Date post: | 12-Jan-2015 |
Category: |
Education |
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What does the average
student think it means
to “be” Jewish?
think about the average college student -- or any young, ‘desirable’ semi-affiliated Jew that organizations try to reach.
fight ing
&anti-semitism assimilationthey broadcast 2 general messages: be jewish by fighting anti-semitism and assimilation (or put more positively, be proud of being Jewish and marry Jewish).
why?...but
but we don’t enough ask the obvious question: why? why fight the trends? why no go darwin-style into the dark night?
Well, what’s the point of a Jewish state? What’s the point of a Jewish people?
to answer that, we need to consider the most basic questions
what does “jewish” really mean?
and this. let’s do a thought experiment:
a tale of 2 conferences
2 conferences. both met in the same building, a few months apart.the GA - meets to discuss the basic challenges facing Jewry and Israel. Issues of money and security are paramount.the president’s conference - on the other hand - brought together the leaders of google, facebook, yahoo, and 7 nobel laureates to discuss the possibilities for the future. Our tomorrow - issues of technology, medicine, culture, etc. that effect not just the Jews but the world at large. Solutions coming from israel for the good of the globe.
so we have challenges vs possibilitieswhich is more jewish?
in fact, there are 2 approaches to “being” Jewish - internal and external
israel is home to 2 types of zionism
israel is home to 2 types of zionismthis dichotomy is reflected in the 2 historic zionisms (broadly speaking):israel for the sake of jewish security and israel for something greater - as a platform to solve global issues.
survive
inspire
Jewry is a social network.
the jewish ppl is social network:nodes, language, culture, even an ‘operating system’we can put it to work to get our ideas, our solutions out there
PresenTense Leverages the Jewish Platformthat’s what PT is doing.we began 2.5 years by asking why be jewish
PresenTense Magazine
the magazine provided a forum for young (=optimistic, innovative, fresh) Jews to exchange ideas about issues at their heart
8 issues to date, 232 contributors this year, 30K readershipad-supported, volunteer drivenopen-source
PresenTense Summer Institute
now answering the question of HOW to get these ideas going6 weeks, jerusalem, 16 fellows, marketing, networking, business models, plans, pitches27 ventures launched to date, 11 have received funding or have been acquired by other organizationsmentors, coaches, faculty - top of their industries
Bible Raps
starting their second US tour - launching a CD soon
Bible Raps
starting their second US tour - launching a CD soon
10K in funding so far, 250 family members 70 units
strip acquired by OU, commissioned for greeting cards, businesses and organization
PresenTense Hubs
even the how is not enough, you need a communitycreativity community pioneeringhoping to expand in more cities
ww
w.p
rese
nten
se.o
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Fostering Innovation for the Jewish People
PresenTense Network
volunteer-initiated events in 5 cities this yearexpanding online soon
www.PresenTense.org/PioneerWithUs
creative zionist - the movement of the jewish people to realize their collective potential.