This document profiles 14 social ventures that were ignited through PresenTense between 2007-2010. It provides a brief description of each venture, including their founders and websites. The ventures use innovative approaches in areas like education, community building, and Israel engagement to make Jewish teachings more accessible and relevant. PresenTense has helped launch over 70 such ventures globally and provides ongoing support to foster Jewish social innovation.

1. PRESENTENSE
IMPACT
the

3. 77ventures ignited in four years
42%receive follow-on funding or merge
84%of fellows are highly engaged in the Jewish community
408 active volunteers
Past fellowship
benchmarks of success

4. EDUCATION

5. Tagged Tanakh takes Midrash to a new
level by creating an online portal for users
from around the world to add their own
commentary to the Hebrew Bible. This
sharing of thought enables tech-savvy
Jewish young adults to find greater
meaning in the teachings of the Tanakh.
The Jewish Week named Tagged Tanakh’s
founder, JT Waldman, one of the“36
Under 36”for his contribution to the
Jewish community.
Tagged Tanakh > JT Waldman
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.taggedtanakh.org
Ignited
in 2008

7. MediaMidrash curates a vast online database of curricular content
that provides practical tools and media for Jewish educators.Videos,
animations, art, music, and lesson plans – arranged by subject matter
and age – are easily streamed directly to the classroom. MediaMidrash
is providing the resources needed to connect today’s content-craving
youth with Jewish traditions and values.
MediaMidrash > Russel Neiss & Charlie Schwartz
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.mediamidrash.org
Ignited
in 2009

8. Who says class needs to be boring? Bible Raps has reached thousands
of students, campers, and educators, and is revolutionizing how
Jewish texts are taught. Using the power of music, Bible Raps has
developed compelling workshop techniques used in classrooms
throughout the Jewish world. Bible Raps are also available on
iTunes.
Bible Raps > Matt Bar & Ori Salzberg
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.bibleraps.com

9. Ignited
in 2007

11. Through the use of art and high-culture, LooktoLearn has created a
program for teaching Jewish values in the secular world. LooktoLearn
fuses analysis of Biblical texts with museum-based learning, helping
students better connect to their contemporary Jewish identity.
LooktoLearn > Nic Abery
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.looktolearn.co.uk
Ignited
in 2010

12. communities

13. When Becca Linden noticed her
extended family growing distant,
she created the Lifchitz Family Fund.
Forming a democratic giving circle —
an innovative model of collective giv-
ing — family members can reconnect
and become a collective tzedekah
powerhouse. Partnering with the San
Diego Jewish Community Foundation,
the fund allocated over $15,000 in
2009 and continues to grow.
Lifchitz Family Foundation >
Becca Linden
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.lifchitzfamily.org
Ignited
in 2008

14. Ignited
in 2010

15. A picture is worth a thousand words. The MEM Project builds upon
that idea and engages young adults interested in exploring their
Jewish identity through collaborative mural projects. Taking the
class out of the classroom, participants engage in community
service through art — beautifying both the neighborhood and the
soul — and give a voice to an under-served population.
MemProject > Tova Speter
CJP Boston/PresenTense Community Entrepreneur Partnership
www.thememproject.org

16. The Hebrew language is a thread that unites the Jewish people.
Hebrew Play aims to make Hebrew an integral part of the American
Jewish identity by inspiring local communities of young families to
use Hebrew when they play together. With three locations in the
United States, Hebrew Play is helping raise the next generation of
bilingual children.
Hebrew Play > Michael Goldstein
CJP Boston/PresenTense Community Entrepreneur Partnership
www.hebrewplay.org
Ignited
in 2010

19. Challah for Hunger engages college students on more than 30
campuses to bake and sell challah, and donate the profits to help
end hunger in the developing world. The program, led by student
volunteers, has received international attention, including accolades
from Bono and President Bill Clinton.
Challah for Hunger > Eli Winkelman
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.challahforhunger.org
Ignited
in 2007

20. The Fruits of Tomorrow (HaPerot Shel Mahar) provides Ethiopian
youth with a social framework to explore their Israeli identity, while
still preserving the traditions and common language that connect
them with the older generation.
The Fruits of Tomorrow > Mamaro Mandafro
PresenTense Jerusalem Fellowship
Ignited
in 2010

22. INSTITUTIONS

23. Launched at the University of Michigan,
Tamid Israel Investment Group uses a
business-oriented framework to pioneer
a new program for on-campus Israel
education. Both Jewish and non-Jewish
students engage in learning about and
investing in Israel’s economy through
educational seminars, hands-on experi-
ence, and a fellowship program.
Tamid Investments > Eitan Ingall
PresenTense Global Summer Institute
www.tamidgroup.org
Ignited
in 2008

24. Ignited
in 2010

25. Didi Zilberman came to PresenTense from Machshava Tova, a non-
profit dedicated to using technology to narrow societal gaps in Israel.
Seeking to expand the organization’s reach and impact, she devel-
oped a project that combines job-skill training and charity. Eco-Tech
trains at-risk youth to fix broken computers — giving them a voca-
tional education — and donates the repaired machines to families
in-need.
Eco-Tech > Didi Zilberman
PresenTense Jerusalem Fellowship
www.mtova.org.il

26. JCLE is igniting the energy of Jewish young
adults in the Cleveland area. Founded as a
program of the Cleveland Hillel Foundation,
JCLE provides an environment for Jewish
graduate students and young professionals
to meet — creating the cultural cohesion
that the community previously lacked.
JCLE > Madeline Bleiweiss
Jewish Federation of Cleveland/PresenTense
Community Entrepreneur Partnership
www.clevelandhillel.org/gandp
Ignited
in 2010

28. www.presentense.org
For more information or to make your impact,
contact us at info@presentense.org
PRESENTENSE
F o s t e r i n g I n n o v a t i o n
G R O U P