JERUSALEM (Press Release) – Sixteen of today’s brightest Jewish movers and shakers are being invited to tackle some of the Jewish world’s most pressing problems this summer. Beginning its fourth year, the PresenTense Summer Fellowships utilize a unique approach to tap the creativity of Jewish innovators, helping them in turn to change the face of their communities. By forming partnerships with some of the most cutting edge communal leaders and organizations who have a vested interest in the advancement of the Jewish community, everybody wins.
The PresenTense model is unique with fellows offered sponsored opportunities within specific tracks to develop their program and idea in an incubator model. Among the organizations already on board are the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Funders Network, iCenter and Covenant who are looking to sponsor innovation in the areas of Jewish art and games, education, European engagement, Jewish youth engagement, social action and Jewish community. The organizations will benefit from the fellow’s successes by having the opportunity to incorporate the finished project in their agenda.
The program brings the stars to Jerusalem, the entrepreneurial capital of Israel, where they are paired with a leading expert in their field and given the tools to successfully launch their ideas into reality.
Amongst the cutting edge programs which have come out of PresenTense Fellows:
- Bible Raps (www.bibleraps.com) which took two seemingly opposite ideas, Torah study and rap music, and brought them into the same realm. The venture now uses current music to teach Judaism in a way that can appeal to the younger generation and removes many of the inhibitions that youth sometimes feel about theory religion.
- Be a Kli (www.allforthekids.org) engages Israelis already traveling in India to use their talents and passions to become involved with helping to feed and educate the impoverished children in the local communities.
- Challah for Hunger (www.challahforhunger.org) raises money and awareness for hunger and disaster relief efforts through the production and sale of challah bread and was recently recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative as an example of how anyone can contribute to social action. See the video of President Clinton praising the PresenTense-developed initiative of Eli Winkelman: http://bit.ly/5R33rR
“What sets our fellowships apart? We have no specific guidelines for what is right or wrong in how a Jew can benefit their community,“ says Ariel Beery, CEO of PresenTense. “Each person’s individual talents and creative outlook can help the Jewish world in a totally unique way. This approach has been tremendously successful.”
Interested candidates are invited to apply to any of the above tracks by February 15th. All application information can be found at http://www.presentensefellowship.com/apply.html
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Preceding provided by PresenTense