A New Type of Jewish Sports Hero

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – July 5, 2010 –David Lasday, a Maplewood, New Jersey native and Fellow at the PresenTense 2010 Global Summer Institute, is bringing the excitement back into Jewish learning with Bring It In Israel, an Israel-based program that empowers Jewish leaders to use sports to impart Jewish values, life skills, and a connection to Israel onto Jewish children.

As a Summer Fellow at the prestigious six-week Institute, Lasday joins fifteen other budding Jewish social entrepreneurs from America, Israel, Australia, and the UK to gain the skills and connections necessary to launch their ventures to benefit the Jewish world at large.

"The 2010 Fellows represent some of the most innovative Jewish minds today.  They are embarking on projects that have the potential to transform Jewish life here in Jerusalem and around the world," commented Flo Low, Chair of the Institute Steering Committee. Sponsoring Lasday’s venture is the iCenter, reputed for its dedication to Israel education.

Watch Noah, Jenny, and Madeline, PresenTense Institute's three Cleveland Fellows, pitch their big ideas to reJEWvenate the Cleveland Jewish community.

From Tess Lehrich, 2010 Jerusalem Winter fellow:

The idea for this weeks' blog post comes courtesy of one of the Boston Steering Committee members, Josh Plavner. 

As we approach the official end of the first CJP/PresenTense Boston Social Entrepreneur Fellowship, and the big Launch Night event, the fellows are starting to get anxious about funding and support for the their projects.  The Launch Night event is one way for the fellows to meet potential investors and partners,  but it's only one opportunity.  The fellows' follow-up strategy for people they meet at Launch Night and beyond is key to their success, both in terms of effectively managing stakeholders and in presenting a professional image for the fellow and his/her venture. 

Go Fund Me is an innovative approach to online fundraising.  Their user-friendly, eye-catching website helps individuals, companies, and organizations create fundraising strategies and then spread the word and collect money.