By, Laura Schultze, JTFN Communications Associate Ah, Passover. The time of year when your family comes together, there’s an overload of delicious food, and we tell the story of the Exodus and reflect on the story of our ancestors. We are instructed to remember, revel in our freedom, and ask as many questions as we … Continued

By, Joanna Sherman In pre-school, we are taught that sharing is caring. While in this context, the advice relates to sharing toys and books. As a Jewish teen, I relate this message to philanthropy.  Tzedakah is one of the first values taught in religious schools and synagogues. My first experiences with philanthropy and giving involved my own Tzedakah box. … Continued

By, Briana Holtzman, JTFN, Director   I’d like to pose a Hanukkah challenge: this year, rededicate your network. Devote time, energy, and resources to the interconnected people and things that matter most to you. What makes the “network” in Jewish Teen Funders Network? In our office we zoom in and appreciate the intersection of Jewish (identity, … Continued

By Danielle Segal, JTFN Program Manager In the Sinai desert, Moses took a count of all the Israelites (Numbers 1:18), one of many times in the Torah that our call to action involved being included in a census. It was a way for us to take stock, have a finger on the pulse of the community … Continued

by Stefanie Zelkind Director, JTFN I’d like to share an “a-ha” moment I recently experienced. For the first time, as he dropped coins in the tzedakah box, my son asked what happens when the box fills up. I told him that we’d give the money to people who need it. “But why don’t they just … Continued

By: Danielle Segal, JTFN, Project Manager Pirkei Avot: the pithy Buzzfeed of our Jewish tradition. Want life-hacks on pretty much anything? You will find some wonderful words of wisdom in Ethics Of The Fathers. Whether it’s advice on friendships[1], the importance of charitable giving[2], or instructions on how to be a part of this world[3], Pirkei … Continued

By Danielle Segal The aims for a youth philanthropy board are great: learn about the grantmaking process, perform due diligence and grant funds appropriately, go through the process seriously and with intentionality, and take on responsibilities surrounding money that are historically reserved for a few, select adults in our community. Yes, the task is large … Continued

October 21, 2013 Stefanie Zelkind, JTFN Director From menurkeys to sweet potato latke recipes, there are many creative ways to celebrate this year’s unique overlap of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. In an effort to move beyond the kitsch, I would like to offer some additional ideas for blending the Hanukkah tradition of giving with the Thanksgiving … Continued

The Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) is excited to announce a new initiative, the Foundation Board Incubator. The JTFN Foundation Board Incubator, funded by Laura Lauder and the Maimonides Fund, will establish up to 10 new deeply rooted Jewish teen foundations in major cities around the world by 2016. The JTFN Foundation Board Incubator will … Continued

For Ron Lieber, the path to his latest book began with an otherwise straightforward question on a car ride home from a family trip with his then-four-year-old daughter. “She asked me why we didn’t have a second home, and I was stumped into silence,” Lieber recalls. “She was old enough to ask, but barely enough … Continued