Eyes to the Future at the GA

>> arielbeery

Wed Nov 11, 2009
Are you heading to the GA? We are -- and our article in Haaretz on the financial crisis and what it means for innovation is already there.
 
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PresenTense goes to Boston

>> arielbeery

Sat Aug 1, 2009

Got a social venture idea that will engage and leverage Boston's Jewish community? Then the PresenTense/CJP Boston Social Entrepreneur Fellowship is for you.

As the Boston Globe is now reporting, PresenTense, in partnership with Boston's Combined Jewish Philanthropies, is taking its successful fellowship training program to Beantown. What that means is that we're taking the best of our summer Institute program and applying it over five months in the Boston area, to a select number of social innovators who are looking for a way to accelerate their ideas into ventures.

Learn more on our mini-site, BostonFellowship.com.

 

 

 
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Talking about a generation

>> arielbeery

Wed Feb 24, 2010

When the people came to the prophet Shmuel and begged him for a king, he thought they were crazy. “A King you want? But he’ll ruin your lives,” he told them, and insisted that the system of Judges that the people lived under for centuries was better suited for their lives. The judges gave them freedom. Unlike a king, who ruled them all, Judges would only arise when external threat created a need. The rest of the time the people would live in their tribes, each to their own, handling their internal affairs and going about their daily lives. No taxation for projects far from their own, and beyond the upkeep of the tribe of Levi who did not have land of their own but instead served as priests among the People, they kept what they grew and the flocks they tended. But we want a king, like all the other nations, they demanded. And Shmuel, unable to hold back their interest any longer, gave in. A king they wanted, a king they’d have.

In the course of human history, our societies change in accordance with the opportunity horizon afforded to them. Mainly, our purpose is to protect those close to us, and provide for them as much as possible the creature comforts in life. As the range of possibilities for such comforts increases, our trade routes expand. As our trade routes expand, we need to secure the merchants who bring us our comforts from across the world. And as our need to secure our trade grows, so too grows the reach of our government. As Robert Wright shows in Nonzero, societies and their governments are limited by the communication and commerce technologies afforded to them. Genghis Khan, whose empire stretched half way across the world, developed the passport in order to provide some sense of coordination between his provinces, developed a rapid communication system consisting of men ready on fast horses, and appointed family members who ruled rather autonomously because passing orders across the empire was a month by month affair. The Inca Empire stretched almost as long, and set up a series of base stations and roads across it so runners could pass messages one to the other in a country-wide relay race as power was extended. In the fifteenth century, as ships came unto their own, the local kingdoms of Europe became vast empires, projecting strength as far as they could transport troops and commands to those troops.

Click below to read more

 
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Tess of the Jerusalem Fellows has breakfast

>> arielbeery

Fri Feb 5, 2010

We're here for the third seminar of the @presentense fellowship

Posted via email from Ariel's posterous

 

@bibleraps newsletter - Summer Tour Coming Up

>> arielbeery

Tue Feb 2, 2010
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here
header2
Issue No. 3
 February 2010
Shalom!

Bible Raps is revving up for Spring/Summer Tour '10!  Starting in March, we're bringing our acclaimed interactive workshop across the U.S.  We professionally produce original raps made by YOUR Jewish students, campers & conference-goers. With over 1,200 participants to date, March-May destinations include:


Atlanta, GALogo
Boston, MA
Boulder, CO
Eugene, OR
Nashua, NH
New Orleans, LA
New York, NY

Please contact us if you are in any of these areas & want us to swing through.

To book us at your Hillel, school, camp or conference, e-mail biblerapstour@gmail.com

For mp3 and video made by past participants, visit              Bible Raps Nation

 
Sincerely,
 
The Bible Raps Team
Matt, Ori, Yael, Adam & Jamo
Spotlight: Yael Kreiger

yael_headshotBible Raps curriculum whiz Yael Kreiger has already achieved several milestones in 2010: Having celebrated her wedding in January, Yael's Bible Raps Teacher's Tool Kit has now been distributed to more than 150 teachers representing 6 countries and 20 U.S. cities. In fact, eight classrooms are now pioneering semester or year-long Bible Raps courses! Pilot classes include:

*Harrison, NY    JCC
*Hartford, CT    YACHAD Community Hebrew High School
*Nashua, NH    Temple Beth Abraham
*Orlando, FL     The Beit Hamidrash program
*St. Louis, MO   Solomon Schechter Day School

Thank you teachers for your amazing initiative! By developing the Teacher's Tool Kit, Yael has proven that the essence of Bible Raps--fun, interactive rhythm & rhyme-based teaching--can be replicated in classrooms everywhere.

Want the Bible Raps curriculum in YOUR classroom?E-mail Yael and ask for a FREE copy of our Teacher's Tool Kit!

Already using Bible Raps to teach? Tell us about your experience and you could be featured in our Spotlight!

LogoSpecial thanks to the Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation for their support of Bible Raps Teacher's Tool Kit.


Call for Investors
Bible Raps is actively seeking investors to grow impact of Yael's curriculum efforts.  These efforts include a Bible Raps-enhanced interactive map of Israel, new Bible Raps web features (e.g. webisodes), production of two more Bible Raps albums, and a revamped Teacher's Tool Kit.  For sponsorship and investment opportunities, e-mail Adam
About Bible Raps

The Bible Raps Project is an innovative educational tool that uses rap and hip hop to enliven the core Jewish texts. It is designed to make the tradition more appealing and more accessible through the use of technology, rhythm and rhyme.
 
Bible Raps
609 Granada Court
Iowa City, Iowa 52246

We want to hear from YOU!  Shout out to Bible Raps by E-mail, Facebook, or Twitter.

 
In This Issue
March-August Tour 2010
Spotlight: Yael Krieger
Bible Raps in Los Angeles
Free Valentine's MP3
Press Box: Iowa City, IA
PresenTense Summer Fellowship
facebook_icontwitter_iconBible Raps Nation
Join Our Mailing List
Bible Raps in Los Angeles!
LimmudLA_logo
February 12-15, 2010
Bible Raps is about to bask in California sun and bring our acclaimed Bible Raps workshop to Los Angeles! Learn with us, rap with us and say hi!

More info at LimmudLA

LogoSpecial thanks to the ROI Community for sponsoring us at
LimmudLA!

 
What's Love? Free MP3

Valentine's Day is February 14th, which makes us wonder, What Is Love?

Hashmeini (make me listen), a new Bible Raps track by Matt Bar (feat. Ori Salzberg), tackles this question from a Jewish angle.

Download this track for FREE here, and share with your loved ones!
PRESS BOX
"[Matt] Bar Iowa City Press Citizen 1/25/2010
earned his spot on the line of pioneer Jewish rappers..."
-- Iowa City Press-Citizen     
   January 25, 2010

Read on as Matt gets compared to Matisyahu, Asher Roth, and...Chaim Nahman Bialik?
Logo


Now entering its third Summer tour, Bible Raps is deeply grateful to the PresenTense Institute for its ongoing support and mentorship.

PresenTense is currently accepting applications for its 2010 Summer Fellowship in Israel. Jewish entrepreneurs encouraged to apply. For details, visit the PresenTense Fellowship site.

 

Posted via email from PresenTense Group

 

@brachiesprung leading the last track specific charge for the @presentense summer fellowship

>> arielbeery

Sun Jan 31, 2010

If you have an idea for a venture in everything from environment to Games and Gaming in education, apply today: www.presentensefellowship.org

Posted via email from Ariel's posterous

 

CJP/PresenTense Fellowship Launches

>> arielbeery

Sun Jan 10, 2010

12 of the @bostonfellows of the CJP/PresenTense social entrepreneur fellowship came together today at the Nonprofit Center to start their engines and get their ventures going. Exciting stuff for the first North American fellowship program -- and hopefully the start of a movement to unleash the creative potential of the Jewish People to solve local and global challenges with the power of our creative communities. Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Posted via email from PresenTense Group

 

Snow Days for Grown-Ups

>> arielbeery

Sun Dec 20, 2009
From when I was 4 until at least 17, there was little I could wish for more than a good, deep, snowday. I'm sure I wasn't alone in that wish - as soon as the weather started to cloud, and the radio blared that a storm was on the way, I'm sure I was joined by millions of small prayers hoping, wishing, desiring for another day to stay home.

But now things are different. I'm 30, I've built up a small nonprofit over the past few years out of the investment of a friend and my own, and we're betting over 60% of our income right now on earnings that materialize if we deliver the goods: train social entrepreneurs who will either launch revolutionary ventures tackling social challenges for the Jewish People, or train cutting-edge employees and leaders for organizations, Federations and foundations who will help upgrade their institution's operating processes.

And so when the NYTimes says this is an Epic Storm, and when American Airlines cancels my flight out to LA -- leaving me fighting for a place on the standby list -- I can't be any more different than the 7 year old version of me, sitting by the window willing the flakes to fall faster.

I started thinking about this distinction because I recently saw a heartfelt article by my colleague Dan Sieradski, about how one needs to be independently wealthy to start a new venture. In the article, Dan laments that he had to withdraw his application from a program that might help start his new venture because he realized "it would be virtually impossible for me to do this fellowship without undertaking a massive lifestyle change."

I feel his pain, and went through a lot of the same questions when we started PresenTense. Back then, when we started PresenTense Magazine, we applied for grants and sponsorships but got none. Bikkurim said no, UJA-Fed's COJIR said we weren't their type, and Natan was also skeptical. We projected we'd need $10K to get the first version out so we can start selling ads and subscriptions, so we took out new credit cards and took the risk that earned income from ads and subscriptions would pay us back. Luck was with us -- we've printed 10 magazines since then, and run hundreds of events -- but it could easily have been a crash and burn. And that would have hurt.

 
About a year and a half later, when Aharon and I launched the first Institute in 2007, we put another chunk on our cards -- taking advantage of low interest to take the risk that our consulting income would rise. It wasn't until the Spring of 2008 - after two years of carrying debt -- that we had our first big win: the AviChai Fellowship. Sure, we could pay back our interest through earned income -- and even paid down a bunch of the principal -- but it was AviChai that gave us the runway to take the venture to the next level.

But that took two years, and a ton of sweat equity. No, we won't make a mint because the only "shares" we own of PresenTense are the share of mindshare from the hundreds of volunteers from around the world.

During those two years the story of PresenTense is similar to that of most start-ups: we worked other jobs, everyone was volunteer, and I moved into my parents house for two years to save on rent. If it wasn't for my parents house, and use of storage space in my dad's office for magazine boxes, I'm not sure where PresenTense would be. But luckily we used the resources we had and now we're earning almost $2.10 from tuition and services for every $1 of grants.

As for our fellows, from my knowledge, out of the 41 ventures we've launched, only 47% have received follow-on funding; 81% of our fellows, according to a count a few months ago, now work full-time in the Jewish World -- but that means that most of them found other jobs for Jewish Organizations. A win for the Jewish People? Sure - they got passionate, entrepreneurial folks with PresenTense's training. A loss for the fellows? I'm not sure what they'd say.

 
Is there a way to change this level of risk -- I'm not sure. But I do think that we can have the Jewish People benefit a bit more and partially remedy the angst Dan expressed so well. Here are a few suggestions:
 
1. Every organization should invest at least 5% in launching new ventures within their structure, and should make those positions available to folks with ideas -- an RFP for entrepreneurs-in-residence. This is good for folks like Dan with good ideas, and even better for organizations -- just think: every year you get to test out new employees who come with their passion and drive to push forward the mission of the org.
 
2. Every foundation should provide at least 1% of their funds to organizations who have running programs with 0-4 employees. It might not seem like much, but that amount would radically transform the ability of small start-ups to run programs that generate revenue -- leveraging donations to increase the size of the pie.
 
3. Funders should demand organizations who have marketable products to grow their earned income base by 10% a year -- and reduce funding accordingly unless the organization can make the credible claim that a new investment will enable additional earned income. Of course, follow-on funding should be tied to benchmarks to ensure the organization made good on its word.
 
4. Funders should learn from VC to give larger investments, but benchmark those investments to performance targets. Sufficient runway is key for takeoff. Some organizations will take 4 years to get stable, others will take 2 years. Funders should be able to value the organization in accordance with its plan and put their money down in accordance -- so the organization will know they're covered for the next few years if and only if they succeed.
5. Grant officers should rotate into organizations in the fields they fund, so they learn how organizations run -- and so they can develop realistic metrics and grant reports to help organizations achieve their aims, and not add additional burden on leadership. Not sure if this addresses the problem at hand - I just think it would be a good idea.
 
And these five are only the beginning of a long list we have been kicking around in PresenTense -- and hopefully, by the time we are done partnering with Federations and other large network organizations such as the JCCA, institutional support for start-ups and new ventures will become the norm and not the exception.
 
In the end, what we should not lose sight of is that the Jewish People is benefiting from passionate and creative people like Dan despite our inability to provide the support he needs to launch something independent. We should not lionize entrepreneurs at the expense of individuals who are working for organizations; both have their role, all are in this for the same higher purpose.

Posted via email from PresenTense Group