AJFCA Newsletter
In This Issue
ADVOCACY
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
AJFCA MEMBER BENEFITS
BOARD RESOURCES
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
SPONSORS
AJFCA Links
Two Rutgers University-Camden Experts Host "Professional Networking Made Easy" Seminar at Samost JFCS

  samost jfcs
   
Samost Jewish Family & Children's Service of Southern New Jersey  announced the no-cost Stan Kessler Career and Entrepreneurial Counseling Services seminar, "Professional Networking Made Easy" on Tuesday, June 25, 2013.  The seminar featured marketing and communications experts from the Rutgers University School of Business - Camden, Samantha Collier and Kim Richmond. 
kessler
The seminar focused on educating and guiding those interested in fully and properly utilizing professional networking skills cultivate employment opportunities, to develop business partnerships, foster relationships, and enhance awareness of personal brand. Continue reading here.
Successful JFCS Minneapolis Annual Meeting

  jfcs minneapolis
   
The Jewish Family & Children's Service of Minneapolis' Annual Meeting was a wonderful celebration featuring Annette Sandler, JFCS Aging and Disability Services Director, who spoke on "Strengthening Community Through Partnerships," a celebration of JFCS and the City of St. Louis Park.
spirit award
The evening also honored long-term Board and staff members, along with celebrating outgoing Board President Robin Landy and installing new President Howard Zack. Jeff Mirviss received the 2013 JFCS Spirit Award. To see pictures of the special evening, click here
JFCS Pittsburgh Staff Honored for Excellence in Providing Services for Area Refugees

  jfcs pittsburgh
   
Last month, Leslie Aizenman, director of refugee services at Jewish Family & Children's Service of Pittsburgh, was presented with the Nelson Mandela Leadership and Diversity Award by Afrika Yetu and the African community of Pittsburgh for her role in leading JFCS's efforts in providing resettlement and social services to refugees, as well as helping the African community to establish itself in Pittsburgh.
immigration header
Read more here.
JFCS East Bay Receives Haas School of Business Dynamic Board Award

  jfcs east bay
   
Jewish Family & Children's Service of East Bay is the recipient of this year's Dynamic Board Award from the Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
hass board award
Learn more here.
JFS Metorwest's JFN Receives CJP Innovation Grant:
Programming for School-Age Children on the Horizon?

  jfs metrowest, ma
   
Jewish Family Service of Metrowest is excited to announce that JFN has received an Innovation Grant from Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) to explore the level of interest in programming for children ages 5 to 7 and their families in the Metrowest area who have not yet joined a synagogue.
 
JFN is a collaboration between the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston, JFS of Metrowest, and CJP.
Calls & Webinars
Visit  AJFCA's Calendar
to learn more about free calls and webinars. For more information login to For Our Members on the AJFCA website, followed by Webinars. Contact Megan at 410-843-7327 with questions.

The Health Care Law - Health Insurance Marketplace 101
July 11th, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE
hhs logo
Energize Our Families Parent Program
July 17, 1pm ET
REGISTER HERE

  

Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
Join Our Mailing List

July 5, 2013 
About AJFCA | News
Find a Service Near You
Members | Jewish Connection
Annual Conference | Job Postings
  kids
  
D'Var Torah

Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO 

The protests in Egypt which resulted in the overthrow of the Morsi government have grown increasingly violent over the past week. Last Friday, the potential for violence hit too close to home, when Andrew Pochter, a Kenyon College student doing a summer internship in Alexandria, was brutally stabbed to death. Andrew was a Religious Studies major, a student of Arabic, a member of Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity, and a believer that a more peaceful and democratic Middle East and North Africa is possible through a deeper understanding of the people and culture of those countries. My son, Josh, is also all of those things and he was a close friend and fraternity brother of Andrew. They took classes together, performed community service, challenged each other's language skills, and shared many experiences.  Some of the news reports of Andrew's murder have described him as "idealistic," and suggested his naivet� put him in harm's way. Commenters online have been even more direct and hateful in stating that this young man, whom they had never met, was somehow a contributor to his own death. I would like to think that "idealism" is not such a negative trait.
andrew pochter

Andrew Pochter

This week, we complete the reading of the Book of Numbers with the double parashot, Matot-Masei. The Israelites have almost completed their journey across the wilderness and they are literally on the precipice of entering the Promised Land. It has been a difficult journey, and Moses still has his reflections and final instructions to deliver to the people, but the end of this phase is in sight. Certainly, difficulties, both physical and spiritual, lie ahead, but there are great expectations for the new nation they will build. I can imagine the anxiety that the people would be feeling, but also, the idealism that inspires their devotion to the cause.

Idealism is far from a negative. If not for idealists, we would not have the democratic nations of our world, including Israel. Andrew Pochter's idealism was contagious to those who knew him, and it drove him to seek solutions to difficult problems. He believed in knowledge and service and that with a deeper understanding of people we can find common ground. (For an example of Andrew's intellectual curiosity, see this video of a slam poem he wrote and performed with a classmate for the Yearning for Zion class at Kenyon this spring). We need more idealists like Andrew and we will miss his wisdom and leadership. May his memory always be for a blessing and may his family find comfort amongst the mourners of Zion.

Have a peaceful Shabbat.
ADVOCACY
America's Health Rankings Senior Report
United Health Foundation recently released its annual assessment of the health status of our nation's older adult population. In addition to state rankings, an accompanying commentary was authored by NCOA's James Firman and Richard Birkel on the value of investing in senior centers to promote health and prevent disease. See where your state ranks. Read the commentary.
SOAR Program to Help Persons with Disabilities get SSI or SSDI Benefits
SOAR Program to Help Persons with Disabilities get SSI or SSDI Benefits, July 2, 2013, JCS Baltimore, by Mary Blake
Supplemental Security Income
(SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are disability income benefit programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that also provide Medicaid and/or Medicare health insurance to individuals who are eligible.
soar
The SSI/SSDI application process is complicated and difficult to navigate, particularly for people who are homeless or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons or hospitals). For those who have a mental illness, substance use issues, or co-occurring disorders that impair cognition, the application process poses an even greater challenge, yet accessing these income and health care benefits is often a critical first step on the road to recovery. Learn more here.
Senate Passes Immigration Reform Bill
The immigration overhaul passed in the U.S. Senate includes provisions that protect a visa program used by Jewish summer camps and makes permanent a law facilitating immigration for victims of religious persecution. Read more here.
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
Open Debate, Not Politeness, Is What Drives Nonprofit Innovation chronicle philanthropy
Everybody in the nonprofit world talks these days about innovation, but not about what drives change: open debate and critical thinking. Read more here.
How to Get the Most Out of Big and Open Data
Becoming data literate is fast becoming a necessary skill, as data becomes more and more prevalent. "It's the building blocks of fact and information," says Paul Smith, head of data at Open fundraising. Continue reading here.
The Next Phase:  Long Careers, New Opporgestalttunities
This three-day workshop is customized for a highly select group of Jewish communal service leaders considering, approaching, or in the process of transitioning following long and successful careers in top positions.The workshop is designed to enable participants to plan smoother transitions for themselves, their successors, boards and organizations.

The Next Phase:  Long Careers, New Opportunities
October 16-18, 2013 - Cape Cod, MA
AJFCA MEMBER BENEFITS
Annual Foundation Center Renewal foundation center
AJFCA will be renewing the annual Foundation Center subscription. If you are interested please email Megan by Friday, July 19th. Invoices will be emailed in July. We will be attempting to keep the subscription fee close to this past year's amount of $390. For more information regarding the Foundation Center please contact Megan.
                                            - - - - - - - - - - - 
How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal
  1. Don't Chase the Money
  2. Prepare to Do Extensive Legwork
  3. Determine Your Approach
  4. Get to Know the Funder
  5. Do Whatever the RFP Says
  6. State Measurable Not Fluffy Objectives
  7. Spell Out How You Intend to Spend the Money
  8. Consult a Professional Grant Writer  
Development Professionals Call - Managing Social Media for Fundraising  ajfca logo-resized
AJFCA is pleased to offer the first Development Professionals Call, Managing Social Media for Fundraising on Wednesday, July 10th at 2pm ET. The call will be recorded. Barbara Barnholtz, Director of Development at JFCS St. Louis will facilitate the call. An agenda will be available in the near future. Please email Megan for access information.
AJFCA Canadian Conference
Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA & The Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies (Canada) presents a natiocanadian conferencenal conference for Canadian Jewish communal professionals and lay leaders to gather and discuss the current challenges and opportunities, and share best practices from a Canadian perspective, with a focus on access, identity, and inclusion October 20-22, 2013 in Toronto, ON. Email [email protected] with any questions.
BOARD RESOURCES
Eliminating the Executive Committee board source
Overworked executive committees can lead to disengaged boards. Do you need your executive committee? And if you eliminate it, who will handle its work? A BoardSource senior governance consultant weighs in. Continue reading here.
Audit Guide for Charitable Nonprofits:  Role of the Board national council of nonprofits
A new, free online resource explains the role of the board in the audit process and includes tips and tools to help you manage the audit process. Access the guide here.
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
Making Your Communications Feel More Current
One of the chapters in Kivi Leroux Miller's new book is devoted to the Six R's of Relevant Messaging for nonprofits. One of those R's is being "Real Time." You want your content to feel relevant given the context of everything else that is happening right now, and to always feel fresh, even when it actually isn't. How can you make your communications feel more real time and current? Here are seven ideas.
3 Ways to Stand Out to Your Donors
HubSpot announced a partnership with charity:water. This team effort will be one to watch for innovative ideas on applying inbound marketing tactics to the world of fundraising. Of course, charity:water has long been a source of inspiration for fundraisers seeking to transform the way they raise money. This post from HubSpot features some of the ways that charity:water puts their donors at the center of their success stories. Here are three important takeaways for you to apply to your work.
SPONSORS
New Financial Empowerment Program sharsheret
Struggling with the financial burdens of cancer treatment? Take back control with Sharsheret's new financial health and wellness program featuring a free financial tool kit and a transcript from Sharsheret's discussion with experts in the fields of disability, trust and estates, insurance, and financial planning. Click here to contact Adina Fleischmann for more information and to request your free tool kit.
Donate SponsorsSupport AJFCA :: JFNA :: Accreditations
Contact Us :: Transparency :: Privacy Policy