Meet the 2012 PresenTense NYC Fellows!
The 2012 PresenTense NYC Fellows are visionaries with bold ideas to re-shape the landscape of the Jewish community in the 21st Century. They have innovative ideas combined with a passion for their cause and a track record of leadership.
Our Fellows receive in-depth training as detailed in our Program, connection to and support by the Global PresenTense community, NYC mentors, coaches and case study teachers and an unparalleled opportunity to think and do big.
If you would like to be involved in the 2012 Community Entrepreneur Partnership, please let us know.
Our Fellows receive in-depth training as detailed in our Program, connection to and support by the Global PresenTense community, NYC mentors, coaches and case study teachers and an unparalleled opportunity to think and do big.
If you would like to be involved in the 2012 Community Entrepreneur Partnership, please let us know.
Hadas Benyacov, helpthisjew.com
Hadas
BenYacov grew up in a sheltered, Orthodox home and began to interact with the
wider community only as an adult. She has been heavily involved with
in communal organizations and hesed programs, including RAJE,
Russian American Jewish Experience, visiting sick children in
hospitals, and raising money for a special needs children
organization. She is highly motivated by the opportunity to help
others and empower them to solve their own problems.
Hadas's venture: The Jewish community is blessed with a well-designed network of institutions that help thousands of Jews cope with the needs of everyday living, yet too many needy Jews “fall between the cracks” and suffer from the travails of facing an emergent need with nowhere to turn. Jews who may be too embarrassed to ask for help; Jews who simply need a friend to come to their rescue; Jews who deserve a chance to get back on their feet and put their lives together. In an age of instant communications, the “angel” these Jews so desperately seek is only a click away. Helpthisjew.com is a vehicle through technology to match the needs of these desperate Jews and their heart-rending stories with benevolent Jews who share our vision that “no Jew should face abandonment.”
Hadas's venture: The Jewish community is blessed with a well-designed network of institutions that help thousands of Jews cope with the needs of everyday living, yet too many needy Jews “fall between the cracks” and suffer from the travails of facing an emergent need with nowhere to turn. Jews who may be too embarrassed to ask for help; Jews who simply need a friend to come to their rescue; Jews who deserve a chance to get back on their feet and put their lives together. In an age of instant communications, the “angel” these Jews so desperately seek is only a click away. Helpthisjew.com is a vehicle through technology to match the needs of these desperate Jews and their heart-rending stories with benevolent Jews who share our vision that “no Jew should face abandonment.”
David Bratslavsky, MiddleEastWest
David Bratslavsky graduated from The George Washington University, where he was president of Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society and founder of JCrewDC Young Jewish Professionals Network. After studies in Egypt and Israel, David worked as an analyst with a venture capital firm and later moved to New York City, where he is currently Associate for Policy and Planning for a Jewish non-profit organization.
David’s Venture:Using a unique incentive-based distribution model, MiddleEastWest leverages the social media networks Facebook and Twitter to educate future leaders about the realities of the Middle East, including Israel.
David’s Venture:Using a unique incentive-based distribution model, MiddleEastWest leverages the social media networks Facebook and Twitter to educate future leaders about the realities of the Middle East, including Israel.
Yael Buechler, Midrash Manicures
Rabbi Yael Buechler is the founder of MidrashManicures.com, an
educational website that features weekly manicures for the Torah portion
or holiday. Rabbi Buechler received rabbinic ordination and a master's
degree in Midrash from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2011. Rabbi
Buechler served as a Gabbai for the independent minyan Kehilat Hadar,
and currently works as the Coordinator of Student Life in the Middle
School at the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester. In 2010, Rabbi
Buechler was named was of The Jewish Week's "36 under 36" Jewish
innovators.
Yael’s venture:MidrashManicures.com was launched in July of 2011 in order to promote this unique form of innovative Jewish expression. The response to Midrash Manicures has been overwhelming, as it has been extensively covered by The New York Times, America Online, The Huffington Post, and dozens of other publications. Jewish educators from across the country have contacted Midrash Manicures in hopes to bring Midrash Manicures workshops to their communities. Through the PresenTense fellowship, Rabbi Buechler hopes to learn how to structure the Midrash Manicures venture so as to successfully spread this model of experiential Jewish learning to educational institutions across America.
Yael’s venture:MidrashManicures.com was launched in July of 2011 in order to promote this unique form of innovative Jewish expression. The response to Midrash Manicures has been overwhelming, as it has been extensively covered by The New York Times, America Online, The Huffington Post, and dozens of other publications. Jewish educators from across the country have contacted Midrash Manicures in hopes to bring Midrash Manicures workshops to their communities. Through the PresenTense fellowship, Rabbi Buechler hopes to learn how to structure the Midrash Manicures venture so as to successfully spread this model of experiential Jewish learning to educational institutions across America.
Naftali Ejdelman, Yiddish Farm
Naftali Ejdelman has devoted his life to the preservation and development of Yiddish, his native language. He has taught, translated, written, and acted in Yiddish for many years. In addition, he has worked as a farmer and as an outdoor educator. Naturally, his dream is to integrate his passion for Yiddish with his love of growing food and of the outdoors.
Naftali's venture: Yiddish Farm’s goal is to produce a new generation of fluent Yiddish speakers. This is done through Yiddish immersion programs in which students of the language have the opportunity to live in community with native speakers on an organic farm. We spend our days working the land, rehearsing classic Yiddish plays, reading and discussing Yiddish literature, as well as creative writing, cooking classes, history lectures and more. We have launched our pilot program in 2011 with the help of the Naomi Prawer Kadar Foundation, a generous supporter of several Yiddish language programs, and we look forward to our second season in 2012.
Naftali's venture: Yiddish Farm’s goal is to produce a new generation of fluent Yiddish speakers. This is done through Yiddish immersion programs in which students of the language have the opportunity to live in community with native speakers on an organic farm. We spend our days working the land, rehearsing classic Yiddish plays, reading and discussing Yiddish literature, as well as creative writing, cooking classes, history lectures and more. We have launched our pilot program in 2011 with the help of the Naomi Prawer Kadar Foundation, a generous supporter of several Yiddish language programs, and we look forward to our second season in 2012.
Amy Fechter, Aleph Bet Blueprint
Amy has been a teacher in Jewish day school and supplementary schools for over ten years. Throughout this time, she was privileged to apply her background in English literacy to teaching Hebrew language on many levels, spanning from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Outside of the classroom, she loves to travel to different countries, and has for the last five years been a board member of the Jewish Outdoors Club, a non-profit organization that facilitates hikes, camping trips, horseback riding and many other types of activities for young Jewish professionals to enjoy the outdoors.
Amy’s venture: Aleph Bet Blueprint is a strategic approach to teaching Hebrew as a second language. For years, the focus in American schools has been decoding (with and without comprehension) and Hebrew vocabulary. Immersion programs have achieved a measure of success by increasing exposure to the language, but have not dramatically changed the method of instruction. Accordingly, Aleph Bet Blueprint incorporates the balanced literacy arrangements and latest research used in general studies classes. The instruction resembles ESL programs in public schools, where language development is one outcome of the critical thinking goal. Looking at Hebrew language acquisition through a new lens, Aleph Bet Blueprint combines whole language and phonics techniques with a strong focus on developing reference tools and strategies for expression and interpretation. Ultimately, students will internalize skills that will perpetuate their language development beyond the classroom and throughout their lives.
Amy’s venture: Aleph Bet Blueprint is a strategic approach to teaching Hebrew as a second language. For years, the focus in American schools has been decoding (with and without comprehension) and Hebrew vocabulary. Immersion programs have achieved a measure of success by increasing exposure to the language, but have not dramatically changed the method of instruction. Accordingly, Aleph Bet Blueprint incorporates the balanced literacy arrangements and latest research used in general studies classes. The instruction resembles ESL programs in public schools, where language development is one outcome of the critical thinking goal. Looking at Hebrew language acquisition through a new lens, Aleph Bet Blueprint combines whole language and phonics techniques with a strong focus on developing reference tools and strategies for expression and interpretation. Ultimately, students will internalize skills that will perpetuate their language development beyond the classroom and throughout their lives.
Daniel Kron, Camp Mifgash
Daniel Kron was born in Israel and moved to Canada as a young child. He
is both bilingual in English and Hebrew. Daniel's connection to the Land
of Israel is one of passion and respect. He has deep roots in Israel,
especially as the majority of his family still resides there. Daniel
split his University education between York University in Toronto and
Tel Aviv University and graduated with a Major in Political Science and a
Minor in Jewish History. He has a strong desire to serve Israel by
helping develop its youth through transformative programs. He visits
Israel at least once a year and has played for the National Israel Ice
Hockey Team, and participated in many volunteer initiatives there.
Daniel's experience and expertise in dealing with children and parents,
his work ethic, enthusiasm and can't fail attitude, combined with a
strong passion for Israel makes him the ideal leader of Camp Mifgash.
Daniel’s venture: Camp Mifgash is an international overnight summer camp located at Kedma Youth Village in Israel. The camp intends to bring together B’nia Mitzvah children from the Diaspora and Israel so they can participate in an exciting, meaningful and educational Jewish/Israel experience. Also being established is Camp Mifgash Israel (CMI). CMI is a North American not-for-profit organization that develops and promotes awareness of and financial support for Camp Mifgash and its participants. Our mission is to strengthen and sustain Jewish identity, as well as Israel/Diaspora relations in both the short and long term. Camp Mifgash will fulfill this mission by strengthening our Camper’s Jewish and Israel affiliation at a critical junction in their lives, and cultivating future leaders in the local and international Jewish community. This will be accomplished through our uniquely designed flagship program, Mifgash Mitzvah. This is a fun, educational and exciting Jewish summer ‘happening’ in Israel based around the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Daniel’s venture: Camp Mifgash is an international overnight summer camp located at Kedma Youth Village in Israel. The camp intends to bring together B’nia Mitzvah children from the Diaspora and Israel so they can participate in an exciting, meaningful and educational Jewish/Israel experience. Also being established is Camp Mifgash Israel (CMI). CMI is a North American not-for-profit organization that develops and promotes awareness of and financial support for Camp Mifgash and its participants. Our mission is to strengthen and sustain Jewish identity, as well as Israel/Diaspora relations in both the short and long term. Camp Mifgash will fulfill this mission by strengthening our Camper’s Jewish and Israel affiliation at a critical junction in their lives, and cultivating future leaders in the local and international Jewish community. This will be accomplished through our uniquely designed flagship program, Mifgash Mitzvah. This is a fun, educational and exciting Jewish summer ‘happening’ in Israel based around the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Jayson Littman, Out! for Israel
Jayson Littman is the founder of He'bro (www.myhebro.com), a nightlife and entertainment group that produces and promotes events for the cultural gay Jew living in New York City. Through his involvement in both the gay and Jewish communities, Jayson's mission is to bridge the identity of gay Jewish life in New York City. Jayson has led and organized LGBT Taglit-Birthright trips and is a founding steering committee member of Out@JNF, the LGBT networking group at the Jewish National Fund. A public speaker and writer on gay Jewish topics, Jayson currently writes for the Huffington Post and Heeb on topics pertaining to the gay Jewish community. Jayson was born and raised in the Washington Heights section of New York City and currently resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Jayson's venture: Out! for Israel is a pro-Israel voice in the LGBTQ community. We speak out to support Israel because it is the only nation in the Middle East that provides legal protection to LGBTQ people and other minorities. We respond to misinformation campaigns by educating the LGBTQ community about Israel's diverse, pluralistic and free society. We are an apolitical and independent organization that believes that Israel, like any other nation in the world, has a legitimate right to exist and defend its citizens.
Jayson's venture: Out! for Israel is a pro-Israel voice in the LGBTQ community. We speak out to support Israel because it is the only nation in the Middle East that provides legal protection to LGBTQ people and other minorities. We respond to misinformation campaigns by educating the LGBTQ community about Israel's diverse, pluralistic and free society. We are an apolitical and independent organization that believes that Israel, like any other nation in the world, has a legitimate right to exist and defend its citizens.
Irene Meisel, Project Sacred Space
Irene Meisel is the educational technology integrator at the Abraham
Joshua Heschel School. She has a passion for Jewish education and open
source software, and the intersection between the two. Using Drupal, a
php/mysql based content management system and a Linux server with a LAMP
stack, she works with teachers at Heschel to create curriculum-driven
websites. One of these, an online role-play of 1st-century Jerusalem, is
part of a larger endeavor, Project Sacred Space (PSS) that uses Google
Sketch-up and design software (such as the open source GIMP) to create a
3D rendering of a post-temple sacred space and its accompanying
iconography and liturgy.
Irenes's Venture: Project Sacred Space will include a Drupal distribution of Judea, which will make it readily available for any other school that would like to use it. In conjunction with this, will be a package of related PSS materials, such as basic sketches for a number of proto-synagogues and some examples of early siddurim. PSS will offer free or relatively cheap server space for hosting the online role play.
Irenes's Venture: Project Sacred Space will include a Drupal distribution of Judea, which will make it readily available for any other school that would like to use it. In conjunction with this, will be a package of related PSS materials, such as basic sketches for a number of proto-synagogues and some examples of early siddurim. PSS will offer free or relatively cheap server space for hosting the online role play.
Yael Mendelson, HeartWork
Yael Mendelson is a Jewish educator at SAR Academy, where she works as a Beit Midrash fellow and assistant teacher. She graduated from the University of Michigan where she studied Education and History. She was very active in the University of Michigan Hillel, where she served on the Executive Board, and developed a peer-led Jewish learning program called Friday Night Learning. She has spent numerous summers as a staff member at Camp Stone, where she most recently served as the head of educational programming. She is also pursuing a Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education through Yeshiva University, where she is focusing on ways to bring elements of experiential education into the classroom setting. She is am passionate about incorporating visual and interactive media for engaging students in Jewish history, text, and prayer.
Yael’s venture:Tefillah is a central tenant of Judaism—integral to the Jewish calendar, lifecycle, communal experience, and spiritual development. Jewish educators devote considerable time to teaching students the mechanics of prayer, however most fail to provide students with the tools to make prayer meaningful. The result is that most Jewish youth find Tefillah boring, inaccessible, and irrelevant.
My venture is a Tefillah initiative called HeartWork from the Hebrew phrase for prayer, “Avodah She BaLev” that culminates in the creation of collaborative virtual Siddurim. Through the HeartWork curriculum, students will be engaged in creating pages of a virtual siddur, in which they combine Hebrew text, explanations, images, sound, and video, that bring together material that they learn, and their own interpretations of Tefillah. Students can then use these Virtual Siddurim, on Smartboards or projectors, and through Ipads, to guide their Tefillah experience each day.
Yael’s venture:Tefillah is a central tenant of Judaism—integral to the Jewish calendar, lifecycle, communal experience, and spiritual development. Jewish educators devote considerable time to teaching students the mechanics of prayer, however most fail to provide students with the tools to make prayer meaningful. The result is that most Jewish youth find Tefillah boring, inaccessible, and irrelevant.
My venture is a Tefillah initiative called HeartWork from the Hebrew phrase for prayer, “Avodah She BaLev” that culminates in the creation of collaborative virtual Siddurim. Through the HeartWork curriculum, students will be engaged in creating pages of a virtual siddur, in which they combine Hebrew text, explanations, images, sound, and video, that bring together material that they learn, and their own interpretations of Tefillah. Students can then use these Virtual Siddurim, on Smartboards or projectors, and through Ipads, to guide their Tefillah experience each day.
Rori Picker Neiss, Muslim-Jewish Arts Fellowship
Rori Picker Neiss is a student at Yeshivat Maharat, a pioneering
institution training Orthodox Jewish women to be spiritual leaders and
halakhic authorities. Rori previously served as Acting Executive
Director for Religions for Peace-USA, Program Coordinator for the Jewish
Orthodox Feminist Alliance, Assistant Director of Interreligious
Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, and Secretariat for the
International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations. Rori is
the North American Representative to the Religions for Peace Global
Youth Network, a member of the board of the Young Leadership Council of
the International Council of Christians and Jews, a CLAL Rabbis Without
Borders student fellow, and co-editor of "InterActive Faith: The
Essential Interreligious Community-Building Handbook." She received her
Bachelor's degree in in Religious Studies and Political Science from the
Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College and has studied at the Drisha
Institute for Jewish Education and Seton Hall University.
Rori’s Venture: The Muslim-Jewish Art Fellowship brings together Muslim and Jewish women engaged in art of all disciplines and mediums to build quality relationships through arts training, interfaith text-study, and open dialogue. Throughout the program, Fellows share their artwork with the public in order to foster deeper learning and dialogue in their wider communities.
Rori’s Venture: The Muslim-Jewish Art Fellowship brings together Muslim and Jewish women engaged in art of all disciplines and mediums to build quality relationships through arts training, interfaith text-study, and open dialogue. Throughout the program, Fellows share their artwork with the public in order to foster deeper learning and dialogue in their wider communities.
Fraidy Reiss, Unchained
Fraidy was 19 when her family arranged for her to marry a man she barely knew. She was 20 when she had her first child. And she was 27 when she decided she'd no longer live with a violent, unstable husband.
But divorce seemed impossible: Jewish law grants only men the right to end a marriage. Besides, Fraidy was uneducated and financially dependent on her husband, per the norm for Orthodox women. She was alone; her family declared her dead when she stopped covering her hair. She was terrified of losing her children, after rabbis threatened to kidnap them.
Fraidy overcame those challenges, becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree and establish a career. She managed to get divorced and start a new life.
But most women who want to leave their arranged marriage are limited by finances, religious law and cultural norms. For them, Fraidy founded Unchained.
Fraidy’s venture:Divorce can be nearly impossible for women in insular communities in the US that practice arranged marriage. They often have no money or education and no understanding of the US legal system. They may face religious laws that limit women’s divorce options.
Unchained gives those women a free or low-cost divorce attorney who’s trained to end arranged marriages. Unchained helps the women get the social services they need as they reinvent their lives, such as shelter, employment and counseling. Unchained pairs the women with mentors who can provide guidance and support. And Unchained advocates for changes to laws that can leave women trapped in arranged marriages, such as the laws surrounding minimum-marriage age.
But divorce seemed impossible: Jewish law grants only men the right to end a marriage. Besides, Fraidy was uneducated and financially dependent on her husband, per the norm for Orthodox women. She was alone; her family declared her dead when she stopped covering her hair. She was terrified of losing her children, after rabbis threatened to kidnap them.
Fraidy overcame those challenges, becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree and establish a career. She managed to get divorced and start a new life.
But most women who want to leave their arranged marriage are limited by finances, religious law and cultural norms. For them, Fraidy founded Unchained.
Fraidy’s venture:Divorce can be nearly impossible for women in insular communities in the US that practice arranged marriage. They often have no money or education and no understanding of the US legal system. They may face religious laws that limit women’s divorce options.
Unchained gives those women a free or low-cost divorce attorney who’s trained to end arranged marriages. Unchained helps the women get the social services they need as they reinvent their lives, such as shelter, employment and counseling. Unchained pairs the women with mentors who can provide guidance and support. And Unchained advocates for changes to laws that can leave women trapped in arranged marriages, such as the laws surrounding minimum-marriage age.
Robin Sheldon, BITUI jewish art lab
Robin is an artist and problem-solver, challenging herself with
difficult materials to bring out a unique quality inherent in those
materials. As an art therapist, she believes strongly in the power of
making art with others, and has seen first-hand the impact art making
can have on people. Robin has spent an almost equal amount of time as a
Jewish community leader and as a practicing art therapist, and is
excited by the possibility of combining these two facets of her life in a
venture.
Robin’s venture:Through a combination of art making, conversation, group support, and exhibition, this project offers teens a space to explore their feelings about being Jewish, and what it means to them as they grow into adulthood. Based on my experience creating a Make-Your-Own Haggadah project in an after school program, as well as continued research on developing identities through art making, I came up with the following outline: participants will meet weekly to make art in a group setting and have conversations about their developing identities. The facilitator’s primary role in the group is to encourage exploration and create a safe environment for honesty amongst participants. The group will culminate in an exhibition, should the group feel comfortable with displaying their work. The purpose of the exhibition is to spark conversation within the larger community as to what it means to grow up as a Jew today.
Robin’s venture:Through a combination of art making, conversation, group support, and exhibition, this project offers teens a space to explore their feelings about being Jewish, and what it means to them as they grow into adulthood. Based on my experience creating a Make-Your-Own Haggadah project in an after school program, as well as continued research on developing identities through art making, I came up with the following outline: participants will meet weekly to make art in a group setting and have conversations about their developing identities. The facilitator’s primary role in the group is to encourage exploration and create a safe environment for honesty amongst participants. The group will culminate in an exhibition, should the group feel comfortable with displaying their work. The purpose of the exhibition is to spark conversation within the larger community as to what it means to grow up as a Jew today.
Solomon Siegel, Binyan
Solomon has grown up in a variety of Jewish communities as the son of a
Cantor. This experience has left lasting impression of Jewish communal
life. Solomon studied Talmud for a number of years in Israel and after
moving to New York, He earned his B.S. in psychology and then studied
for a Masters in Architecture at Parsons New School For Design.
Currently, he is a weekend manager for a group home located in the Lower
East Side. During the week he is based out of 3rd ward a shared
workspace for Artists and designers where he designs and builds custom
furniture and works on personal art projects. Additionally, he is a TA
for welding classes there. As an aspiring designer builder and artist
Solomon’s communal sensitivities and passion for design have lead him to
pursue his current venture at presenTense where he hopes act on his
concern for people and the environment they inhabit.
Solomon's Venture: Solomon is developing a design and philanthropic resource for synagogues, schools, and other institutions within the Jewish community. This venture will provide consultation and guidance for aesthetic and functional concerns of new or existing projects. Often, the vision, experience, knowledge, skills, and funding required for these projects to succeed is lacking. Through a network of Architects, artists, and other designers along with philanthropists and other relevant professionals, resources can be made available to fill in the gaps. Solomon seeks many avenues through which to effect change. The Venture’s core will be its professional network that Jewish institutions can have access to in both professional and advisory roles. Drawing upon this network programs, publications, and awards can all be used to further the venture’s influence. Ultimately Solomon’s goal is to reinvigorate the physical institutions that Jewish communities revolve around and encourage a more vibrant forward thinking approach to aesthetics in our community.
Solomon's Venture: Solomon is developing a design and philanthropic resource for synagogues, schools, and other institutions within the Jewish community. This venture will provide consultation and guidance for aesthetic and functional concerns of new or existing projects. Often, the vision, experience, knowledge, skills, and funding required for these projects to succeed is lacking. Through a network of Architects, artists, and other designers along with philanthropists and other relevant professionals, resources can be made available to fill in the gaps. Solomon seeks many avenues through which to effect change. The Venture’s core will be its professional network that Jewish institutions can have access to in both professional and advisory roles. Drawing upon this network programs, publications, and awards can all be used to further the venture’s influence. Ultimately Solomon’s goal is to reinvigorate the physical institutions that Jewish communities revolve around and encourage a more vibrant forward thinking approach to aesthetics in our community.
