculum Initiative, click here |
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April 2012 |
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Latest News 2012 2011 Archive |
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| 03-25-13 TO BE JEWISH IS TO ASK QUESTIONS The difficulties of leadership vary according to the cause, the personality of the leader and of those who are led. As the Bible shows, and as we know in modern times, Jews are very hard to lead, which can be a good thing. We don't settle on or accept anything easily, but the rigorousness of that process usually ensures a fair outcome. Jews argue, we put people to the test, but then we unite and organize we do so in an unparalleled manner. Still, working in Jewish leadership capacities have been among the most meaningful and exhilarating experiences of my life. Read More |
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03-10-13 JUDAISM MUST EMBRACE ITS DOUBTERS In abandoning the doubters and their tough questions, we are abandoning the hope that the legacy of our meaningful texts, beautiful rituals and unique view of the world will live on -- not because we didn't embrace religion, but because we didn't embrace doubt. . . Acknowledging a Judaism that embraces doubt, and that such a practice is backed by hundreds of years of Jewish thinking, is one way in which we, like our forefather Abraham, can expand our tent. Read More |
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01-23-13 THE SEARCH PROCESS FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE HELPS FOUNDATION ACHIEVE ITS MISSION. In her Chronicle of Philanthropy op-ed, Ariel Groveman Weiner outlines the benefits and process of conducting an internally driven executive search process. She reflects on the methods taken toward finding the new co-director for the Bronfman Youth Fellowships. Ariel argues that an executive search can serve as an opportunity to engage all stakeholders of an organization and reaffirm and clarify its guiding principles and values. Read More |
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11/21/2012 A DAY DEVOTED TO GRATITUDE There aren't many holidays celebrated by more than 300 million people that don't have some religious origin, but Thanksgiving—arguably the most revered American national holiday—claims a unique place in our consciousness. Thanksgiving, as the two words in the name directly state, is a day we give thanks. I love the idea of a day devoted to gratitude, counting our blessings, spending time with friends and family, and honoring the country in which we are citizens. Read More |
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10/12/2012 JEWISH ACTIVIST 'HATE SPEECH MUST NOT BE ACCEPTED AS CIVIL DISCOURSE' This week's U.S. District Court ruling forced the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to place ads in the D.C. subway system reading: "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad." These ostensibly pro-Israel billboards that deem iihadists, and by implication Muslims, as "savages" do not serve the interests of anyone involved, and in fact inflict great harm. Read More |
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10-09-12 WHY CIVIL DISCOURSE IS IMPERATIVE FOR INTER-JEWISH DIALOGUE The increasingly partisan tone of the upcoming presidential election manifests a powerful cultural trend in which we seek out information that supports the views we already hold. More and more, we live in a society where people can shield themselves from interaction. They hear what it is they want to hear, seek news from sources they know will support their views, and socialize in groups that share their political and cultural beliefs. We tend to find our camps and stick in them—liberal on one side, conservative to the other. This has become particularly problematic for those of us involved in Jewish life. Read More |
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09-15-12 HIGH HOLY DAYS: A TIME OF ETHICAL DIALOGUE WITH THE WORLD AT LARGE Although the High Holidays especially focus our intentions on repairing damage we have done, I begin every day with a mirror test. When I look at my reflection, I check to see if I'm happy to see my own face. If not, why? Have I hurt someone or made a mistake? I contemplate those questions, and if I have committed some damage, I try to make amends. The mirror test is how I keep myself honest. Read More |
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05-30-12 JEWISH INNOVATION NEEDS NEW PUSH Over the past year, with examples like the now moribund but once cutting-edge Jewish record company JDub on people's minds, the Jewish community has spent significant time reflecting on how to make these types of innovative startups more sustainable. Funders, in particular, have tried to figure out how to transition them safely on to the "second stage" of their lives as community institutions. And, more fundamentally, a few questions have presented themselves: What are the obligations of original funders once they have reached the end of the initial funding relationship? Where can an organization turn as it enters a stage of growth that requires larger annual budgets and a greater investment in infrastructure? In what ways does an organization need to adapt structurally in order to survive the transition from pioneering startup to stable fixture in the Jewish communal landscape? Read More |
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04-11-12 HOPE, NOT FEAR We should inspire through hope - showcase all that is good and joyful about Judaism. Help people want to be Jewish because they are proud of their Judaism and all that it means. As examples, he cites programs like Hillel, Birthright Israel and Jewish camping. If only we show people what it really means to be Jewish. If only we aspire to be a light to the nations. If only we take up the mantle of social justice. This is how we get the next generation of Jews to connect - this is how our grandchildren will be Jewish. Enough with the scary stories. Read More |
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03-13-12 DEFINING SUCCESS AT THE SAMUEL BRONFMAN FOUNDATION For Jewish philanthropy to be truly successful, all involved have to emerge from the grantmaking process with a greater understanding of Jewish knowledge and values that will then empower them to engage with the community more fully and meaningfully. Learning cannot be a supplemental part of our work. If we are to successfully make the mission and direction of our philanthropy fundamentally Jewish, our connection to Jewish knowledge must inform our thinking and undergird the decisions we make on a daily basis. Read More |
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02-12-12 NETWORK-WEAVING WITH BECKY VOORWINDE You have to have a genuine passion for and interest in other people. It can't be self-serving – that you want to check names off a list or ask people for money or volunteer time. The desire to really know each person and see them succeed has to be the core of the connection; it's authentic and can't be faked. That's why I use "community" interchangeably with "network" in describing BYFI. Read More |
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02-02-12 TU'BSHVAT: CELEBRATING THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US In the same way the Passover seder allows us to ask questions about the story of the Jewish people, the Tu B'shvat seder is an opportunity to ask questions about the planet we live on, how we can better protect and cherish it, celebrate nature through singing and learning, and reaffirm green values. Read More |
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