http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ en Copyright 2011 2011-04-20T18:34:21+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/dust-of-europe/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/dust-of-europe/ Dust of Europe is a multimedia project whose goal is to reach out to and to inspire young members of the Jewish community to dig into their families’ history. Shakespeare said, “What is Past is Prologue.” History is not irrelevant. The documentary portion of the project follows me, a 29-year-old as I track the path of my great-grandfather, Joseph Kershner, as he journeyed from Burlington, Vermont back to Turysk, Ukraine to save family members. Tracking the exciting story has also been a personal journey that has helped me to discover how I can use my career to have a greater impact on the world. In 1908 Joseph Kershner arrived in the United States, a Jewish immigrant from Europe hoping to forget about where he came from, what he called the land of “blood and mudd.” But in 1920, upon receiving a desperate plea for help from his wife’s family, Joseph sold his successful tailoring business and embarked on a dangerous three month journey across Europe and back to save the lives of 17 family members hiding in cellars in Turysk. In the process various factions imprisoned him three different times. This is only one family’s story, but there are literally hundreds of thousands of stories of great interest. That is why we plan on transforming our DustofEurope.com site into a forum for people to share their families’ immigration and survival stories and connect to others’ experiences. DustofEurope.com would expand upon the idea of genealogical websites like Ancestory.com and jewishgen.org. While such websites do exist for people to research their ancestry, we would take this idea further by incorporating social media, as demonstrated by the blogging and interactive nature of our site during the filming of the documentary, Dust of Europe. DustofEurope.com will become the place where Jewish people from all over the world can easily post multi-media stories including videos and pictures about their families' history. Due to the social networking aspect of the site, members will be able to comment and possibly even connect with long lost relatives. Too many important family stories are lost and this website will preserve for future generations individuals’ accounts of their family stories. People will even be able to blog about their experiences in researching their family’s history, similar to what we did during our documentary trip. The current generation of young Americans has shown a disinterest in their past partly because they don’t need family to actually survive as they have in the past. Using contemporary footage, music and innovative animation, our goal is to encourage younger generations to examine and feel pride in the sacrifice of those that came before us. The accompanying documentary, Dust of Europe, will also be a tool to market the website as well as to raise awareness about our project and to appreciate that genealogy is not merely dry research. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Arts and Culture, Jewish Identity, Leadership, Young Adult 2011-04-20T17:34:21+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/haggadot.com/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/haggadot.com/ Passover is about freedom. But when it comes to the seder, many Jews are lost. The haggadah is a core artifact of freedom in Jewish identity. The versions of past and current haggadot illustrate incredible diversity in Jewish culture over the years. But some traditions get overlooked, while others may seem outdated, with no place for varied, individualized voices. Today's Judaism demands that we value both personal narratives and the collective conversation. As the Jewish community struggles with participation, so does the publishing field. In our digital culture of immediacy, modularity and customization, consumers simply do not purchase full printed texts as before. As a result, many gifted writers and artists struggle to make a viable income on their craft. For Jewish publishing to thrive, we need a new model of distribution in which users may pick and choose selections of published content from an aggregated source. Without a solution to these challenges of connecting Jews with relatable, inspiring content, the Jewish community risks a missed opportunity to include its members in our most important dialogues on Jewish life. Haggadot.com invites Jews of all backgrounds to find their place in the Passover conversation through the seder's central text, the haggadah. The site reinvigorates the seder experience with collaborative, customized publishing. Users can upload, exchange, and personalize haggadot gaining simultaneous access to classical texts and contemporary interpretations from their peers, creating more meaningful Passover seders and connective Jewish experiences. The site works like an online scrapbook, with pieces collected from around the world. Visitors can easily: 1) View content from archived haggadot 2) Share unique perspectives through user-generated contributions. 3) Make a Haggadah that is more meaningful to their lives For each section of the Haggadah, users may upload text, illustrations, photographs, or scans from homemade or non-copyrighted Haggadot. These images are grouped in a personal folder that is sorted and tagged in a searchable web gallery for others to borrow from. When users are ready to make a new Haggadah, they may mix and match pages from anyone else's Haggadah, or simply print out a few pages to add to their seder. For the Jew less familiar with the Haggadah structure, there is a halachic template provided to fill in and edit during the process. Finally, the user can create a PDF and print unlimited copies at home for seder guests, free of charge. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Holidays and Celebrations, Interfaith, Jewish Education and Lifecycle 2011-04-01T21:20:12+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/jerusalem4all/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/jerusalem4all/ Jerusalem4ALL is a collaborative, communities based international education, training, and research organization dedicated to promoting peace, security, freedom, and planetary well-being. The topography of Jerusalem inspired an ancient understanding of the holy city as the navel of the earth. We now envision an open Jerusalem as the capital city of the planet. Jerusalem4All is dedicated to innovative, forward looking approaches to the future of the Jewish people in the current millennium. Peoples across the planet live in communities whether rural villages or villages within urban megalopolis centers such as Los Angeles, Paris or New York. In our era more women and men of different faith traditions and cultures are located in these urban villages. Los Angeles is an ideal community to incubate Jerusalem4All because the basin that holds the city birthed the nexus of the women's art, spirituality, and environmental movements of contemporary times. The many cultural and religious traditions that have sustained the Jewish people across time are today located in Los Angeles. The vision of Jerusalem4All is endebted to the scholar and peacemaker Rabbi Menachem Fruman of Tekoa who first rooted the idea of Jerusalem as the extra-territorial capital of the planet within scriptural sources. Today musicians inspired by the beats of Reggae and peacemaker and environmental activists who work with Israelis and internationals also articulate a notion of the holy city as the capital of the planet. The hope is that peace here will have a domino effect on bringing in peace to the entire planet. The holy city is already host to spiritual seekers, artists, and teachers from ancient and more new age traditions, and an array of non-governmental organizations, and UN organizations. Jerusalem4ALL builds on what is already happening in the city. Spiritual pilgrimages to the city have a long tradition. Jerusalem4All will distinguish itself by cultivating green pilgrimages where visitors learn of the holy places of more than one tradition and participate in contemporary projects that focus on non-violence and making the city livable and sustainable for the diverse communities who inhabit this navel crossroads of the planet. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Arts and Culture, Environment, Israel, Spirituality 2011-04-01T21:15:54+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-los-angeles-jewish-wellness-initiative/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-los-angeles-jewish-wellness-initiative/ Six months ago there was a webinar on Dr. Daniel Amen's website. Pastor Rick Warren from the Saddleback Church was talking about a program that Drs. Amen, Oz and Hyman put together to lead the congregation into a decade of wellness. Though not a member of the church, I attended the launch of œThe Daniel Plan and along with almost 7000 attendees, pledged to ourselves and to G-d to lead a more healthful life. What is the premise of this program? Good nutrition, movement, quit smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, decrease stress¦nothing we don't already know. But why will it be so successful? First, there is leadership and commitment from the top. Pastor Warren has committed himself to be mindful of what he eats and to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Next, there is a sense of community, belonging, and support. Small groups were formed, volunteers stepped up to receive additional training to assume leadership roles, and the church itself committed itself to changing what they offered for food and snacks. I sat straight in my seat listening to Pastor Warren and the doctors talk about our bodies being vessels from G-d and to truly honor G-d we must take the best possible care of ourselves. I danced when the musicians started playing and found that moving with a community of people surrounding me was not only good for me, but fun. I purchased a healthy lunch picnic and drove home feeling better about myself and my health goals than I have in a very long time. The following Friday night I attended a wonderful Shabbat service. Afterwards, I looked at the table of goodies at the Oneg Shabbat. Though my soul was nourished, my stomach was not. Yes, there was a tray of veggies and dip along with a small plate of fresh fruit. But those options paled before the beautifully displayed platters of baked goods that congregants quickly took onto their plates. A woman standing next to me whispered that she really wasn't supposed to eat wheat or gluten, but she just couldn't resist. This is a common theme. I realized right then that just because it's always been that way doesn't mean that this is how it always has to be. We can make treats that are allergy free, made of good, natural ingredients, and delicious! And we can have fun doing it. Offering programs such as Jewish Penicillin From Around the World, or Healthy, Allergen Free Pesach Recipes that your Family Will Love or attending a Kabbalah Caf currently offered by Chabad of Cypress to learn about the Jewish significance of the foods we eat would make an excellent compliment to a Jewish wellness program. The past six months have been designated for research. We have reviewed programs run by Jewish communities all across the country. We have been working to create a resource bank of Jewish programs to match the needs of Jewish people to the services that they need. We are working together to create a cohesive wellness plan that targets the specific needs of the Jewish community. Most of the organizations vying for your votes now could play an integral role in this overall Los Angeles Jewish Wellness Campaign. Engaging Our Community, Community, Food, Health & Fitness, Spirituality 2011-04-01T21:11:44+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/making-supplemental-education-work/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/making-supplemental-education-work/ It's no secret that post- Bar/Bat Mitzvah Supplemental Jewish education is plagued by high drop-out rates. Unfortunately, the response by many supplemental programs has been to cut school hours and material from the curriculum. But with rising intermarriage rates and lower levels of education among many Jewish youth, attempts to keep students in the classroom by decreasing emphasis on education should strike many as troubling. It is for this reason that I propose the creation of a program in which Jewish high school students are given the opportunity to receive an intensive Jewish education by studying in classes taught by Jewish Studies professors at a college level. These students should be rewarded for their efforts with college credit for their work and the opportunity to earn an Associate's Degree upon the completion of this program and graduation from their secular high school. The main reason for student dissatisfaction with supplemental Jewish education is not the fact that these students are uninterested in learning or dedicating time to study. As it is widely known, Jewish students tend to do well academically and are strongly represented at all of the United States' top universities. Jewish students don't like supplemental Hebrew school because, unlike their other pursuits, they see no tangible reward for their study. As Dr. David Schoem put it, Going to Hebrew School won't get you into Harvard and based on the academic requirements of most Hebrew schools, such a comment should not be too surprising. This reality does not have to be the case. Jewish supplemental education can offer an intellectually stimulating and worthwhile education to its students and the Jewish community must make attempts to offer such an alternative supplemental education. The key is providing students with practical incentives. Capable Jewish high school students should have the opportunity to study with professors at a college level and be rewarded for their efforts. An honors program as the one I propose would benefit everyone involved: a degree granting program would allow Jewish high school students to stand out in the all-to-competitive college admissions process because he or she has already shown the capacity for college level work with top-flight faculty. Jewish parents, who might have previously seen post bar-mitzvah education as a financial burden with few tangible rewards, may send their children to such a program for the economic benefits of two years worth of paid excellent college education before graduation from high school; graduates of such a program would even be able to complete their college education by the age of 20 and be able to start their careers or graduate studies at a younger age. Such a program could even prove to be a less expensive alternative to day school education. Jewish Colleges and Universities would also benefit from more tuition-paying students. When we, the Jewish Community, do not have programs that demand the most from our post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah students, we often lose the most capable and interested students at pivotal points in their lives. Such a program as the one I recommend not only gives the structure for educators to expect the most from their students, but also gives the students compelling reasons to continue their Jewish education. Ensuring the Jewish Future, College, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Young Adult , Youth 2011-04-01T21:08:20+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/jenerosity/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/jenerosity/ Jenerosity is a giving circle of young Jewish adults who pool their resources and collectively decide where to distribute the resulting funds. Jenerosity will also include social and educational components that engage participants in their communities and increase members' understanding of philanthropy and community issues. Members of jenerosity giving circles will be asked to contribute $250 to the collective fund. We hope to match their contributions dollar for dollar with grant. Any member can nominate Jewish 501-C3 organizations for the fund's consideration and each member has an equal vote in the final allocation decisions. The group will leverage proven giving processes from seasoned organizations like Slingshot, Natan, and more. Young professionals are interested in becoming philanthropically active, but don't always feel as if they have a forum to do so. They feel that their potential financial contributions are not substantial enough to make a real impact. Jenerosity's leverages collaborative giving as a way for people with limited funds to give a small amount individually, but to make a major impact collectively. We want to inspire our generation to give NOW and to make philanthropy an active part of their lives forever. If we band together as a generation, we can drive the change we want to see in our community and in the world. jenerocity will address this unmet need in our community by providing young professionals a place to give, a forum to learn, and an opportunity to make a lasting impact. We will engage and create the next generation of Jewish philanthropists while bringing a new source of funding to Jewish organizations. Engaging Our Community, Community, Jewish Identity, Philanthropy, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:59:45+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/inner-city-outreach/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/inner-city-outreach/ As an educator in south Los Angeles, I am dismayed by my student 's lack of knowledge about cultures and experiences outside of their own community (this becomes glaringly obvious, particularly when it comes to winter celebrations). Many children in the inner-city lack hope that things can be better. I have a great deal of respect for the Jewish people tenacity, determination to succeed. These are qualities I want my students to see expressed in the lives others. And I want them to desire these qualities for themselves. I propose an after-school mentorship program taught by Jewish young adults for children in an inner-city school. Each mentor would be assigned to a student for a year and would help with homework, teach good study habits, leadership, financial acumen things students in the inner-city aren 't exposed to since most are just trying to survive. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Community, Leadership, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:56:39+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-king-david-show/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-king-david-show/ The King David Show allows kids to experience history as never before. Through comedic monologues, written and performed by Levi Welton and company, colourful props and thought provoking comedy, students and history buffs will encounter history through the eyes of those who created it. Following the performance, students can engage the character in a question-and-answer period. The "King David Show" is a one man performance about the life of the historic and famous King David. Through humor and on-stage props history "comes alive" and the audience learns about the life and stories of King David. Aimed at children, the show contains content and insights that are appreciated by all ages. The show is available to come to schools, groups or events and can be catered to crowds of all and any background. Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Youth 2011-04-01T20:53:04+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/eliezer-free-dating-and-connecting-site-for-jews/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/eliezer-free-dating-and-connecting-site-for-jews/ This self sustaining website will mainly do the matchmaker's job, by using a series of highly developed questionnaire sets, which will then create a very meticulous database that will provide the most adequate match based on similarity and mutual interests, belief system and preferences (cultural, social, political, etc.) It will be a NON-PROFIT site, developed by myself with the help of professionals I trust and are willing to help. The site will have other functionalities than romantic - it will help connecting people, there will be a genealogy section, a social networking section, an employment and job section, a community billboard - and it will connect Jews from around the world - especially bonding them with Israelis and help promoting Aliyah, and support for Israel. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Adults, Community, Israel, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:50:30+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-heritage-files/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-heritage-files/ Jewish history is filled with thousands of stories of triumph, heartache, joy, sorrow, survival and despair. Spanning from biblical times to post-holocaust, our history is rich with life lessons and knowledge that served our forfathers and inspire us to this day. I propose a series of short films of purely Jewish historical events to inspire today's youth about the spirit and power of Judaism and the undeniable survival of the Jewish people. In a city containing the most disproportionate amount of Jewish directors, actors & producers, I have no doubt that many of these would gladly donate their services to provide these services to the community. The involvement of these key people will help promote the concept and get more people to get involved and participate at all age levels. From King David, to Chana Senesh to Eli Cohen, and many many more we have some of the most powerful and entertaining stories in history as part of our culture and heritage. Engaging Our Community, Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Leadership 2011-04-01T20:47:11+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/project-connect-ensuring-our-jewish-future-one-relationship-at-a-time/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/project-connect-ensuring-our-jewish-future-one-relationship-at-a-time/ Healthy marriages represent the core of our ability to keep the fundamental aims of Jewish continuity alive. However, a three-pronged crisis is threatening the roots of this sacred Institution: - Many are choosing not to get married. - Of those who do get married, many struggle to maintain and sustain long lasting healthy relationships. - Many are choosing to marry out. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Adults, Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:45:23+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-chesed-project/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-chesed-project/ The Chesed Project is a web site dedicated to informing the public about different Chesed projects available in your community/city/state/country. It will be a allow people to identify a relevant Chesed project and get more information about the project and facilitate involvement. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:42:49+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/heebsterpr/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/heebsterpr/ Jewish assimilation can be reduced by creating a modern secular Jewish inspired culture. In short, create an Jewish inspired art scene of fashion, film, photography, music, that Heebsters can continue to explore throughout their lives. Keep it hip and fun. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Arts and Culture, Jewish Identity 2011-04-01T20:40:43+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/collaboration/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/collaboration/ Collaboration is not a program, nor an organization, but truly is the next big Jewish idea. However important and meaningful new programs and services may be, until the paradigm of the Jewish community becomes one of collaboration money and resources will always be scarce and programs and services will always be in jeapordy of being terminated. These economic times are now requiring us to not simply cooperate - if we at all do that, but to do what we as Jews have always been meant to do with each other...Collaborate! Engaging Our Community, Community, Leadership, Philanthropy, Social Justice 2011-04-01T20:34:47+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/daat-jobs/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/daat-jobs/ (In Daat, all sefirot exist in their perfected state of infinite sharing) Da'at Jobs is a website connecting Jewish congregation members looking for jobs and / or providing services, to other members within their own synagogues, as well as linking to all synagogues in the Los Angeles area “ and then in subsequent cities. Temples, synagogues are notoriously independent and competitive with one another. OK, as an organization that's fine, it's a business. However, within each synagogue there is a community that supports it and within it, people are in need. We must work together, reach out directly to one another, and help one another. We are required to do this¦ It is who we are, isn't it? We don't need to look so far away, to see people struggling. We must create an opportunity for Jews to come together and support one another on an individual level and within a community. Da'at Jobs is that solution. We have to build a strong base of people within our community if we are to support outside organizations. There are too many cannot's when people aren't working; they can't be strong, they can't give as much as they would like, they can't feel good about themselves, they certainly are not confident and they cannot create the life they were meant to. They cannot give to their own Temple, and may not even be able to pay their own dues. We need to support and take a look at our neighbor; our friends who are not working and do all we can to help them. Unemployment deteriorates ones mind, shatters families, and relationships, among so much more¦ Are we doing all we can to help those within our sight? If the answer makes you question or gives you doubt, than the answer is no. We are not doing enough. We need to change that “ right now. Within this website the search engine provides the ability for people to look for jobs based on their skills and experience NOT based on key word searches. Creating the website in this way, enables those searching for employment to transfer their skills to various industries. It opens the door and broadens the path for new opportunities. Da'at Jobs can impact the Jewish Community significantly in a way, which doesn't exist right now. Stop the isolation of communities. Our synagogues should lead other communities by example “ they are not doing that now. Jewish tradition advocates helping one another. We need to reach into our own communities as well as with one another to become a stronger unit. Let's start by providing the means for our congregants to lead productive fulfilling lives¦ and bringing the Jewish community together. Engaging Our Community, Community, Interfaith, Social Justice, Technology 2011-04-01T20:27:03+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/do-jew-know-me/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/do-jew-know-me/ The first of several plays about Jewish Women who have made and make history. Bella Abzug, Emma Lazarus, Henrietta Szold, Maud Nathan, Maud Younger, Ray Frank - to name a few....Do Jew Know Me? will identify, honor and celebrate our unknown, forgotten and unsung Jewish heroines through theater, history and story-telling. These women's stories, their struggles, sacrifices, accomplishments, courage and humor are completely lost - especially to our youth who tragically know more about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan that Hannah Solomon who founded The National Council of Jewish Women or Ernestine Rose who fought - with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton - for years and won the battle for married women to have property rights in 1848 women to have - or Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg - so many women and SO many of their stories that need to be told. I perform a multi-media stage show using a Keynote or Power Point which appropriate for the community - temples, libraries, theaters, clubs etcetera and a separate inter-active middle school program that is part multi-media presentation and part scripted and improvised that the students re-enact with me narrating and directing. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Jewish Identity, Social Justice, Young Adult 2011-04-01T20:23:03+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/person-to-person/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/person-to-person/ The Torah teaches us that "you shall open your hand to your brother, to your poor and the destitute in your land". In these difficult economic times there are many Jewish families and individuals who are poor or living on the edge, here in our land --our San Fernando Valley. Many people have lost their jobs and are in danger of losing their homes. Being a difficult time, people do not have as much to give as they once did either. Our Person to Person program wants to help with these problems. Person to person is a program of direct giving - like the adopt a family programs that occur around the holidays. Those in need will be adopted by Jewish organizations, schools or synagogues who will help them financially and eventually with other material donations. Small individual donations (ex. $1.00 per month per person) will turn into substantial gifts when multiplied. With the help of Rabbis and various social service organizations, candidates will be screened and chosen for the program and matched with a donor group. Our hope is that once the people in need have gotten back on their feet, they will be excited to become donors. Caring for Jews in Need 2011-04-01T20:14:39+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/raising-the-bar-professional-training-for-bnai-mitzvah-tutors/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/raising-the-bar-professional-training-for-bnai-mitzvah-tutors/ Raising the Bar is the newest program by Storahtelling, a national organization informing and transforming the contemporary Jewish experience. Storahtelling, in partnership with Hebrew Helpers, a local LA tutoring service, is re-imagining the B'nai Mitzvah experience for new generations, within and beyond traditional communal settings. Based on ten years of research and development worldwide, as well as current B'nai Mitzvah training being offered by Hebew Helpers in LA, Raising the Bar will launch a pilot training program in the greater LA area targeting B'nai Mitzvah tutors who serve the wider Jewish community. The training program is based on Storahtelling's innovative Maven Method‚Ñ¢, integrating classical Jewish learning tools with contemporary stagecraft and new media, connecting modern Jews to their cultural andspiritual birthright. With no national or local programs currently targeting B'nai Mitzvah tutors, Raising the Bar fills the gap and brings educational excellence, cutting edge creativity, standards, benchmarks and professional development to the educators who prepare pre-teens for their quintessentially Jewish rite of passage. The training will enable tutors to go beyond their roles as teachers of Hebrew and basic Jewish concepts, and enable them to provide more dynamic, meaningful and inclusive celebrations of this important milestone for teens and families of all backgrounds, interests and needs. Raising the Bar will partner with local institutions to train 15-20 local B'nai Mitzvah tutors of all denominations during its pilot year and will scale up towards the goal of training tutors nationally by year three. Engaging Our Community, Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Youth 2011-04-01T20:01:27+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/j-eureka-discover-the-treasure-hold-of-jewish-ideas/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/j-eureka-discover-the-treasure-hold-of-jewish-ideas/ The next big Jewish Idea is: Jewish Ideas! For all who have wanted to ask, but were afraid there was no answer, here is your opportunity! So Ask! What is so precious about Judaism that it must continue? What does Judaism have to tell the world? What does it have to tell me? What does it have to say to the adult, critical mind? The responses: Here is the opportunity to encounter the real thing: serious, thoughtful but exciting reflections from a variety of outstanding thinkers on the tough questions; answers for the adult mind that can equip you to think and speak intelligently about Judaism and its core perspectives. J-Eureka gives you the possibility to become articulate, thoughtful, reflective. To be confident in transmitting the "why".Your journey in ideas will take you from Los Angeles to Stockholm, where together with 10 cohorts from Los Angeles you will meet remarkable young professionals from all over Europe who are asking the same tough questions, and who will become your partners in exploring the world of Jewish ideas. The second part of the journey will take you back to Los Angeles where under the tutelage of the Sigi Ziering Institute your conversations will continue together with your Los Angeles colleagues you will explore how to innovatively spread the Idea of Jewish Idea-hood. What brought about the idea of Ideas? The thinking of two cooperating organizations: Paideia, the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden and the Sigi Ziering Institute in Los Angeles. The first is Paideia. Based in Stockholm, and involving fellows from 35 European countries, Paideia has witnessed over the past ten years that one of the most striking developments in Europe is the number and quality of people arriving to Judaism as adults, with adult minds. Some of them find out about their Jewish roots only in a post-adolescent age. Others may have grown up knowing they are Jewish but with little knowledge about what that actually means. Yet a third group of people are non-Jewish spouses, family members, or even unrelated non-Jews dedicating their time to Jewish continuity out of their own interest and identification with the cause. What draws all these people to Judaism is that they see in Judaism a world-view, a body of ideas. They come as adults, and what attracts them is that Judaism can be approached with an adult mind. The second institute is the Sigi Ziering Institute, under the direction of Dr. Michael Berenbaum. Dr. Berenbaum is an eminent scholar of the Holocaust, but his vision is not restricted to the past. Dr. Berenbaum is an astute analyst of Jewish life and a visionary of its future. Idea-based Judaism is aimed at: - people venturing into Judaism with adult minds.- meaning and giving Jewish food for thought.- providing an avenue of access to Judaism for intermarried couples.- young professionals and for educators of high-school seniors: i.e for the inquiring mind. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Adults, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Leadership 2011-04-01T19:48:16+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/camp-oasis-creating-a-better-vision-for-la-one-camper-at-a-time/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/camp-oasis-creating-a-better-vision-for-la-one-camper-at-a-time/ Free from the stereotypes and prejudices that may have developed between neighbors of diverse religious/ethnic backgrounds based upon perception rather than reality, Camp Oasis will bring together teens aged 13-15 from throughout LA's school system to a neutral, established and fully operational camp site (nestled in the Angeles National Forest twenty miles east of beautiful Lake Castaic) in order to take on the monumental task of reshaping the next generation of Los Angeles' multicultural skyline by allowing teens from all walks of LA to live, work and play together with the goal of breaking down visible and invisible barriers, establish friendships and develop trust that will form the basis and essence for a unified and singular LA community in the future. Campers will be chosen each year from the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade classes of schools throughout LA by their teachers. There will initially be four sessions (one for 6th graders, one for 7th graders, one for 8th graders, one for 9th graders). Each session will consist of 96 teens.The teens chosen should be passionate about their unique identity in their community but also be very interested in who their neighbors are and why their neighbors belief system may be different than their own. The expectation is that the number of participants will grow each year as the Camp Oasis experience is deemed a successful model for accomplishing a singular LA Community. Through the development of new friendships, teens will develop an understanding about their fellow campers while at the same time appreciating the cultural and racial differences that exist between campers. The mending and blending of these finer threads of diverse individuals from various socioeconomic communities throughout LA will be accomplished through activities including sports, team building, nature walks, education and intercultural group studies. Following the Camp Oasis experience, these teenagers will be equipped with the tools necessary to bring our communities together through the building of strong roots within and throughout LA. This strong core will lead to the next generation of leaders from within our community who will have developed a tolerant heart which is necessary in order to replace previous prejudices with benevolent bridges based upon a new sense of familiarity, knowledge and humanizaton. There is no better environment to accomplish these deep and profound character building and bonding experiences than at camp - where social and economic differences evaporate and human interaction and personal commonalities become the sole criteria for determining who is a friend. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Community, Interfaith, Jewish Identity, Youth 2011-04-01T19:42:43+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/yiddische-yumour/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/yiddische-yumour/ I would like to bring the idea of learning and speaking Yiddish, Spanish and Humour together in a comedic, educational and inspirtational setting for teens and young adults, via professional actors, writes and perfomers. I would like to engage Jews and Hispanics living in Los Angeles to come together for workshops discussions and events to discuss their similar immigrant backgrounds (if not immediate then going back to the grandparents' stories) and then work on it together and create comedic improv pieces which can be perfomed in community centers, religious institutions, schools etc. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Jewish Identity, Leadership, Young Adult 2011-04-01T19:35:27+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/stretching-and-kvetching...-putting-the-oy-in-joy/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/stretching-and-kvetching...-putting-the-oy-in-joy/ Life is pretty weird/awesome/meshugana huh? If you told me 8 years ago when I was back in NY working on Wall Street, that I would be spending my Sundays in LA at assisted living communities teaching how to stretch and complain, I would think you were Passover soup nuts (ahem, the worst and craziest kind of nuts). But here I am for the last five years teaching Stretching and Kvetching, an exercise and entertainment class that works out the heart, mind, and laughter muscles as much as our legs, arms, and pinky toes. The premise of the class was founded on the wild discovery that people enjoy things that are fun and make them happy. Crazy discovery I know, yet you would be surprised how often this is over looked. Over the years the class and program has taken on several different incarnations. Most recently a wonderful stand up comic and professional clown (seriously, like red nose and floppy shoes professional) Galit Levi has joined and has added even more to the creation and performance aspect of the class. Though I would like to take this moment to personally invite each and every one of you that is reading this right now to come to a real, live class, I will do my best to paint the picture for you so that you can get a sliver of this experience. Each stretch is combined with a kvetch. For example: Wait, wait, are you just going to read it? C'mon, don't just be a passerby. participate in life a little! Follow along with each step and it will be worth your while. Step 1: Begin sitting comfortably in a chair with arms comfortably at your side.Step 2: Slowly inhale while raising your arms overhead (or to a height that is comfortable for you).Step 3: While keeping your hands stretched out over head, look up at the sky and begin shaking your hands back and forth and as you exhale, scream to the heavens "WHY COULDN'T MY SON BE A DOCTOR!!!!". We recently (like hours before the submission deadline recently), completed the Stretching and Kvetching promo video. If you choose to watch it you will get a better idea of who we are and what we are all about. You will also laugh and feel really, really good about yourself. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Community, Elderly, Health & Fitness 2011-04-01T19:14:02+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/holiday-pilgrimage/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/holiday-pilgrimage/ The holidays of Pessach, Shavuot and Sukkot mark three special points in the year when the entire Jewish community would unite in Jerusalem to celebrate together. The State of Israel was reintroduced to the world amidst a business savvy population- one which drives travel prices up specifically at popular times such as holidays. This project aims at securing affordable family trips to Israel, encouraging jubilant celebratory experience in the heart of our homeland along with all of our brothers and sisters. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Holidays and Celebrations, Israel, Jewish Identity, Spirituality 2011-04-01T19:11:01+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/survival/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/survival/ Why should others help us if we ourselves do not help each other? Therefore my big idea is to create the Jewish volunteer organization "SURVIVAL".It is never too much help. I believe that one more properly functioning organization providing help to Jewish people could make a difference.The idea came to my mind when I learned about the tragedy in Arizona, Tucson. Not only some victims, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, were Jewish, but it may be that even a shooter Jared Lee Loughner was a Jew (I did not find any information about his ethnicity, religion, or family values). This young man, Jewish or not, mentally sick or not, no doubt was in a deep trouble before the tragedy. The night before the shooting, he called his friend, tried to reach him, but the phone call was left unanswered.I think, if this young man was aware that he always could not only call but actually get a real help applying to "SURVIVAL", may be this horrible shooting would have not taken place. Caring for Jews in Need, Adults, Community, Elderly, Young Adult 2011-04-01T19:05:50+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/learning-yidishkite-through-hebrew-idioms/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/learning-yidishkite-through-hebrew-idioms/ I like to see a book that teaches YIDISHKITE and not spoken Hebrew.For example:NER TAMID, SHABAT SHALOM, EREV CHAG, CHAG SAMEACH, YERUSHALIM IR HAKODESH, ARON HAKODESH, CHATAN VEKALAH, BRIT MILA, ASERET HADIBROT, DAVID MELECH ISRAEL, BEIT KNESET, ROSEH CHODESH AND LEHITRAOT. Engaging Our Community, Arts and Culture, Community, Elderly, Jewish Education and Lifecycle 2011-04-01T18:52:01+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/children-and-grandchildren-of-survivors-of-the-holocaust/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/children-and-grandchildren-of-survivors-of-the-holocaust/ As a great- grandchild, grandchild, and child of Holocaust survivors, my family's story is/was an incredible journey. My maternal grandparents both came from large families; nine brothers and sisters on both sides.My grandmother was amazing and strong and convinced my grandfather they had to leave Poland. She also convinced her parents and brothers and sisters; but my great grandparents said they needed an extra day to get things in order and that they would be right behind them. That next day, the Nazi's came and forced my family to strip their clothes, and march them to the center of their town. They were then forced to dig their own graves and got shot in the back and that's how their lives ended. My grandparents had many nieces and nephews under the ages of 10, that were also murdered in this fashion. On my father's side, my grandmother died of Typhoid when he was just six years old. He has a baby sister that was on 10 weeks old when his mother died and my grandfather was forced to leave her with a non-Jewish family for her safety so my grandfather could look for work in another town. When they came back to get her, the family was gone with no trace of her. They never saw her again. My father was haunted by this for his entire life. He unfortunately died of cancer when he was in the process of trying to find her. My story can go on and on since there is so much more to tell. Bottom line is my idea is to teach this generation the impact the Holocaust had on many people and how lucky we all are to have been born after this horrific time. I think that we need to instill what happened to our ancestors and keep them educated so that their Jewish roots remain one of the most important aspects of their lives. Ensuring the Jewish Future, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Social Justice, Youth 2011-03-31T22:13:50+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/chicken-soup-for-the-lonely-soul/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/chicken-soup-for-the-lonely-soul/ I have always loved to feed people and I make really good chicken soup. I would like to have a place for lonely people to come and share in a "sense of community" while enjoying a delicious bowl of home made jewish penicillin. Medicine for the sould. Engaging Our Community, Elderly, Food, Jewish Identity, Youth 2011-03-31T22:11:10+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/computer-electronic-donation-center/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/computer-electronic-donation-center/ Currently I am working with a few investors to get my branded computer repair company off the ground. it is in a competition right now for its innovative idea and will hopefully win. The non profit I want to create within the Jewish community is a place where people can drop off their old and used computers or electronics such as iphones cell phones etc. These will be fixed by the computer company that I have created and then resold back to the community for less or given to local charities. Caring for Jews in Need 2011-03-31T22:10:34+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-jewish-mentor-program/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/the-jewish-mentor-program/ The Jewish mentor program is designed to engage kids and adolescents to understand their Jewish culture and religion better, as well as continuing to get enjoyment out of being Jewish. The Jewish Mentor Program would consist of a group of volunteers trained by Rabbis, Hebrew school teachers or approved members of the Greater Los Angeles Jewish Community to share and initiate a positive Jewish experience in Jewish kids and adolescents in order to give them a broader understanding and liking of all aspects of Judaism, including prayer, the Talmud, our history, Kabbalah, the Zohar, Israel, our successes throughout history and the many definitions of what it means to be a Jew. This would help strengthen bonds within the younger Jewish community and would count as volunteer credits for high school and college students. This would not only teach kids and adolescents about Judaism, but also Jewish values such as tikkun olam (our responsibility to help repair the world), compassion and responsibility. Engaging Our Community, Jewish Education and Lifecycle, Jewish Identity, Leadership, Youth 2011-03-31T22:06:51+00:00 http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/heart-to-heart/ http://www.thenextbigjewishidea.com/ideas/entry/heart-to-heart/ With an estimated 300,000 American Jewish students in college, surveys speak of the majority of Jewish students¦ untouched by formal Jewish organizations and activities. LA itself has numerous colleges, including UCLA, USC, Santa Monica College, Occidental, and others, with approximatively 14,000 Jews in total. At the same time, there are over 10,000 Jewish students who grew up with intensive Jewish experiences and educations, entering college with much to offer but tending to participate exclusively in their own communities, leaving both themselves and the Jewish world around them unenriched by one another. This includes many Jews coming from rich Jewish backgrounds and education from the Los Angeles Jewish community. Heart to Heart is a movement whose mission is to include uninvolved students in Jewish life by empowering and mobilizing involved Jewish students to share meaningful experiences and relationships with their peers. By setting up a grassroots network of students on college campuses across America, Heart to Heart promotes the development of welcoming and meaningful Jewish communities and practices. Using a model of relationship-based engagement, involved students are led to include other students in their vibrant Jewish lives and communities through simple friendships integrated with experiential Jewish initiatives. One prime example is Heart to Heart Shabbat dinners hosted by students, in their dorms, featuring a mix of Shabbat regulars and non-regulars. The power of this movement is in its grassroots, peer-to-peer model; who better to connect to uninvolved Jews than fellow students who speak the same cultural language as their peers and are also deeply rooted in Jewish content, education, and communities? These students can provide their friends with meaningful Jewish experiences, welcoming Jewish communities, and deep Jewish connections, often for the first time in their lives. Heart to Heart groups have already been established on 10 campuses across the country, and over 100 Heart to Heart Shabbat dinners have already taken place this year. Engaging Our Community, College, Community, Holidays and Celebrations, Leadership 2011-03-31T21:31:53+00:00