David Maeir-Epstein attended the General Assembly of the
Jewish Federations of North America which took place last week in Baltimore,
Md. There he represented a number of our clients including Atid BaMidbar, the
Orthodox Scouts of Jaffa, Midreshet HaGolan, Unistream, Mechinot Tamir and
Kyriat Malachi, and Yod Bet BHeshvan. Here are some of his observations from
his experience and tips for fundraising.
* There was as much networking among the Israeli
organizations with tables at the "Marketplace" exhibition hall as
there was between them and the GA participants. Opportunities for partnerships
in program planning, operation and funding were explored in this marketplace of
ideas.
* There was great
interest in our Catalog of Experiential Visits to Israeli Nonprofits on the
part of laypeople and tour operators. I also met several lay leaders who plan
to spend a month in Israel and who were excited to hear that they could choose
visits from the Catalog in areas of their interest. I did discover that the
initiative is less relevant for formal Federation missions which are focused on
exposing their participants to the projects they fund either directly or via
P2Gether, JAFI or JDC.
* I am very
excited about a meeting I was able to arrange to arrange with Robin Morse, the daughter or granddaughter of the
famous Margret Morse whose tour busses we see so often in Israel with mostly
non-Jewish clientele. I am optimistic that she will include some of the visits
described in our virtual catalog in their upcoming tours. I also connected at
the GA with Ophir Tours and we'll be meeting with them when we return about
getting visits for those trips to those of you listed in the Virtual Catalog of
Experiential Visits to nonprofits in Israel.
* I met in Miami
with Norman Lipoff with whom I had worked some 30 years ago when he was the
head of Project Renewal and I represented the Jewish Federations of Baltimore,
Los Angeles, Houston and Central New Jersey. Norman who is the trustee of
several foundations which give in Israel told me that one of them, the Robert
Russell Foundation has just created a website with their criteria and a downloadable
application form. Go to robertrussellfoundation.org. They are interested in
pluralistic Jewish identity programs and also do capital projects.
* The phenomena
of Jewish Women's Foundations and Giving Groups for both adults and teens is spreading. I met the lay head of
the Jewish Women's Renaissance Project in Washington which raises funds to
bring Jewish laywomen to Israel for the first time. And I met with Joseph Hyman
of the Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy, with several members of
the Philadelphia based Acharai giving circle who recently granted $50,000 to
our client Carmei Hair which is taking over Hazon Ishaya's operation following
the scandal that led to the court approved takeover. And I met a very impressive young man, Gilad
Salmon, who is promoting a national day of giving for all U.S. Jewish teens
which is expected to raise several million dollars for nonprofits in the US and
Israel (see www.GiveJewishly.org)
* Coming up next
weeks agenda are meetings with the director of the Philanthropic Services
Department of the Wells Fargo Bank which handles the Harry Kramer Memorial
Foundation among others, David Mallach, the Director of the NY UJA Federation's
Commission on the Jewish People, and Jeri Zimmerman, the Director of the Israel
and Overseas Department of the Philadelphia Jewish Federation.
In spite of all the good meetings, I'm already looking
forward to coming home.....
Dave
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