Ruderman Family Foundation Blueprint for Social Change: Shaping an Impact-Based Strategy

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Blueprint for Social Change: Shaping an Impact-Based Strategy An Analysis of the Foundation’s Activity in the Field of Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Society

Case Study 2002 – 2020 : Written by Galia Granot Deputy Director Israel , Ruderman Family Foundation Shira Ruderman Executive Director, Ruderman Family Foundation

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Contents Chapter I: The Ruderman Family Foundation | 2 Who We Are

2

Why We Chose to Focus on the Field of Inclusion of People with Disabilities

3

The Foundation Charts a New Course

5

The Methodology

6

Chapter II: Change Strategy - From Theory to Practice | 8 Vision and Values

8

Working Assumptions

8

Theory of Change

11

Chapter III: Test Cases - Spearheading the Change | 13 Axis of Impact - Solutions

13

Axis of Impact - Awareness

18

Integration of Impact Axes - Solutions and Awareness

22

Chapter IV: Epilogue | 25 What We Have Learned

25

Challenges Along the Way

28

Main Achievements

29

Our legacy

32

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Chapter I: Meeting the Ruderman Family Foundation Who We Are The Ruderman Family Foundation is a private, strategic family foundation established in the United States by the Ruderman family in 2002. Until then, like many private philanthropists, the Ruderman family had engaged in several areas of activity concurrently, and their resource allocations lacked focus and a predetermined order of priorities. Motivated by passion and dedication, the family had supported worthy goals such as Jewish education in the United States, hospitals and universities, but without a structured plan of action.

Like many “traditional philanthropists”, the family regarded philanthropy as a secondary pursuit, combining a moral and ethical obligation with the great privilege of giving. In 2002, when the younger generation became involved, an in-depth learning process was launched. As a result, the family decided to change their patterns of activity, striving to build the Foundation as a strategic, engaged philanthropic foundation guided by a clear vision, and operating in a focused manner that would yield significant results in Israel and in American Jewish communities.

Over the years, The Foundation adapted itself, to global trends and changes that characterized the new philanthropy of the twenty-first century (Schmid, 2011). It adopted dynamic approaches, seeking to spearhead proactive processes by means of project initiatives, partnership in decision-making and action to expedite problem-solving (Fleishman, 2007). The Foundation regarded itself as an entrepreneur and investor, actively engaged in ensuring maximum social return on its investments. The Foundation’s perception of its mission was broadened: instead of merely providing isolated contributions to organizations or programs, it now considered itself responsible for bringing about significant systemic change with a broad social impact.

As part of the Foundation’s professionalization process, it developed a theory of change that included axes of impact and several main activities. The Foundation’s operational structure was expanded, as professional staff members who are not members of the family were brought in. Nevertheless, the family has remained deeply involved. Family members

-3make up most of the board of trustees and hold most of the professional management positions in the Foundation. At present, the Foundation operates by means of two branches, in the United States and in Israel. It is headed by Jay Ruderman, president of the Foundation since 2008, Sharon Shapiro, community liaison and trustee, and Shira Ruderman, executive director. The Foundation’s two offices, in Boston and Israel, are fully synchronized, cross-fertilizing, and complement each other.

An important milestone in the Foundation’s development occurred in 2010, when Foundation president Jay Ruderman decided to take more intensive steps to ensure the rights of people with disabilities. To effect valuable change, it is necessary to act publicly, and to voice ethical and social positions, in addition to engaging in actual activity. This constitutive moment turned the Ruderman Family Foundation into an activist foundation, spearheading groundbreaking processes by means of awareness campaigns in the media and social networks. This approach was considered radical at the time and was not entirely welcomed by others in the philanthropic community.

Faithful to its path, however, the Foundation earned a solid reputation in the struggle for human rights and justice, not only in Israel and the Jewish world, but throughout the secular world.

Why We Chose to Focus on the Field of Inclusion of People with Disabilities The Foundation's entry into the realm of inclusion stemmed from a rational and value decision and not from a personal connection to someone with a disability. The family saw injustice and noted a lack of infrastructure and effective solutions for the inclusion of special families - those with children or other members with disabilities - in the daily life of the Boston Jewish community. In 2002, the Foundation, together with Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) of Boston, established the Gateways organization to include children with disabilities in Jewish settings in the United States. This project, the Foundation’s first in this field, introduced the family to the world of inclusion and disabilities. It began as a pilot program in six local schools and expanded over the years to include approximately 100 schools that had an impact on thousands of students and their families.

The Foundation saw valuable data attesting to the need to invest in the world of

-4people with disabilities: People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world, 20 percent of the population, i.e., almost a billion people; People with disabilities encounter a lot of prejudice and stereotypes, and they are underrepresented in all areas of life, including education, employment, housing and community life, even compared to other excluded populations; Inclusion is not perceived as a social justice and human rights issue, but rather as a matter of charity and compassion. The voices of people with disabilities are rarely heard and their needs are marginalized; Decision-makers, professionals and the public are swayed by preconceived notions regarding people with disabilities. This manifests itself in the quality of services they received, attempts to meet their needs and available resources; Because the issue of inclusion encompasses many populations, people with disabilities are liable to face obstacles and serious discrimination, as they may belong to several excluded groups based on gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc..

The issue of inclusion is a wide scope issue and touches upon all areas of life and all types of population.

Considering all these factors, the Foundation decided to focus on inclusion and expanded its activity in this area. A few years later, a grandchild with a disability was born into the Ruderman family. This was a sign for the family to continue working diligently to further the rights of people with disabilities and to ensure that our society became more just and fairer to all its members. At first, the Foundation was active only within the Jewish community but, with time, it realized that inclusion has to do with the intrinsic rights of all human beings, and that the mission was a critical one that could not wait. It, therefore, adopted a global perspective, expanding its activity to include other countries and audiences.

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Global Jewish and Non Jewish

National Jewish Public

Local

Jewish to Non Jewish

Jewish Society

The Foundation Charts a New Course For almost two decades, the Ruderman Family Foundation has, courageously and with determination, coordinated efforts to further the rights of people with disabilities and their inclusion in society. In recent years, we have witnessed positive changes in this regard: an increase in the number of people working in the field; a change in discourse; investments by more philanthropists; and maturation of projects and infrastructure in the social and governmental sectors. Considering these encouraging signs, the Ruderman family decided to conclude its involvement in this field and turn its energy and resources

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Thus, this is the time to tell our story, to derive knowledge and insights from our years of fascinating activity, and to ensure the transmission of a valuable heritage to activists and organizations working in this field. In this document, we sum up our years of experience, the knowledge we have accumulated, our conclusions, and our recommendations in the hope that these will help us and our partners to plan and improve social and philanthropic activities. It is important to us to encourage social action organizations and foundations to wear “inclusion glasses”. We believe the working model we have developed offers key principles for success that can be implemented in various areas of activity, and that we are duty bound to pass it on to the professional community.

The Foundation’s decision to adopt activist working methods achieved results in which we take pride and are happy to share, but also challenges that are by no means simple.

In this document, we present our story in full, focusing on the journey we undertook.

While this journey was sometimes circuitous and complex, we believe that it led to good results and achievements. We are pleased with the road we have traversed and know that we did all we could to make our world better and fairer. It is important to us to share our story because the path is not always simple and easy, but if we choose a precise goal and work consistently and fearlessly with constant review, we can change the world. This, we believe, is the task of philanthropy in the twenty-first century. If we can innovate and enrich, as well as encourage other foundations to adopt an engaged, active model of activity, we will have achieved our goal.

Methodology for Writing this Summary This summary is based on an analysis of information from various sources: external assessments; an impact survey; in-depth interviews with stakeholders and the Foundation staff; and internal organizational materials. We will first present our motivation for focusing on inclusion of people with disabilities, as well as our vision, values and working assumptions. Then, we will explain the Foundation’s theory of change, giving concrete examples of its application.

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Ruderman Family Foundation: Timeline Establishment of the Foundation

2002

Connecting the Field of Inclusion as an Issue of Human Rights

2007 Changing Perception Through Hollywood and the Film and Television Industry

2018

Impact Axis Solutions Development of Services and Programs

2003

Adding a Complementary Impact Axis - Advocacy

2010

Exit from the Field of Inclusion

2020

Focusing on the Field of Inclusion

Selection of Major Arenas for Action

2005

2006

Expansion of the Foundation's Activities for the Non-Jewish Public

2015

Selection of a New Area of Activity

2021

Changing Perception Through Hollywood and the Film and Television Industry

2017

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Chapter II: Change Strategy - From Theory to Practice Vision and Values The Ruderman Family Foundation works to create a fair, prosperous society by including people with disabilities and accepting all people in Israel, the United States and worldwide. The Foundation strives to create a sustainable society based on the values of justice and mutual responsibility, a society with moral norms and defined rules that are not dependent solely on the goodness of people’s hearts or their character, but are enshrined as obligatory, essential characteristics of justice in a well-ordered society.

The Foundation is guided by Jewish values as well as universal values such as equality, social justice, excellence, inclusion, mutual responsibility, innovation, professionalism and integrity.

Working Assumptions Engaged Strategic Philanthropy We are interested in maximizing the social return on our investment.

Our activity is not only measured in money, but also in symbolic capital, knowledge and professionalism, integration abilities and expediting and initiation of complex systemic processes.

Leadership We demonstrate responsibility, and we lead and set in motion sustainable social processes, not by supporting or pushing from behind but as a leading player (engine) that maps out the route to valuable processes of change.

Effective leadership, adoption of a clear position and full public transparency are vital to success in the social and philanthropic arena.

Activism We strive to create a stronger, fairer and more accepting society, based on the values of social justice, equality and human rights. Our aim is to eliminate and shatter obstacles that harm excluded populations, including people with disabilities. To generate sustainable, systemic change, the Foundation must be proactive, operate openly and focus constantly on achieving its social objectives.

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Focus We are developing a structured strategy to be implemented by means of effective working methods that reinforce and encourage focus and clarity, along with introspection, flexibility and creativity.

Expertise We strive to become thoroughly familiar with relevant activity being carried out and to amass experience in the long term while learning and improving from that experience. These activities will ensure that we operate professionally, responsibly and effectively.

Innovation Our task is to initiate, develop and expedite a unique, groundbreaking response and patterns of thinking to contend with complex social, public and governmental problems.

Holistic-Systemic Conception Because we are working at a central juncture of the social, publicgovernmental, philanthropic and business realms, we need a broad, holistic perspective to create a social field and to further a variety of multi-sector interventions.

Global Conception As part of the global philanthropic community, we consider it important for everyone involved in relevant fields to learn from one another. Doing so will improve result-oriented interventions in the social arena.

Core Principles Guiding Inclusion Activity The Foundation promotes human rights, social justice and fairness.

The Foundation promotes full inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of life.

The Foundation will not initiate or fund programs that encourage isolation of people with disabilities.

The Foundation’s programs are intended for all people with disabilities (multi-disability).

Nothing about us without us: People with disabilities will be partners in planning and activity.

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The Holistic Approach in the Field of Inclusion The Ruderman Family Foundation

Timeline of areas of life

Child Adult Elder

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Theory of Change Methods of operation

Axes of impact

Spheres of influence Initiative and development

Solutions

Sustainability Professionalism and expertise

Awareness

Partnerships Scale of activity (scale-up) Networking

Engine of Change

An increase in highquality inclusion of people with disabilities in society

The Foundation’s theory of change was developed in keeping with our vision and values and pursuant to our working assumptions. This theory is intended to ensure that we have a substantial impact on bettering the lives of people with disabilities and their inclusion in society, and emphasizes continued development even after we end our involvement. The theory of change is based on two interconnected axes of impact that complement each other synergistically: The Axis of Solutions:

Conceiving and developing multisystem services that make

the most of all resources in places where there is a significant shortage. The Foundation conceives and develops broad-impact solutions that provide a holistic, extensive, multisystem response. In some cases, the Foundation operates as a venture capital foundation. It chooses its investments according to a strategic plan that includes identifying needs and decides on an innovative, efficient, broad-impact response while analyzing the possible risks. The Foundation’s programs are result-oriented and timelimited, and they have the potential for expansion and assimilation while remaining sustainable in the long run. The awareness-changing component (advocacy) is an integral part; it is the thread that binds them to the Foundation’s philanthropic activity.

The Axis of Awareness: Efforts such as changing awareness and advocacy make possible the reduction and efficient elimination of structural barriers. The Foundation places issues on the public agenda to create bottom-up public awareness and influence decision-makers, using traditional and social media. At the base of our activist worldview is the idea that each one of us - whether we have a disability or not - has a role to play and the ability to shape the discourse. We especially regard online and media platforms - both traditional and digital - as an opportunity for individuals and groups to make their voices heard and to spearhead change together.

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Working Methods Methods of Operation

Spheres of influence

Initiative and development

Sustainability

Professionalism and expertise

Main Activities Identifying strategic spheres of influence in which intervention and strategic activity will lead to valuable change.

The spheres of influence are task- and result-oriented and have the potential to create a ripple effect.

Encouraging and developing an innovative response.

Supporting initiatives and pilot programs.

Spearheading flagship programs and/or internal strategic programs or providing grants.

Devising the Foundation’s exit strategy in the planning stage.

Defining time-limited indicators of results.

Building sustainable engines for growth and change.

Accumulating knowledge, understanding, methods and experience relevant to inclusion.

Developing, distributing and assimilating knowledge and effective tools.

Sharing tools and best practices.

Organizing and running conferences and events for professionals and decision-makers. Measuring and assessing, using shared indices.

Partnerships

Recruiting people from government, academia, the business sector and philanthropic organizations.

Encouraging, developing and strengthening interventions and efforts to meet needs in a three-sector partnership.

Forming a network of people with disabilities and connecting them to the infrastructure of the various partnerships.

Establishing a multi-sector professional network.

Scale of activity (scale-up)

Initiating and supporting a multi-field response with the potential for widespread implementation.

Giving preference to programs that provide a valuable, multisystem response. Placing emphasis on meeting needs of a large population of people with disabilities (critical mass).

Networking

Networking for people with and without disabilities.

Enabling people with disabilities to exert an influence in a bottomup approach. Using social networks as a strategic arena for change.

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Engines of Change Within our activities on both axes of impact, we identified valuable arenas and created “engines of change” that will continue to grow after the Foundation exits its various projects. In this way, we created a “spread” effect that intensified the impact of our actions, both in programs run by the Foundation and in its grant support of outside organizations. In light of the Foundation’s entrepreneurial DNA, we devised an exit strategy in advance, which stipulates the desired benchmarks that will determine when the initiative becomes independent. From a macro perspective, the Foundation institutes effective solutions and creates a change in awareness as a sustainable basis for continued growth in the future.

Chapter III: Case Studies - Spearheading the Change The studies presented below illustrate how we fulfilled the Foundation’s values which place the individual at the center, with all their dreams and needs, and translates the desire for inclusion into universal themes of human rights and justice. By analyzing these cases, we will illustrate our theory of change which serves as our compass for planning and project initiation processes, for our ongoing work and for ensuring continuity in the future.

On the axis of solutions, we focused on developing services for the inclusion of people with disabilities in significant areas of life: employment; housing; education; community and leisure.

On the axis of public awareness, we focused on acknowledging the rights of people with disabilities, as well as shattering stigmas and stereotypes.

On each axis of impact, we identified valuable spheres of activity and created engines for change.

Impact Axis: Solutions The need we identified: Inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in Jewish Communal life in the United States.

The community is an important, critical layer of the identity and lives of individuals and families in Jewish society, in all its denominations and varieties in Israel and the United States. Synagogues, schools, summer camps and leisure and cultural activities are important aspects of community life and are the means of creating a sense of belonging.

- 14 The inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in these settings is crucial for them and their families.

Working Methods Spheres of Influence We identified the religious sphere, including various religious leaders, as a platform for improving access, opening the community’s gates and reinforcing the sense of belonging of people with disabilities. Based on this insight, we defined this as an important sphere of activity that can potentially have a broad impact by bettering the lives of people with disabilities and including them in society. Emphasis was on creating a sense and experience of belonging and community, and on mitigating loneliness. The Foundation chose to act in this sphere both in Israel and in the United States.

Educational settings: Jewish schools, camps and informal activities for the various denominations and groups in the Jewish community are an integral, substantive part of the lives of children and their families in the United States. They have a powerful impact on the quality of their lives, their personal and family identity and the ability of the children and their families to integrate optimally into the community.

Cultural and leisure centers shape community awareness to a large extent and serve as social and spiritual meeting places for all community members.

Main Activities In accordance with the foundation's holistic approach, we chose to work on several aspects of Jewish communal life. To ensure the sustainability of the process, the Foundation established infrastructure and engines of growth so that the activity could continue even after it finished its involvement in the process. The Foundation used a similar method to devise solutions for all programs developed with its involvement.

The tools and working procedures developed by the Foundation include: Developing and launching pilot programs in organizations that have the potential to assimilate them in order to influence a large population of people with disabilities.

Devising an action and exit strategy that includes goals, targets for success, intervention activities, target populations and target dates.

Planning infrastructure for organizations and for focal points of activity.

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Main components of Foundation activity on various levels: Plan: » Developing an intervention plan to make the activities and program components accessible to people with disabilities and their families. » Funding the development and operation of the program. » Reviewing the effectiveness of programs and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

Organization: » Full accessibility for people with disabilities and their families. » Development of strong leadership in the areas of activity and the organizations. » Professionalism among the leading teams and therapists: specialties, training, knowledge and tools. » Assimilation of values, tools and a shared language by the professional staff, decisionmakers, social action organizations, academia and government. » Assistance for organizations that receive grants, with emphasis on in-depth work vis-à-vis the boards of directors, management and professional staff.

Field: » Sharing of information and joint activity through the establishment of forums of representatives of the various Jewish denominations. » Cross-fertilization and improved professionalism by means of joint forums, roundtables, conferences, etc. » Formation of coalitions of organizations and foundations for the programs, laying the groundwork for collaborative endeavors. » Creative outreach, inculcation of values and education among participants, families and communities. » Use of the digital assets of the organization and community: newsletters, social networks, websites, etc. » Joint campaigns in communities, focusing on inclusion as a Jewish value and a universal humanrights value.

- 16 Examples of Activity RSIP The Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project (RSIP) was launched in 2014 as a partnership between RFF and CJP to support synagogues in creating communities where people of all abilities and their families are welcomed, valued, and participate fully. The program was launched across all Jewish synagogues from all Jewish denominations.

Today it includes 52 participating synagogues that fall into the categories of Partners, Affiliates, or Alumni based on their level of engagement and number of program offerings.

The sheer growth of participants is a testament to the strong network the program has nurtured for effecting change. Each synagogue that participates in RSIP engages in its own strategic process and implements an Inclusion Action Plan to move its efforts forward. RSIP supports each synagogue with grants ranging from $500-$5,000 as well as resources based on each institution’s specific needs and challenges.

Gateways Access to Jewish Education, was formed in July 2006 by the merger of two Boston area community based organizations, Etgar L’Noar and The Jewish Special Education Collaborative.

In 2009, Gateways also absorbed a program of special needs consultation formerly overseen by the Bureau of Jewish Education. As a result of these mergers, Gateways became Boston’s central address for Jewish education for students with disabilities. The new organization formed was one of a kind in supporting schools, professionals and students with disabilities. Gateways provides special education services, expertise, and support to enable students with diverse learning needs to succeed in Jewish educational settings and participate meaningfully in Jewish life. Gateways provides a diverse menu of innovative educational services and programs designed for students with a range of learning styles and challenges. The organization collaborates with educators at area day schools, congregational and community supplementary schools, and Jewish preschools, and has its own autonomous Jewish Education Programs.

Denominations The efforts to raise awareness and promote inclusion in religious life in made by the foundation expressed in its work with Jewish denominations was aimed to change the way Jewish religious streams approach inclusion and disability. Efforts were made internally towards organizational change and externally towards the faith based institutions under the umbrella of each denomination. Every denomination implemented the inclusion and change according to its faith traditions.

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Engines of Change Due to the implementation of knowledge and practice by the Foundation, the infrastructure organizations specialized in the area of inclusion and took upon themselves to continue to work with the Jewish community. Thanks to their years of activity at every major point along the spectrum of Jewish life, there is currently an entity with expertise, knowledge, resources and experience that will continue working with Jewish organizations and communities in Boston, after the Foundation is no longer involved. Inculcation of the values of equality and justice, education for innovation and entrepreneurship, and reinforcement of independence will ensure continued activity in these Jewish communities. This intensive investment, encompassing many members of Boston’s Jewish congregations, has resulted in an ongoing, multi-age, multisystem response to needs. The Foundation made sure to create a foundation of knowledge and activity in several strategic organizations so that they can continue developing innovative services and effective initiatives in line with the Foundation’s values, even without its involvement and support. Moreover, for every area of life, the Foundation took pains to develop innovative, precedent-setting, informative materials available to professionals and the public. These include: Halachic practices and dispensations that improve life for people with disabilities and their families and assure their religious rights in their daily lives. Some examples: allowing guide dogs into synagogues; making mikva’ot (ritual baths) accessible; permitting deaf people to marry, and more.

Two important, groundbreaking books: "Ve-ein ha-de’ot shavot", about the status of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Jewish tradition; and "Lifrotz et homat ha-zekhukhit", about intimacy and marriage for people with disabilities.

In line with the Foundation’s core values, and in view of the positive changes that have occurred with the inclusion of people with disabilities in community life, in synagogues, and among rabbis and spiritual leaders, the Foundation decided to expand its activity to other religions. Based on the idea that inclusion is a value that can bring together different communities and traditions, the Foundation, together with its partners, initiated discussions and learning opportunities, and organized interfaith conferences for Jewish, Christian, Druze and Muslim religious leaders.

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Impact Axis: Awareness A substantial change in the context of inclusion of people with disabilities will take place only if we are able to create a broad change in awareness.

In the prevailing discourse, people with disabilities are perceived as largely incompetent; they are portrayed in a polar fashion as both unfortunates and superheroes, and they encounter social stigmas which harm their chances of optimal inclusion in all areas of life. We must make the human diversity of the heterogeneous population of people with disabilities visible and focus the discourse on human rights rather than on charity and compassion. Moreover, people with disabilities, their families and some professionals often echo the generalizations towards people with other disabilities and act accordingly, thereby deepening the division between people with different disabilities. The individual’s voice is silenced, and cycles of exclusion are reinforced. Having understood this challenge, Foundation President Jay Ruderman and Executive Director Shira Ruderman decided to seize the reins of leadership, act personally and publicly to introduce a solid social agenda, making extensive use of the media and social networks.

Case study: Lack of Authentic Representation of People with Disabilities in the Film and Television Industry Identifying the need: The film and television industry has immense leverage to shape opinions and public awareness. The marginalization of actors and professionals with disabilities has a powerful impact on representations of them, which often end up being biased, stereotypical and offensive. The void created on movie and television screens by the absence of people with disabilities reinforces erroneous paradigms. A study conducted by the Foundation found that 95 percent of characters with disabilities are played by able-bodied actors; they may not be able to play these parts in a way that is true to the life experience of people with disabilities. As a result, they are depicted superficially and in an exaggerated manner, which emphasizes the disability and limits them to roles of superheroes, weak unfortunates or dangerous villains.

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Working Methods Spheres of influence

Hollywood was chosen as a strategic arena for change and influence. As the ultimate role model, Hollywood is admired and emulated by film and television industries around the world. A dynamic change of authentic representation of people with disabilities there would heighten awareness and create a worldwide ripple effect.

Leisure culture and television were identified as effective spheres for long-term influence on all areas of life, on thought and on public awareness.

Main activities: Publication of a white paper in 2018 on authentic representation of people with disabilities in television which was shared and covered extensively in the media and social networks.

An extensive digital campaign in social media: In a video, the actress Octavia Spencer compared the representation of people with disabilities with the representation of a variety of populations, including black actors. The campaign, which touched on human rights and values, called on actors and opinion leaders to support authentic representation of people with disabilities, and urged the large production companies to engage in a comprehensive process in which they committed to making casting accessible to actors with disabilities.

Laying the groundwork for strategic cooperation with leading organizations, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Sundance Institute, major production companies (CBS, Netflix, HBO), major festivals (Sundance Festival, Boston Jewish Film Festival, Variety Inclusion Summit, ReelAbilities Film Festival), and in Israel, the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund.

Networking to reinforce bottom-up activity in social media: A network of filmmakers and actors with disabilities worked on promoting the subject in the industry and placing it on the public agenda. These people, including Danny Woodburn, Marlee Matlin and Taraji P. Henson, formed the basis for valuable advocacy for the rights of actors and others with disabilities in the entertainment industry.

Conferences and events, such as roundtables in Hollywood and Israel with actors and other prominent people in the film and television industry: The prestigious Morton E. Ruderman Award was presented by the Ruderman Family

- 20 Foundation to Marlee Matlin (an Oscar-winning, deaf actress), the filmmaking Farrelly brothers and to the actress Taraji P. Henson, for their contribution to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the film and television industry.

Leisure culture and television: Two innovative, original television series produced in Israel in conjunction with the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund created the vanguard of television programming representing actors with disabilities authentically: In ‫״‬Viki and Me‫״‬, a deaf actress appeared in prime time for the first time ever; in the case of ‫״‬Perfect‫״‬, the producer and all participants are people with disabilities. These cultural assets will be remembered for a long time. They will influence viewers and encourage filmmakers, actors and production companies to diversify casting and include actors and others with disabilities in the film and television industry in a variety of functions.

From Perfect

Indeed, we have effected change: Extensive media reports on the importance of authentic representation of people with disabilities in the media and television; many references have been made in the media to the Foundation's findings in its white papers; At least fifty renowned people in Hollywood took part in a roundtable encounter.

USA- Four production companies, Sony Pictures Entertainment, CBS Entertainment, NBC Universal, and Paramount have joined the Ruderman Family Foundation’s call and signed the foundation’s pledge to reaffirm their commitment to audition actors with disabilities for each new studio production.

Israel - Four of Israel’s five major television broadcasting and production companies -- KAN, RESHET, HOT, and YES -- have signed the new pledge committing to audition actors with disabilities for each new studio production and to conduct a more inclusive selection process for all jobs across the film industry, on and off screen.

More than one hundred actors, directors and opinion leaders in Hollywood, including George Clooney, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close and Joaquin Phoenix, have publicly

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expressed support for authentic representation of actors with disabilities in film and television. For the first time, Hollywood’s Academy Awards ceremony in 2020 included host Zack Gottsagen, an actor with Down's Syndrome. ngine of chang

Engines of Change We believe that a change in Hollywood, the heart of the entertainment industry, will have an impact on future content which will, in turn, influence millions of culture consumers, with and without disabilities, around the world. The result could be a chain reaction, in which the industry will reshape public awareness and the public will demand and receive greater diversity and authentic representation. Hollywood is the leading creator of films and a magnet for shapers and lovers of culture, establishing trends and norms for all film industries worldwide.

During this process, we identified a need to increase the number of actors with disabilities as an important factor for success. The Foundation is therefore partnering with the prestigious Yale School of Drama to offer scholarships for acting students with disabilities. Yale graduates are leaders in the industry. By choosing Yale, we will be fostering a high caliber of young actors with disabilities, which will ensure the adoption of the model in other drama schools.

In Israel, our collaboration with the Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, the leader of discourse on diversity in Israeli film and television, has already brought about change among decision-makers, foundations and the Israeli public. Gesher’s series has established new norms with respect to the authentic representation of actors with disabilities, ensuring that this advocacy will continue in future productions even without the Foundation’s involvement. These cultural assets will stand the test of time, influencing large numbers of viewers, and encourage filmmakers, actors and production companies to diversify casting and include actors and others with disabilities in a variety of roles and occupations in the film and television industry.

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Integration of Impact Axes: Solutions and Awareness Case Study: LINK20, an activist network of young people promoting inclusion of people with disabilities.

LINK20 is a global social movement centered around a network of young people, with and without disabilities, who promote equal rights for young people and others with disabilities. The movement is based on three action strategies: increasing public awareness of the right of people with disabilities to participate fully in society; reinforcing activism, leadership and the influence of young people with disabilities; and creating online platforms to further shared social goals. The movement's name, Link20, expresses its main objective: to connect people with disabilities, who constitute 20% of the general population, with the rest of the population, people without disabilities.

Identifying the need: Despite years of advocacy by the Foundation on behalf of the inclusion of people with disabilities, and an increase in inputs, resources and organizations active in this field, many people with disabilities are still excluded and lack representation in major areas of life, including higher education, employment, housing and social life. People with disabilities are, for the most part, perceived dichotomously as either inspiring or in need of assistance. As we understand it, this situation stems from several clear barriers: people with disabilities tend to have limited capital and social connections; they have little social involvement; they lack united leadership.

After 15 years in this field, the Foundation decided to establish LINK20, the first social movement in which young people with and without disabilities work together to promote social justice and rights of people with disabilities. We believe in the spirit of change in the hearts of young people and in their ability to influence others while fostering leadership and activism in the digital age. LINK20 combines the Foundation’s two axes of impact: the axis of awareness and the axis of solutions.

Working methods Spheres of influence: Cyberspace and social media are an effective sphere for changing awareness and forging connections between young people to enhance their social capital and promote shared goals; Young people are an engine for growth, social change and the creation of

- 23 discourse based on human rights, inclusion and diversity.

Activism and digital leadership are initiatives just beginning to strengthen.

Creating a cadre of young leaders with and without disabilities who can take action to promote shared goals and use knowledge and tools suitable for leadership in the new age will be integral in making a difference.

Main activities: Our central guiding principle is, “Nothing about us without us.” Movements and social networks generally grow from the bottom up. The Foundation therefore chose to elicit the need for networking and social change among young people, independent of organizations and the establishment, in the hope that they will break new ground and design solutions that are right for them.

1. Movements of activists and leadership spearheading change: graphic model Top-down > Coalescing many leaders and activists on the countrywide and global levels, integrating them in the leadership cadre of the movement and the ranks of organizers. > Establishing and fostering a network of alumni who can join the leadership cadre of the movement and the ranks of organizers. > Training the movement’s leaders and equipping them with tools for leadership and activism in the digital age.

Bottom-up Setting it in motion and providing tools for organic activity by organized local groups.

Leadership training programs for the digital age: LINK20 members take part in workshops, lectures and discussions with a variety of professionals in the fields of leadership and activism, entrepreneurship, digital communication, public relations and inclusion of people with disabilities. They engage in networking activity and hackathons and, together, lead advanced digital campaigns.

Networking: The alumni network forms the heart of LINK20’s activity and is its engine of change. We have succeeded in bringing together a large group of young people, with and without disabilities, who are prominent in an activist network, online and offline, taking part in events, both virtual and face-to-face activities. They have an intensive presence on various online platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and a monthly newsletter. Each year, members of the movement launch campaigns on the local and global levels. Thus, the center

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of gravity has gradually shifted from the Ruderman Family Foundation to the movement itself.

2. Changing awareness and outreach LINK20 works to change social and public awareness and leads highly significant processes with extensive media coverage, furthering core issues related to social justice and the rights of people with disabilities. The processes are led more and more independently by members of the network, with the assistance of the leadership and activists of LINK20. The outreach activity and efforts to change awareness focus on social media, where they attract a wide audience in a highly organic, broad manner. The assumption is that bringing up social issues and influencing public opinion will also have an impact on decision-makers.

Engines of Change Achievements over the years by level of influence: Extensive reports in the media of LINK20 Alumni and leading issues related to furthering the rights of people with disabilities. The inclusion discourse has become more interesting and more relevant to young people and is now perceived as an issue of human rights and social justice. LINK20 alumni are in high demand among decisionmakers, in the media and elsewhere in the public domain.

Israel: 1. Thanks to a successful campaign, the Israeli Ministry of Transport is working with thirdsector organizations, led by LINK20, to make intercity public transportation accessible.

Link 20 succeeded in influencing the approval of a budget of NIS 6 million NIS for buses that are accessible to people with disabilities. The result is that for the first time in Israel there will be accessible intercity buses.

2. After a prolonged struggle by Link20, in cooperation with other social organizations and the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Health froze regulations that were discriminatory towards people with disabilities on the issue of triaging life-saving treatments during the Covid19 pandemic.

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Chapter IV: Epilogue What We Have Learned Activity on Two Axes In retrospect, we realize that we could not have effected such significant change without simultaneous intensive activity on the axes of dynamic solutions and awareness. In our area of activity, it is extremely important to offer options tailored to the needs of the beneficiaries, but it is also necessary to change awareness and bring about social change, with emphasis on getting rid of invisible and overt stigmas. We found that a combination of traditional and new media was vital, both as a driver of change in the public discourse and as a catalyst for addressing needs and devising solutions relevant to the target populations. Because decision makers attribute great importance to media reports, placing the subject on the public agenda enhanced our ability to exert an influence and to create the desired change.

Values Our years of philanthropic activity have been based on strong, solid values. We have encountered many opportunities, complex challenges and situations in which we had to make decisions, minor and fateful alike. Reliance on the Foundation’s value system was a highly significant anchor for our philanthropic work and, thus, our social and moral compass delineated the work process for us, from determining our vision and goals, to devising the strategy and allocating resources and, ultimately, to designing our main activities. The integration of Jewish values, such as “Every person was created in God’s image” and mutual responsibility with universal values such as social justice, rights and equality made us who we are and helped us establish our unique brand.

Activism and Philanthropy We believe that the traditional working assumption that the role of philanthropy is to support social action organizations behind the scenes, while encouraging and helping them to promote social change, is not enough. As we see it, philanthropy should effect decisive change, and it must use the various tools available to achieve the desired results. Despite the technological progress that has occurred in the twenty-first century, social disparities still exist and are, in fact, becoming wider. In addition to financial capital, philanthropy offers symbolic and public capital and multi-sector ties that greatly enhance its impact. Philanthropy has a moral obligation and social responsibility to use its abilities and resources to its full potential to achieve its mission. Philanthropies can no longer sit by and act from a distance to promote their goals. They must get down

- 26 on the ground, roll up their sleeves and take action to achieve results in keeping with a responsible, clear, open public and social agenda.

Advocacy and Social Change In retrospect, we realize that we could not have brought about significant change without intensive activity on the axis of awareness. Structural barriers resulting from erroneous social paradigms and stereotypes create obstructive patterns of thinking among decision-makers, leaders, the public and beneficiaries which, on the macro level, affect the ability to create change. In our efforts for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, we recognize that while it is extremely important to meet beneficiaries’ needs by tailoring solutions accordingly, without a change in awareness in society with an emphasis on eliminating both invisible and overt stigmas, the problem will not be uprooted, and substantive changes cannot take place. This awareness creates the reality; without a profound change in awareness, the reality will not change. We are now finding that a combination of traditional and social media is highly effective, both as a driver of change in public discourse and as a catalyst for addressing needs’ responses and devising relevant solutions. Because decision-makers attribute great importance to media reports, the more we put our stamp on the public agenda, the better able we will be to exert an influence and create the desired change.

Focus When we began this journey, we had to decide how we wanted to engage in this work.

Should we spread our efforts far and wide, with limited involvement in a broad range of issues, or would it be better to set clear, rigid boundaries for our activity? Because we hoped to effect change and exert a substantial influence, we understood that we had to adopt result-oriented methods. We chose to focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities as the Foundation’s core area and we worked according to clear, transparent, predetermined principles. This focus strengthened the effectiveness of our investment and helped us and the various organizations to work strategically, striving to maximize the return on our investment (ROI). In the course of the focused work process, we gained expertise and experience, and we succeeded in influencing the social field, forming strategic partnerships and maximizing our ability to create effective solutions.

Courage and Determination A philanthropy that seeks to operate in an activist manner needs faith, professionalism and the ability to motivate and lead. It must also be faithful to its values and stick to the task at hand. Most of all, to achieve a significant breakthrough, it needs courage and determination. We see ourselves as entrepreneurs, creators of innovative solutions and

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people who can “move the needle”. This requires managing numerous risks, including financial investments, innovative pilot programs with no guarantee of success, media coverage and easy access to the public via social media. When we seized the reins of leadership, we naturally encountered opposition, hitches and difficulties but, throughout the journey, we never stopped striving to promote our values and goals fearlessly, with dedication and responsibility.

Leadership Foundation president Jay Ruderman and executive director Shira Ruderman spearheaded the Foundation’s philanthropy, activism and public activity, personally and professionally.

Their involvement and presence were evident every step of the way, and the philanthropic and activist aspects of their identities came together to strengthen the nature of their leadership.

At this time, when the boundaries between sectors and organizations are blurred, the traditional role of philanthropy is also changing, and this is an opportunity to effect genuine change for foundations so that they can build strong, solid, responsible leadership.

Satisfaction When we succeed in moving the dial of satisfaction, however slightly, it makes a tremendous difference. In the course of our work, we had many successes and achievements, the products of our hard, though sometimes Sisyphean work. Our victories were not always as quick and rewarding as we had hoped. Social changes do not take place quickly; they require a great deal of patience and faith in the mission. We, therefore, stored our moments of success and channeled every outcome into motivation and strength for the coming revolutions.

Partnerships The job of philanthropy is to lead the field and encourage connections surrounding important goals, even if it is necessary at times to compromise regarding some of the objectives. Today, given the lack of resources and complex tasks, one way to succeed is by joining forces. We believe that to promote social issues, we must ensure a diversity of voices while identifying the added value of the organizations, maintaining the uniqueness of each organization in the partnership, giving in sometimes and doing the necessary professional work. Effort must be invested in building strong underpinnings for the partnership, but once this has been done, the possibility of having a powerful impact rises substantially. We are proud of our results, which were achieved through collaboration over the years with philanthropic foundations, third-sector organizations, academic institutions, the business sector, government and people with disabilities.

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Patience Social change may take a long time, especially when it entails complex social missions.

We have no doubt that appropriate planning, professionalism and effective work can shorten the time frame, but completing the tasks, achieving the desired results and having a substantial impact can take many years. The time dimension becomes particularly challenging in an age when reality is constantly changing, and there is rapid turnover of players. Over the past two decades, we have experienced numerous disappointments.

On many occasions, we had difficulty controlling the pace of change and we understood that we had no magic wand to create quick solutions. Nevertheless, we recognized that a philanthropy engages for the long term and, therefore, we have a responsibility to lead complex processes that require patience, not only with respect to seeing results but also in the process itself.

Challenges Along the Way The decision to be an activist foundation was not always simple and easy. In this review, it is important to us to present a complete picture, including the professional and personal complexities. Nevertheless, we must stress that the advantages, accomplishments and satisfaction definitely outweighed the challenges, difficulties and disappointments, and we have no regrets about our decision.

Selection of an area of activity The social issue that we chose to promote - inclusion of people with disabilities - is not at the heart of philanthropic activity and is often marginalized. One complex task that we faced was introducing a peripheral, even unpopular issue into the philanthropic and social discourse. At times, our opinion was a minority one, and we found ourselves working with just a small handful of philanthropic foundations or in a situation in which our beneficiaries were marginalized.

Over the years, we have worked hard to convey and assimilate the message that inclusion of people with disabilities is related to diversity, social justice and human rights, with emphasis on the obvious: people with disabilities are a fifth of the population and their interest is everyone’s interest. Inclusion is an issue in all areas of life, and it involves many complexities.

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Exposure and access The strategic and tactical decision to have family members work intensely at spearheading the change put them in a very exposed position. Over time, we came to realize that those at the front are struck by the arrows of criticism much more than those working behind the scenes of social action organizations. Because accessibility is an important, valuable principle for the Foundation leadership, they were in touch with the public by virtual means, especially social media, throughout the process. Unfortunately, the discourse in social media was not always constructive or efficient; at times it was rabid, stormy and personally offensive.

Tension between the Foundation and organizations engaged in the practical work The Foundation’s activism astonished social action organizations, especially those that were afraid of competition and regarded the Foundation as an interloper. We learned how to listen more and work more transparently and collaboratively with these organizations. Thanks to this effort, we feel we have changed the rules of the game and the dynamics between philanthropies and nonprofits somewhat, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the change we sought. In a substantive way, the Foundation worked on promoting leadership and strengthening self-advocacy among people with disabilities, while including workers and activists with disabilities in the teams of its programs. Nevertheless, some saw this as interference and expressed vehement, public opposition. It is important to state that the Foundation understands this complexity, was sensitive throughout to the social criticism voiced and strived for full cooperation with organizations, groups and individuals who expressed interest.

Main Achievements The Foundation invested a great deal of effort over two decades, doing everything it could to further the inclusion of people with disabilities in society. We are proud of our accomplishments, which are a direct outcome of hard work, determination and tremendous faith in our goal.

Justice and not charity The notion of charity and compassion is a prevalent perception in the context of people with disabilities. The Foundation has managed to change this attitude among Jewish

- 30 communities in the United States and Israel and to replace it with the idea that inclusion is part of the concept of human rights and diversity. Inclusion of a person with a disability should not depend on the includer’s goodwill and should not be based on paternalism; rather, it is a basic right in a well-ordered society. These once radical messages are common today and are inherently accepted by professionals, decision-makers, opinion leaders and influencers, the public and people with disabilities. The thought patterns were changed by introducing language related to social conceptions of justice and human rights and through the repeated use of phrases such as, “the largest minority in the world” and “a fifth of the world’s population”. Thanks to collaborative work with our partners, together with additional processes that we led, we have effected substantial change in the Jewish world - in Jewish law, rituals and community life - while inculcating the value of inclusion in hundreds of communities of various Jewish denominations around the world.

Impact on the public discourse One of the main achievements of which we are most proud is a change in awareness brought about through the use of traditional and social media. The Foundation identified an opportunity for bottom-up action on technological platforms and in social media. We brought together groups of activists and many other people with and without disabilities and positioned the inclusion discourse as a discussion of rights and social justice in the heart of the public arena. People with disabilities are now expressing their opinions and receiving more authentic representation in the media, in culture and in the entertainment industry. Through our work, we succeeded in reaching extensive audiences, lessening stereotypical perceptions and providing advanced content that sees the person with a disability as a complete person with the same rights as anyone else.

Innovative responses and services Throughout the years of the Foundation’s activity, we invested extensive resources in an innovative way of responding to needs that would effect a highly significant change in the quality of life of people with disabilities. This process is based on the Foundation’s values and working methods, thanks to which we have successfully produced highcaliber, multisystem, multi-disability solutions enabling full inclusion in all areas of life, first in a pilot format, then expanded to a wider population, in a comprehensive geographical manner. The Foundation created an array of programs and services for all ages and aspects of life, with emphasis on increasing the representation of children and women with disabilities as part of a principle-based conception of equal rights. Both in the United States and in Israel, the programs were designed according to a model that would be sustainable in the long term, and most were adopted by their local and

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national administrations. Thus, we established hundreds of programs in crucial areas of life that have yielded results which will continue to thrive even without financial and professional support from the Foundation.

Change in policy The combination of the two axes of impact - the axis of awareness and the axis of solutions - had a major influence on how we worked to further and change policy. In the course of our work, we managed to set in motion forces that moved from the bottom-up as well as top-down. We worked strategically to change policy, with the understanding that only by doing so could we leave a broad, long-term imprint. We worked throughout with decision-makers and stayed in touch with them, although on numerous occasions, we voiced social criticism and worked towards change. Underlying our activity is the idea that a person with a disability is, first and foremost, someone with equal rights and holistic needs. We tried to instill this belief on various levels and in the various spheres of influence: religion, government, academia, employment, entertainment, etc. The main results of our efforts in Israel have been a change in the method of government budgeting, adoption of the concepts of individualized budgeting and person-centered service, a partnership for promoting a multi-disability administration in the government (rather than having each type of disability dealt with separately), a government agency for housing in the community, and influence regarding halachic issues such as permission for deaf people to marry, accessible mikva’ot and bringing guide dogs into synagogues. In the United States, the main results were a change in the casting system used by the two most influential Hollywood production companies, NBC and CBS. The policy changes we were able to create, together with our partners, will ensure the best quality of services and manner of inclusion of people with disabilities in society for the future.

A leading player Over the years, the Ruderman Family Foundation has gone from being an anonymous entity to being a central, leading philanthropic foundation furthering the rights of people with disabilities in Israel, in American Jewish communities and, in recent years, internationally. This has manifested itself in the many requests for collaboration, not only for financial resources, but for help spearheading strategic processes, ongoing assistance and professional advice, and assistance in forming connections with other players. The Foundation has gained expertise, experience and knowledge, creating a multi-sector network and becoming an important agent of change with respect to initiating innovative solutions and processes while having a strong presence in social

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and traditional media. The Foundation has managed to create a new social and professional field that focuses on inclusion. It has served as an engine leading principle-based efforts in the field of inclusion, as a focal point for leading players and as an integrator and expeditor of innovative ways of eliminating major barriers.

Our legacy Underlying the Foundation’s conception of change is the idea that our job is to come up with innovative solutions and responses to needs and challenges that arise. Therefore, the conception of sustainability and an exit strategy are built-in, even in the planning and initial implementation stages. In the course of our work, we chose to act in strategic spheres, together with main partners, and established engines of change that would ensure the activities we initiated continued, met needs in innovative ways and offered up-to-date solutions.

Thus, this is an opportunity to thank our partners for the wonderful way we did this together. We believe that, thanks to our joint work and its continuation, we will succeed in turning our society into a better, fairer and more just society.

Academia

Religious Spaces

Philanthropy

Young Adults with and without Disability

Language, Values, Perception Engine for Change and Growth

Education

Government and Public Sector

Business Sector

Organizations/ Social Sector

Leisure and Community

The Entertainment Industry

Communications and Social Networks

Knowledge and Tools

Services and Solutions

Ecosystem

Networking

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