Agency Highlights
Holocaust Survivor Dora Sorell Visits Berkeley High School
Dora Sorell, a Holocaust survivor, spoke to more than 400 students at Berkeley High School on Thursday, February 6th.
Berkeley High teacher/librarian Ellie Goldstein-Erickson facilitated two assemblies with the 90+-year-old Sorell, who has visited the school before. She said she comes back because, "It is important that young people know what happened so long ago, and those who already know should not forget. I worry about that."
Dora Apsan Sorell was born in Sighet, Romania, in 1921 where she spent her pre-war years. Sorell was taken to Auschwitz as part of a wave of Hungarian transports in 1944. After a year in Auschwitz, Dora was moved to a second camp, Weisswasser. She was liberated two days before the end of the war and returned to Romania to medical school. She eventually immigrated to New York where she practiced medicine. Read more about Sorell here.
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JFCS Jacksonville Launches New Inclusion in Education Program
February is National Inclusive Education Month, and Jewish Family & Community Services of Jacksonville recently launched a program to support children, their families and educators who want to see special needs children receive the learning they deserve - and that the law requires. As part of the effort, JFCS met already this year with parents and teachers to assess needs in the community.
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JFCS Philadelphia Helps Residents 50 And Older Put Food On The Table
A local organization has received a grant to help needy area residents put food on the table. It's estimated that only 30-percent of the people 50 and older who are eligible for food stamps are currently enrolled and a year-long project hopes to improve that number.  Joanne Lippert Co-Director of Adult and Senior services for the Jewish Family & Children's Services of Greater Philadelphia says many do not understand the food stamp program, also known as SNAP. "We're going to contact all the pantries in the area, we're going to contact senior centers, we're going to contact supermarkets. The idea is to get to the places where people, who are facing these issues are, and set up a table or time that we can be working with these clients."
The MAZON Solutions to Senior Hunger Initiative, in partnership with the AJFCA and supported by the generous funding from the Walmart Foundation, is a national initiative designed to alleviate food insecurity and improve nutrition among low-income seniors by reducing the barriers that keep them from enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). |
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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 Three A's of a Successful Agency: Accountability, Accessibility, Affordability
March 11th, 2pm EST REGISTER HERE Health Care Reform: How Does It Affect Me?
March 18th, 8pm EST
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Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
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D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
From a very early age, I can remember placing a few coins in the blue and white tzedakah box at the start of each Hebrew School class as a contribution to Keren Ami. On most occasions, the money was collected for the Jewish National Fund for planting trees in Israel (a project of amazing success as anyone who has stood in the Judean Hills can attest as the forests around Jerusalem form their own "green line"). In many classes, we not only contributed the money, but discussed the meaning of "tzedakah" and the potential benefit to Israel from even our few coins. I can remember times when I felt badly because I forgot to bring my nickels and dimes, but I cannot recall any time when I felt that the money could be better spent elsewhere.
We often speak of "tzedakah" as a basic Jewish value and we recognize charitable giving as a cornerstone of our communities. The roots for the importance of tzedakah run very deep in Jewish text and experience. In this week's parashah, P'kudei, as we conclude our reading of the Book of Exodus, we see the results of the contributions made by the Israelites to the building of the tabernacle, the Jewish people's first capital campaign. The outpouring from the people was so great that Moses had to halt the collection; there was sufficient gold, silver, jewels, and other materials for the construction and outfitting of the sanctuary. The successful conclusion of the building and decorating of the Tabernacle was a place among the people for the "Presence of the Lord."
The generosity of the Israelites is even more amazing considering where they came from. These were the very same people who only recently had been slaves in Egypt. That they had any riches at all was only from what they had received from their Egyptian neighbors as they prepared for the Exodus. And yet, having come from nothing, with little to call their own, the people were still moved to give to the greater cause of celebrating their relationship with God. Their hearts encouraged them to build a community much as our hearts inspire us to strengthen our communities today through tzedakah, gemilut chasadim, and tikkun olam. These are certainly values worthy of sharing with our children, ensuring that they and our communities will be passed from generation to generation.
Have a peaceful Shabbat.
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Jewish Immigration Advocates Push Eric Cantor To Support Broad Reforms
The organized Jewish community is known for its impressive bipartisan clout when advocating issues relating to Israel. But when it comes to domestic affairs, the community suffers from a lopsided lack of leverage on the Republican side. Some Jewish activists believe that they may have found a pathway to the GOP side of the aisle.Read more here. |
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AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
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Design Thinking: A Praxis For Creating User-Centered Experiences 
Design thinking should become part of the toolkit of all Jewish organizations, especially in a climate of profound change, but it is particularly important for Jewish professionals charged with engagement work to master this skill. It will serve as a kind of course-corrector, keeping professionals accountable to and in touch with the needs of those they seek to serve. Continue reading here. |
5 Methods for Avoiding Procrastination for Nonprofits
"The Field Guide to Procrastination" identifies 12 different methods for work avoidance or procrastination, defined in Wikipedia as "putting off tasks for a later date." We all do it. The comic is funny but a fairly accurate depiction of how we procrastinate. While some procrastination can be beneficial, it can reduce your productivity if it gets out of hand. Read on to see if the 5 methods for avoiding procrastination work for you. |
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Join AJFCA & IAJVS for the 2014 Annual Conference
Register today for the reduced rate of $495
REGISTER
This year's conference theme is Inspiring Creativity in a Changing World, which will challenge attendees to examine current practices and adapt to compete today and in the future. The Conference will have five areas of focus. Click on the links below to view the conference programming in  more detail. Please book your hotel room at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth by Friday, April 14th. You can secure a room at the group rate using the AJFCA/IAJVS group code. Room rates start at $169 CDN standard. This group rate will be honored 3 days prior and post conference dates, on a space available basis. Please secure your room as soon as possible.
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Reserve your room via this link. (The website default language is French. Use the drop-down menu on the top-right corner of your screen to switch to English.) - Call Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, 800-441-1414
Please contact Megan Manelli with questions. |
Clueless at the Corcoran 
Indeed the untold story of our time is the emerging crisis in nonprofit governance, where boards embark on policies that go against-and even imperil-the mission of the institution they are charged to oversee and protect. Read the entire story here. |
Speed Dating: A Board Leadership Strategy? 
Speed dating for board members and volunteers is not a new concept; we have reported on similar events that have been held in other cities. But since many nonprofits still struggle to find effective board members, this idea may be worth expanding. Read more about the Board Match event here. |
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COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
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Email: Still The Digital Glue of Online Marketing
Email: Still The Digital Glue of Online Marketing, February 4, 2014, Mission Media, by Greg Cangialosi  Greg Cangialosi, CEO of MissionTix is a big fan of email marketing, and have been for a long time. Having run an ESP (Email Service Provider) for 10 years, I've had the opportunity to see the power of ROI that the email channel can deliver for marketers across many different industries. Albeit email is a nascent channel for marketing, it still, in 2014, is one of the most powerful mediums out there. It truly is the digital glue and the workhorse of online marketing. Learn more about how to optimize your email marketing campaigns here. |
Don't Rush the Story You "know your stuff." You understand your organization well, and you have had many conversations with donors in which you have seen a spark of interest ignite. It is inevitable that as you speak with donors, you will instantly come up with reasons why your organization perfectly fits their needs and interests. Read the challenge here. |
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VOLUNTEER/YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT
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The Coming Boom
The Coming Boom, February 24, 2014, eJP, by Audrey Lichter
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, Jewish communal energy is wasted on the young. Attend any meeting - especially in the post-Pew Study era - and you will likely hear a good deal of talk about the vital importance of youth engagement. Professionals in this field are tasked with creating ever more innovative programming for millennials and funding initiatives that cater exclusively to Generations X, Y and Z. "Next Gen" is suddenly the snappy, double-syllabic catchphrase of the age. Read more about the Jewish future here. |
How Millennials Can Help You Boost Corporate Sponsorships 
We're pleased to announce the release of our new guide, Engaging Millennial Employees. While the guide focuses on helping companies understand how social good can help them win over young talent, this ebook is packed with facts that nonprofits use to better engage Gen Y supporters, staff, and volunteers-as well as strengthen their value proposition to corporate sponsors. View the guide here. |
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