Official Blog of The Hadassah Foundation. www.hadassahfoundation.org @hadassahfoundation
The Hadassah Foundation supports Merchavim's Arab Teacher Integration in Jewish Schools Initiative, which places Arab Israelis trained as teachers—the vast majority of whom are female—in Jewish Israeli schools. This program aims to reduce the high level of unemployment of female teachers in the Arab sector, address a shortage of teachers in Jewish Israeli schools, and promote intergroup relations. One of the teachers served by this program is Faten Jebara, who teaches English to students in grades 2-6 at the Shaked School in Ra'anana.
"My experience has been wonderful and empowering – I can't see myself moving from this school although I often get offers from school principals at Arab schools - I wouldn't change my job for the world. I am a type of 'role model' that proves that if you work tougher you can build relationships, learn about a person and make a change in people's mindset….The children's parents have given me great trust and believe in me. You might think that some of them would have issues with an Arab teacher teaching English with an accent – but these issues have never been a problem… I am really making a difference to the kids, they have less stereotypes and see Arab citizens in other roles in society (other than construction workers, cleaners etc.) and see that relationships and friendships are precious and are above our social groups. The kids come to me and feel free to discuss their concerns and ask questions (about my religion, customs, etc.) and find in me a confidant. The job is demanding but I am more than satisfied professionally and personally.
Merchavim accompanies me, and all the integrated teachers in Jewish schools, the entire way. Teachers get great guidance, hands-on tools and professional coaching on how to deal with work in the classroom, [and] situations that arise with integrating into the school community."
Earlier this year, the Hadassah Foundation ran two contests—a video contest and an essay contest--in honor of its "Chai" (18th) Year of grant making. Both contests—open only to high school students—asked them to address their aspirations as a young, Jewish, female leader in their community, and how they wanted to change or add to the world. The goal of the contests was to lift up the voices of the next generation of Jewish feminist leaders.
The video winner, Tallulah Bark-Huss, from Chicago, IL, is now a freshman at Boston University. The Hadassah Foundation has arranged for her to have a one-on-one meeting via phone or videoconference with Amanda Lipitz, a Tony Award Broadway producer and documentary filmmaker.
"I strive every day to be an empowered and motivated female leader in all aspects of my life, especially in the Jewish community," said Bark-Huss. "To be given a chance to speak my truth and show what it is that I believe a female Jewish leader encompasses is an amazing feeling."
The essay contest winner, Amanda Powers, from Newton, MA, is now a freshman at Harvard University. The Hadassah Foundation has arranged for her to have a one-on-one meeting via phone or videoconference with noted author Anita Diamant. "My identity as a Jewish woman has always been central to my drive and passion for making the world a better place, so I am incredibly grateful to be acknowledged by a foundation doing such amazing work to lift up Jewish women around the world," said Powers.
You can read the essay and watch the video here.
Congrats to our grantee, Microfy! They won the first-ever Shimon Peres Prize through the Israeli Deutsche Future Forum Foundation for their joint project with Migration Hub Network, an organization that supports local efforts worldwide that help migrant populations. Microfy was cited for its work with Eritrean women in Tel Aviv. Above, Microfy's former and current co-directors are pictured receiving the Prize at a ceremony last week at the Jewish Museum in Berlin.
The Hadassah Foundation has awarded the 2017 Bernice S. Tannenbaum Prize to Stephanie Goldfarb, program director for youth philanthropy and leadership at the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
The Bernice S. Tannenbaum Prize recognizes emerging professionals who have made innovative contributions to advance the status of women and girls in Israel and the United States. Awardees demonstrate a high degree of talent, commitment, and accomplishment in their work. The prize honors Bernice S. Tannenbaum, z''l, for her lifetime of service to the Jewish People; the State of Israel; and Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America.
Goldfarb, pictured above, was awarded the prize for her work with the JUF's programs for Chicago-area youth. During her seven years at the JUF, she has expanded a philanthropy program for Jewish teens that awards more than $50,000 annually to local nonprofits, and brought an innovative feminist-research training internship program for Jewish girls to the Chicago region. That latter program, the Research Training Internship program, has received funding from the Hadassah Foundation.
"As the newest Bernice S. Tannenbaum Prize winner, I not only feel a sense of unity with the women who recognized my commitment to social change for Jewish women and girls, I also feel as though I have an army of forward-thinking sisters behind me, pushing me to continue growing personally and professionally," said Goldfarb.
"Stephanie Goldfarb is a talented, charismatic, educator, filled with talent and passion," said Julie Morris, chair of the Foundation. "Bernice Tannenbaum would be so proud of the Foundation's selection."
The Prize provides $500 in general operating support to the JUF, as well as $2,500 to further Goldfarb's professional development.
In addition to her work for the JUF, Goldfarb serves as a resource to other community organizations serving teens. She has run "philanthropy boot camps" at summer camps and for BBYO programs serving Jewish youth, "taste of philanthropy" programs at congregations, and provided trainings for other Jewish professionals about philanthropy, LGBTQ issues, and experiential Jewish education. She has also run programs on Jewish cooking, which takes advantage of her experience as an award-winning chef who has appeared on multiple Food Network shows.
Goldfarb received her bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in Women's and Gender Studies, with a Certificate in LGBT Studies, earned two masters degrees from Loyola University Chicago (in Clinical Social Work and Gender Studies), and a Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education from Yeshiva University.
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Keshet
Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy
Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters
Yeshivat Maharat
Shalom Bayit
I was introduced to Project Teen-Seed613 by the club sponsor of Jewish Student Connection, Julie Minor. In October, I was accepted into the program and began attending monthly seminars in January. I immediately had a connection with the eleven other girls in the cohort. The program was split into three groups based upon interests. I chose the group that focused on "women's initiatives," and worked alongside three other girls. One of the most enjoyable moments in the program was finally deciding on the product we wanted to create. We had been sitting around a table in the JCC, bouncing ideas off each other, when we had an epiphany. Our group came up with a product called You Flow G12L, a monthly subscription box to empower young women and stop the stigma against periods. The box would include tampons, pads, an educational component about how to live a healthy life, and a small gift. For every box bought, another box would be donated to women and teenagers who do not have access to the feminine care products they need. I enjoyed the program so much because I was able to collaborate with other girls with shared interests in business and entrepreneurship and that really inspired me. I had never been a part of something like that and it was truly incredible.
The cohort acted as a platform for me to really experience social entrepreneurship for the first time. In creating our product, I was able to learn about different business design theories, how to research the feasibility of a business, how to market for a business, and so much more. Most importantly, I was able to create the foundations of a potential business while simultaneously making lifelong friendships. It was incredibly fun but also a lot of work. I expected there to be a lot of work, but at the same time I learned about so many things that entrepreneurs must do that I never realized existed or were so important.
My group and I pitched our idea at a Launch Night on May 23rd at the JCC surrounded by friends, family, and community members. I am still impressed by how feasible and real this program is; we even received a business card from one of the community members who attended the event who was interested in our idea. I am so thankful for this experience because I think it was a vital component of my path to becoming an entrepreneur. I am so excited to be able to use this experience as a starting point for my time at Babson and as a future entrepreneur. My time in Project Teen-Seed613 has given me a lot of new confidence and knowledge about entrepreneurship that I would never have had otherwise.
Our grantee, the Haifa-based Isha L'Isha (board members and staff, above), is aiding women who clean buildings in that city's municipal buildings. These workers are employed by a contractor, who underpays them and denies them benefits. They are putting pressure on the city to employ them directly.
We started the day with a visit to Jewish elementary school in Haifa, where our grantee Merchavim has placed several teachers of Arab Israeli background. There is a surplus of Arab Israeli women trained as teachers, and a shortage of English, math, and science teachers in Jewish schools. The teachers we met, above, said they felt welcomed and at home at the Jewish school.
Our final stop of the day was to our grantee Microfy, which is helping female entrepreneurs like Orly and Keren, pictured above, in South Tel Aviv, a depressed part of the city. Microfy provides training and on-going support to these women via mentoring and a business forum, where they can network and learn from each other.
At our visit to the Adva Center, we learned about the role of the Mayor's advisors on women's issues, a position every municipality is required to have--but only a handful fund as a full-time position. Edna Sabag, of the Beersheva Municipality, above right, is one of those rare women. Along with Adva staff, also pictured above, she has created a network for these women. Their new project, which is funded by the Foundation, is to improve the environment in the Negev for Jewish and Bedouin businesswomen. Three businesswomen from each of 20 cities in the region will create locally tailored efforts.
Our grantee, Itach-Maaki, fights for the rights of economically insecure women in Israel. Today, they told us about their efforts to help Bedouin women in polygamous marriages, especially when they have been abused by their husbands, and their work on behalf of the 30,000 (low paid) Israeli women who work as teachers' assistants, and who are ill represented by the main workers' union.
We were fortunate to have dinner with two of our Israeli Bernice S. Tannenbaum Prize winners: 2014 winner Yifat Bitton, founder of Tmura, and Lilach Tzur Ben-Moshe, the 2016 winner, who founded Turning the Tables. Bitton, second from right in the first row, uses the legal system to fight for the rights of women, and Ben-Moshe, pictured to her left, works with women exiting prostitution. The Tannenbaum Prize is awarded annually to an emerging leader in Israel or the US who has advanced the cause of girls and women. The previous night at dinner, we were able to catch up with the inaugural Tannenbaum winner, Vardit Dameiri Madar, a social justice lawyer who recently left her long-time position at Foundation grantee Yedid for a new job heading up the legal clinic at Hebrew University.
The Hadassah Foundation, which invests in social change to empower girls and women in Israel and the United States, is excited to announce it has given $330,000 in grants to 21 Israeli organizations that enhance economic opportunities for women in Israel.
The Foundation is a philanthropic pioneer in the fields of improving economic security for low-income Israeli women and developing leadership and self-esteem programs for adolescent Jewish girls and young women in the United States. In 2017, the Foundation is marking its "Chai" anniversary—18 years (and more than $7.6 million in grants to over 90 nonprofit organizations) devoted to improving the lives the girls and women.
Last year, the Foundation made grants totaling $545,000—it awarded $365,000 to 21 Israeli organizations which work to support Israeli women from all walks of life, as well as $180,000 to six organizations in the United States as part of its initiative to strengthen leadership development opportunities for young Jewish women.
Julie Morris, Chair of the Foundation, said, "Our grantees are striving to make Israel a more equitable place for women, and lifting motivated women out of poverty."
In addition to two first-time grantees, the Foundation also awarded "sustaining" grants for the fifth consecutive year. These grants provide general operating support to four long-term grantees that have played a particularly critical role in promoting the economic security of women in Israel.
The 2017 grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Legal Aid
Policy Education and Coalition Building
Workplace Discrimination
The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, $25,000: For the Enhancing Security in the Workplace project, which will enable it to implement an anti-sexual harassment code at several leading Israeli employers, with the goal of making this a model program for other Israeli workplaces.
Merchavim, $15,000: For the Arab Teacher Integration in Jewish Schools Initiative, which places Arab Israelis trained as teachers—the vast majority of whom are female—in Jewish Israeli schools. This program aims to reduce the high level of unemployment of female teachers in the Arab sector, address a shortage of teachers in Jewish Israeli schools, and promote intergroup relations.
Employment Conditions of Low-Income Women
Asset Building
Business Training & Entrepreneurship
Vocational Training and Job Placement
Leadership Development
