PresenTense welcome
Dear friends,
Thank you for joining us on this incredible night. Every spring across the globe we open our doors to engage the wider community around the energy, passion and creativity exhibited by our fellows and volunteers. Launch Night is an interactive community expo where PresenTense Fellows share their ventures and visions for a more vibrant Jewish future. Under the skillful stewardship of our partner, PresenTenseLA, eleven Jewish social innovators have developed and tested their vision, leveraged local resources and connected with relevant institutions to drive change. It takes a village to support a social innovator, and we are endlessly grateful to the wonderful coaches, mentors, trainers, experts and partners who have lent their support. Our partnership with PresenTenseLA is part of PresenTense’s signature Community Entrepreneurship Partnership platform. Since 2007, PresenTense has collaborated with organizations in 16 cities worldwide to develop this intensive accelerator, training 630 innovators in business skills and equipping them with entrepreneurial tools and frameworks to carry out their visions for social change. Together with the volunteers supporting the fellows, PresenTense
has directly engaged over 1,500 change-makers in Jewish social entrepreneurship, creating an ecosystem of inspired leaders and innovative organizations working to build a reinvigorated Jewish community. Our change-makers, in turn, have touched their networks with their ventures, creating exponential engagement. This year our PresenTense network charted new territory, more deeply engaging intrapreneurs – professionals within our institutions, broadening our reach to the greater social entrepreneurship market, reverse-engineering applications to address communal needs, and adding open community roundtables, Shark Tanks, and master classes. Thank you for taking part in the inspiring work PresenTenseLA and PresenTense are pursuing to create vibrant Jewish life. We are thrilled that you have come to show support to our fellows and to experience their incredible ventures firsthand. We look forward to together transforming the Los Angeles Jewish community, Jewish communities worldwide, and society at large. Naomi Korb Weiss CEO, PresenTense Group
CHAIR Introduction Los Angeles is a city of dreamers, innovators, and risk-takers. It is a hub of innovation where people are paving the way in technology, entertainment, and philanthropy. In LA, we are constantly given the opportunity and the freedom to be courageous and bold (and not only on the 405). In the spirit of our city, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles is continually redefining what is possible – developing innovative strategies to better serve the unique, complex, and diverse LA Jewish community. One of The Federation’s bold moves in recent years was investing in PresenTenseLA. The goal of PresenTenseLA is not simply to run a Fellowship that unveils 11 new ventures each year – it is to create a culture of innovation and creativity in our Jewish Los Angeles; a culture
that tackles the issues we face and arms a generation of leaders with the knowledge and skills to bring about strategic and sustainable solutions. In less than two years, PresenTenseLA has engaged more than 700 people in reenergizing and reimagining our community. We have graduated 23 Fellows who have been guided by more than 20 coaches, 30 mentors and dozens of subject matter experts who have volunteered their time to help our Fellows drive change in the world. We welcome you to join our community and be part of this important work. By investing in PresenTenseLA, we are investing in a stronger, sustainable Jewish future. Welcome to Launch Night! Elaine Lokshin, Chair of PresenTenseLA Julia Moss, Coordinator of PresenTenseLA
Launch Book Key VENTURE STAGES Part of the PresenTenseLA experience is having a diverse cohort of entrepreneurs and “intrapreneurs” who are at varying stages of their venture development. We believe having this type of diversity leads to greater creativity and enriched learning. Idea Stage
Using PresenTense tools and methodologies, fellows identify communal and social problems, refine their visions, and explore potential solutions by creating business models and prototypes.
Growth Stage
Fellows secure enhanced funding, evaluate earlier prototypes and business models, and look to replicate their ventures in untapped markets.
Early Stage
Fellows secure initial stakeholders, revise draft budgets and operations plans, and work to secure funding with a goal of launching within a year.
Advanced Stage
With fully-operational ventures, fellows focus on developing new partnerships and market opportunities that expand and strengthen their core mission.
strategic Initiatives Each of the PresenTenseLA Fellows’ ventures reflect one or more of the Strategic Initiatives of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: • Ensuring the Jewish Future: Creating and supporting opportunities for children, young adults, and young families to participate in and celebrate Jewish life. • Community Engagement: Mobilizing the Los Angeles Jewish community to pursue an inclusive and just society and a safe and vibrant Israel. • Caring for Jews in Need: Leveraging the strength of the Jewish community to provide aid for those in need. Intrapreneurs: Fellows reinvigorating existing Jewish organizations by launching in-house ventures that further their organizations’ missions in new ways.
meet the fellows
2014 PresenTenseLA Fellows
Ensuring the Jewish Future
Aaron Henne theatre dybbuk theatredybbuk.org | FB: theatredybbuk | @theatredybbuk Coach: David Bubis; Mentor: Michael Lubic Aaron Henne, a multiple award winning playwright and long-time theatre maker, is Artistic Director of theatre dybbuk, a company which has partnered with cultural institutions, synagogues and producing entities. Aaron is also thrilled to share his skills as a writing instructor (LucasFilm, Pixar, etc...), collaborative guide (SIJCC’s Culture Lab) and Mentor (Otis College) and a creative facilitator with a wide variety of organizations and clients.
“I hope to redefine what Jewish theatre is for my generation and to utilize Jewish themes and narratives as a point of inspiration for a broad and inclusive conversation. theatre dybbuk serves as a catalyst for seeing the points of intersection between people with a variety of Advanced viewpoints.”
theatre dybbuk illuminates the universal human experience by creating provocative theatrical presentations based on Jewish myths, folklore and history. We develop all of our projects through a process which takes from 6 months to 2 years. These productions incorporate lyrical language, stylized movement and visceral metaphors to create expressionistic, singularly theatrical experiences. Target Audience: Jews in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s and those interested in mythic narratives and multidisciplinary productions. Venture Achievements: We’ve done three productions, including two commissions, and partnerships with multiple synagogues and organizations. Upcoming Milestones: Touring at least one show outside of California and establishing a fully operational board.
Intrapreneur at Shomrei Torah Synagogue; Ensuring the Jewish Future
Adrianne Pasternak The Jewish Learning Community Network Coach: Rachel Sisk; Mentor: Dr. Bruce Powell Adrianne holds a BA in Judaic Studies and a Masters of Education from the American Jewish University. She is fueled by her passion for creating community and teaching through experience. Adrianne believes that meaningful Jewish education should take place in an environment that fosters constructivist, collaborative and student-centered learning opportunities. The Jewish Learning Community Network is a collaboration which provides meaningful opportunities for young learners to access, explore and encounter Judaism in diverse, immersive and socially dynamic learning environments, including at day camp, Shabbat retreats and online platforms. By partnering with two other local Conservative synagogues, our students will benefit from the ability to access full time highly trained teach and a shared common curriculum. Target Audience: Supplementary Jewish Schools interested in collaboration; K-12th Grade Students and their families Venture Achievements: Completed shared curriculum and established collaborations with Adat Ari El and Beth Am synagogues. Upcoming Milestones: Phase one of the program launching in Fall 2014, including camp experiences and staff development.
“Recently, the father of a teacher in my school passed away and I brought some students to a shiva minyan, which many of them continued to attend. What started out as an opportunity to honor their teacher, became an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me as I was witness to the power of real time, Advanced experiential Jewish learning.”
Intrapreneur project of Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust; Ensuring the Jewish Future, Community Engagement
Ilana Ross Share Our Stories Share-Our-Stories.org | @ShareOurStories Coach: Lana Goldenberg Mentors: Amy Shapiro, Shifra Teitelbaum, Shoshana Robinson Ilana is inspired by the incredible creative capital of Los Angeles and all the people working to make a more inclusive, compassionate city. A native of Washington, D.C. and graduate of Pomona College, Ilana works as the Righteous Conversations Project Coordinator at Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust and is a contributing blogger on The Huffington Post.
“Meeting my mentors and my coach – easily some of the smartest, most interesting, passionate women in LA – has been the most impacting part PresenTenseLA for me. They have encouraged me to think boldly and creatively, and have been invaluable Early sources of insight and support.“
Share Our Stories: Imagine if students in underfunded schools had the opportunity to speak on behalf of their community, to express themselves, and articulate their dreams? Imagine if the Jewish community – inspired by our own painful and triumphant history – were able to be a resource to these students: Share Our Stories brings together Holocaust survivors, artists and young people for Righteous Conversations — an artistic exploration of past & present, justice, and a more compassionate world. Target Audience: Schools, Educators, Artists, Students Venture Achievements: Pilot program at Locke High School in Watts, planned art exhibit of students work at LAMOTH Upcoming Milestones: In a year, we hope to be in a dozen schools across Los Angeles.
Ensuring the Jewish Future
Jonathan Bubis Tefillah Transformed Initiative JHBubis@gmail.com Coach: Jodi Berman-Kustanovich Jonathan is a rabbinical student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He is a Jewish educator and prayer leader with a passion for music, theater, and Jewish text. Starting this June, Jonathan will be serving as the assistant rabbi of Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills, California. Tefillah Transformed Initiative (TTI) would bring uplifting, participatory prayer to congregations throughout the country, spark their interest, and equip them to run it themselves. Training materials may include recorded and printed prayer resources, one-on-one tutoring sessions, workshops, and conferences. By inspiring then empowering communities to lead musical, inclusion-based davening, they will be able to attract others into their communities and revitalize the prayer sphere. Target Audience: TTI will target Conservative synagogues nationwide, though it would work with any denomination. Venture Achievements: Tested prayer model in different venues, stockpiled resources, identified competitors/collaborators. Upcoming Milestones: Incubating in Conservative synagogues somewhere in US, supporting other communities nearby.
“I would like to help bring about the day when Jews yearn for shul. I want to assist communities in providing a prayer that is joyful and compelling, decentralized and dynamic. A service that you don’t sit through, but that Idea you are transformed by. “
Community Engagement
Joseph Shamash One Wish Project onewishproject.org | FB: OneWishProject | @1wishproject Coach: Erit Yellen; Mentor: Tal Gilad Joseph is a Jewish Persian Cowboy. Born in Dallas, Texas to Iranian immigrants, he graduated from UCLA with a BA in Sociology and is pursuing his Masters of Arts in Education from AJU. Joseph has held many posts in the entertainment industry and is now combining his passions for filmmaking and education to create the One Wish Project. One Wish Project (OWP) is a non-profit organization striving to create social change through film and education. Our films target marginalized groups and peoples in conflict in order to bridge the gap between them. Coupling this with educational curricula, we aim to foster real social change and increased awareness of our shared humanity, which all too often gets overshadowed by our differences. Target Audience: Students, social activists, peoples in conflict, and organizations working towards similar goals
“I was inspired to do this project by every day people on the street who’s voices have been left unheard, who have Early been marginalized by society.”
Venture Achievements: One Wish Jerusalem and One Wish For Iran, Love Israel which won Best Short Documentary, Best Concept and Best Directing at the LA International New Wave Film Festival. Upcoming Milestones: Funded non-profit with two more films plus supplementary curriculum and planned community events
Ensuring the Jewish Future
Joshua Cohen The Rabbinic Family Network rabbinicfamilynetwork.com | @JFCohen Coach: Gary Brennglass; Mentor: Dr. Doreen Seidler-Feller Joshua is the proud spouse of a newly ordained rabbi, Jaclyn Fromer Cohen. In addition to being a Rebbitzen, Joshua is a CPA where he uses his entrepreneurial education to help clients improve their businesses. Joshua holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management in Accounting & Entrepreneurship. The Rabinnic Family Network: As Rabbi Harvey Fields once told his fellow clergy, “There will be Friday evenings when you rush your family through dinner so that you can get to services on time to give a sermon about the Sabbath as uninterrupted family time.” The Rabbinic Family network seeks to provide resources, mentorship, and educational programs to spouses and children of rabbinic families. Target Audience: Rabbinic families: spouses, partners, children, rabbis, and others in their immediate families. Venture Achievements: Building relationships with key stakeholders and identifying founding members. Upcoming Milestones: Developing a curriculum, organizing a retreat, and creating a mentorship program.
“When I proposed to my wife, it became clear that I would need guidance on what it means to be married to a rabbi. Unfortunately there wasn’t much available to help me. Together we envisioned a network to not only help our own family, but also to help future rabbinic families.” Idea
Ensuring the Jewish Future
Leah Weiner The Emma Project emmafellowship.org | LeahWeiner@gmail.com Coach: Tobi Inlender Leah is the founder of the Emma Project. She launched this project out of a desire to help advance women in their careers and build a national network of Jewish women to advocate for one another. Leah has a doctorate in Personal and Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. The Emma Project is an intergenerational network that provides skill based training infused with Jewish values to help influential women build their skills and confidence to advance in their careers. Target Audience: Jewish women leaders between the ages of 27 and 77 focused on their careers
“I was inspired to launch this project because I wanted to learn from other successful women and create a Jewish community that helped women advance in their careers. The biggest obstacle I face is providing this program to the number of women who have requested to participate located in Early cities throughout the U.S. “
Venture Achievements: Launched pilot fellowship and training institutes in 2012 impacting over 150 women leaders in the pilot year. Upcoming Milestones: Expand to provide a national network in cities across the United States.
Caring for Jews in Need
Lee Chernotsky ROSIES rosiesfoundation.org | @ROSIESpaces | lee@rosiesfoundation.org Coach: Adam Levin; Mentor: Lisa Luboff-Varon Lee has spent half his life working in the special needs community developing and implementing “outside the box” programs and resources focused on enhancing clients’ social, vocational and independent living skills. He and his wife hope their passion and creativity encourage their two young children to take healthy risks and inspire others to do the same. ROSIES (Removing Obstacles Supporting Independence and Enriching Spaces) is a small business incubator that creates meaningful employment and potential business ownership opportunities for people of ALL ABILITIES. We will begin enriching consumer spaces for conscience customers with delicious and healthy treats from ROSIES Pop(sicle) Bus this summer. Target Audience: Individuals in need of employment support, their families, conscience consumers, commerce partners. Venture Achievements: Established 501c3 status and ROSIES Inc. LLC, secured three investors and Pop(sicle) Bus under construction Upcoming Milestones: In first year, “Pop Bus” + 6 flavors + one delivery van + one commercial kitchen = 35 jobs created
“The Jewish community must realize that Jews with disabilities are a minority within a minority. It is our responsibility to educate and train Jews of all abilities, but also to support businesses that provide gainful employment to people of all abilities and the opportunity to achieve greater Early independence.”
Intrapreneur project of JQ International; Caring for Jews in NeeD
Rabbi Rachel Bat-Or JQ International Warmline JQInternational.org | 855-JQI-HLPS warmline@jqinternational.org Coach: Jen Myers; Mentors: Rabbi Zack Shapiro, Sharon Spira-Cushnir As a rabbi, spiritual leader, therapist, and educator for the last 30 years, Rabbi Rachel Bat-Or has helped hundreds of people create meaningful and successful lives for themselves. Her work as the Warmline Coordinator is a natural continuation of that work. The JQ International Warmline provides resources and social service referrals for LGBTQ Jews, their families, and allies. These resources include information about mental and physical health, education, religion, spirituality, political activism, and social connections. Target Audience: LGBTQ Jews, their families, and allies.
“I’m passionate about the Warmline because I want to offer LGBTQ Jews the chance to see themselves the way I couldn’t, with pride instead of shame; a chance to easily find resources and community so they know they Early aren’t alone.”
Venture Achievements: The Warmline currently serves the LGBTQ Jewish community through phone calls and emails. Upcoming Milestones: Volunteers in place; broaden outreach to LGBTQ Jewish community; introduce callers to JQ programs
Caring for Jews in Need
Sara Gershfeld Love My Provider lovemyprovider.com | FB: lovemyprovider | @LoveMyProvider Coach: Shira Shimoni; Mentor: Jesse Adams Sara is a special educator and psychologist. She loves using technology to make daily struggles easier. Love My Provider is a review and rating website for families who have children with special needs. We are determined to make a difference by helping parents find local special needs providers they love. In connecting parents with forward-thinking organizations, we see an incredible opportunity for all of us to rethink, reimagine, and redefine our children’s future. Target Audience: Families who have children with special needs. Venture Achievements: Raised initial angel round; was acqui-hired in December; beta site launched in March. Upcoming Milestones: We will raise another round of angel funding and our services will reach across the United States.
“As a special educator and behaviorist, I have spent years working with parents who get so frustrated and stressed with the process of finding providers, that they lose hope. If we now use peer-to-peer review sites to find the best burger joint, why can’t we use the same technology to help parents find the best local special needs providers that other Growth parents trust?”
Community Engagement
Rabbi Zalman Kravitz NonProfit Exchange nonprofitexchange.com | FB: nonprofitexchange | @npexchange Coach: Heath Binder; Mentor: Ronen Olshansky Rabbi Zalman Kravitz has worked for over 10 years to strengthen and increase innovative educational and outreach programs across the Jewish community. Zalman has developed and launched the Be-True student leadership program, the young professionals Chai Society, and the Smart Choices critical thinking project. NonProfit Exchange: Imagine a world in which small nonprofits don’t have to take the risk of hosting large fundraising events, where they can get exposure to new potential donors, and participate in an economy of scale. The goal of the NonProfit Exchange is to help small nonprofits pool their resources and leverage their reach to raise more funds. We will create a collaborative fundraising ecosystem of team players that revolutionizes the way we fund Jewish nonprofits.
“I am inspired to be part of one of the largest and most diverse communities in the world. Innovations and experiments that are being tested in Los Angeles are daring and significant. This will be the guiding light for Jewish communities Idea across the world.”
Target Audience: We want to serve Jewish nonprofits that raise under one million dollars. Venture Achievements: We’re currently exploring partnerships after launching a brand new website and social media presence. Upcoming Milestones: Launch an online platform for collaborative fundraising, host one collaborative event
by the numbers Over The Last AUG ’12 –MAY ’14
20 Steering Committee Members Have Selected & Supported
22
25 Coaches
MONTHS
Over 700 People Participating in PTLA Events
23 Fellows Who’ve Worked With
32 Mentors
STEERING COMMITTEE The Steering Committee is the “voice” of the fellowship, working closely with the Coordinator to set the vision and direction of the program on behalf of the community. Steering Committee members recruit and admit fellows, and match the fellows with volunteer coaches and mentors. Moreover, Steering Committee members are the Fellows’ advocates and connectors in the larger community. The Steering Committee is vital to the success of the fellowship and integral to PresenTense’s model of community-based entrepreneurship.
2014 Chair: Elaine Lokshin 2014 Steering Committe: Heath Binder, Wendy Jackler, Courtney Mizel, Jeremy Rawitch, Howard Saft, Sami Stein-Avner, Akiko Yonekawa
“Being on the PresenTenseLA steering committee is a great opportunity to help foster innovation in our community while at the same time learning from the amazing instructors and inspiring fellows.” – Jeremy Rawitch
MENTORS Mentors provide high-level support and advice to fellows. Fellows meet monthly with mentors to discuss big-picture challenges, professional aspirations and their ultimate vision for the community. As seasoned professionals from a variety of fields, and stakeholders in the Jewish community, mentors provide deep and valuable insight to fellows as they develop their ventures and themselves.
2014 Mentors: Ronen Olshansky, NonProfit Exchange; Dr. Doreen Seidler-Feller, The Rabbinic Family Network; Michael Lubic, theatre dybbuk; Amy Shapiro, Share Our Stories; Lisa LuboffVaron, ROSIES; Rabbi Zack Shapiro, JQ International Warmline; Sharon Spira-Cushnir, JQ International Warmline; Shifra Teitelbaum, Share Our Stories; Dr. Bruce Powell, The Jewish Learning Community Network; Jesse Adams, Love My Provider; Tal Gilad, One Wish Project; Shoshana Robinson, Share Our Stories
“Working with my PresenTenseLA Fellow has reminded me of the important role that Jewish social entrepreneurs have in bridging dialog and raising consciousness of the world’s most pressing problems. I have learned so much from our work and can only hope my mentorship furthers the amazing trajectory of these Fellows.” – Tal Gilad
COACHES Coaches provide hands-on, tactical support to fellows to help develop their ventures. Fellows meet regularly with their coaches to workshop their Venture Milestone assignments and discuss vision and strategy. As experienced professionals from a variety of sectors, coaches lend their expertise and skills to fellows and the program at large, creating a learning community that leverages diverse talent and knowledge in service of social innovation.
2014 Coaches: Jodi Berman-Kustanovich, Tefillah Transformed Initiative; Heath Binder, NonProfit Exchange; Gary Brennglass, The Rabbinic Family Network; David Bubis, theatre dybbuk; Lana Goldenberg, Share Our Stories; Tobi Inlender, The Emma Project; Adam Levin, ROSIES; Jen Myers, JQ International Warmline; Rachel Sisk, The Jewish Learning Community Network; Shira Shimoni, Love My Provider; Erit Yellen, One Wish Project
“It is a privilege to support PresenTenseLA and its cohort of creative, passionate innovators who are committed to Tikun Olam and to acquiring the skills needed to launch their social ventures.” – Gary Brennglass
The PresenTenseLA Fellowship is currently one of 18 PresenTense Fellowships in 16 cities around the world in 2014.
This network spans across three continents. 6 COUNTRIES
UNITED STATES
ISRAEL
RUSSIA
CANADA
LATVIA
UKRAINE
16 Communities
Boston Chicago Los angeles New york city Philadelphia Washington DC
Jerusalem Raanana Nazareth Haifa Tel Aviv
Moscow St. Petersburg
TORONTO
RIGA
KIEV
The PresenTenseLA Environment 6% Fellows are part of an international network Tech 9% of 176 Fellows working on 155 ventures in the following areas this Arts 11% year:
The first PresenTense Fellowship was launched in 2007. Since then:
Women 2% Community Building 24%
630 Fellows
Venture Topic Areas
3,000+ volunteers 500,000+ people impacted globally
Other 12% Social Action 13%
579 ventures
Education 17%
The Federation’s PresenTenseLA aims to provide those with new, creative ideas for the Jewish community with the tools to succeed. Our hope is that our fellows and their ventures reflect the mission of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: to ensure the Jewish future, engage with the community, and care for Jews in need. @PresenTenseLA | facebook.com/PresenTenseLA | PresenTenseLA@jewishla.org
PresenTenseLA.org
PresenTense strengthens communities through social entrepreneurship and innovation. Through our CEP Fellowships, PTSchool Seminars, and local innovation Hubs, PresenTense fosters local involvement, empowers confident leaders, and positions communities as relevant places for social change. @presentense | facebook.com/presentense | contact@presentense.org
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