Open Position: Program Associate
Location: New York City (in-person with travel) Reports to: Program Officer (TBD) At a consequential moment in Jewish history, Maimonides Fund (MF) is expanding our grantmaking and programmatic work in service of our mission in North America and Israel. Through strategic investments and targeted initiatives, including SAPIR: Ideas for a Thriving Jewish Future, we support serious ideas, strengthen institutions, […]
New in SAPIR: The Issue on (Fixing) America
“This issue of SAPIR begins from a simple judgment: America’s institutions are strained, not spent. They are falling short in visible ways — on trust, on speech, on education, on civic formation — but they remain capable of renewal. Repair, not revolution, is the work of the moment.”
On the virtue of not meeting learners where they are, by Mark Charendoff (eJewish Philanthropy)
“Education exists to impart information, shape attitudes and inspire behaviors. It presupposes that there is somewhere worth going, and that the educator has a responsibility — not just a preference — to help get learners there. That’s the work, and it is directional by definition. Of course, educators must be sensitive to who the learner is, but they should not have to choose between fidelity to tradition and responsiveness to students. They have to hold that tension with honesty and integrity.”
Engaging men and boys in Jewish life: What we know, what we don’t know and what we can do, by Zack Wainer, Isaac Kurtz, Doron Kenter (eJewish Philanthropy)
“The changes we’ve seen – and continue to see – at the highest ranks of Jewish organizations are the result of years of people openly advocating for and taking concrete steps towards women’s leadership. Those efforts were, and continue to be, essential. But if we’re more concerned about the gender balance on the panel than in the audience, we’re missing most of the story. It’s time to formulate the same wide-scale response to issues of male representation and participation in Jewish spaces.”
Israel and the Haredi conundrum, by Mark Charendoff (eJewish Philanthropy)
“Maimonides Fund, along with others, began engaging with the Haredi community about 10 years ago. Our focus was primarily economic: Israel would not be able to sustain a rapidly growing Haredi population if large numbers of men did not enter the workforce…..We worked with the Haredi community, not against it, strengthening the efforts of those who wanted change — who wanted a brighter future for their children while maintaining a commitment to Torah and a Haredi way of life. But after the war began, it became clear that education alone was not enough. Israel needs Haredi men to serve.”
Don’t overlook the denominator in the Jewish talent pipeline crisis, by Doron Kenter (eJewish Philanthropy)
“Every fraction includes both a numerator and a denominator. If we only focus on the numerator (i.e., the number of professionals entering and staying in those roles) we are leaving out half of the equation. When viewed from this perspective, we can look at the pipeline crisis as what it is: a serious assessment of, and reflection on, the human capital needs of the Jewish community….”
Jewish Writers’ Initiative Rebrands as Jewish Writers Institute, Launches New Cohorts for Screenwriters and Digital Storytellers
Maimonides Fund is proud to announce the rebranding of its flagship program for creatives, formerly known as the Jewish Writers’ Initiative, to the Jewish Writers Institute. This new name reflects the program’s evolution into a leading institutional home for Jewish storytelling across media platforms, and its commitment to nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of Jewish creative talent.
‘Tatami’ Review: A Bitter Fight, Both On and Off the Mat, by Beatrice Loayza (The New York Times)
“Directed by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir (a rare collaboration between an Israeli and an Iranian filmmaker), ‘Tatami’ draws inspiration from the real-life experiences of Iranian athletes who were punished or forced to seek asylum abroad after refusing to wear a hijab during their international sporting events. We see Leila defiantly release her black mane […]
Israel’s science teams conclude olympiad season with record 26 medals (Jerusalem Post)
“Israel’s national science teams have concluded the international Olympiad season with an unprecedented haul of 26 medals, including 8 gold, 13 silver, and 5 bronze, along with one honorable mention…. The Education Ministry and the Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center, which lead the training of these national teams, proudly announced the final tally as the […]
Prayer for the Government, by Mark Charendoff (eJewish Philanthropy)
“As Jews throughout history prayed for their government, they did so with full understanding that their government was never going to get things quite right. While they had confidence that one day a redeemer would come to Zion, this was not that day. This was another stop along the way to redemption. So we pray […]