Originally Published in The Times of Isreal on January 28, 2022.
By Elisheva Thompson.
As the Jewish nonprofit sector continues to navigate a world of uncertainty and change, UpStart is proud to announce that it will be investing in 28 professionals as part of its Change Accelerator program.
UpStart’s Change Accelerator equips intrapreneurs – the bold leaders making meaningful change within our community’s Jewish institutions – to employ an entrepreneur’s mindset, change course quickly, and develop creative solutions to meet the current moment. Over the next nine months, these leaders will learn the skills and tools they need to meet their communities’ rapidly evolving needs, and gain a community of practice with which to brainstorm and collaborate on new ideas.
Applications to the program were received from communities all across North America, both large and small. Participants were selected based on their ability to articulate a specific need for change, their desire for systems-level transformation, and their vision for a just, vibrant, and inclusive Jewish future.
This year, UpStart leveraged the application data to design cohorts focused on emerging challenges and trends in Jewish life:
The Bold Visions cohort will focus on reimagining organizational systems, structure, and culture in order to adapt and thrive in a changing world.
The Dynamic Partnerships cohort will focus on exploring new ways to deepen stakeholder engagement, invest in transformational relationships, and broaden their reach.
“Change is a revolving door,” said Aaron Katler, UpStart CEO. “The Jewish community needs leaders who have strengthened their muscles and increased their capacity to be entrepreneurial through ongoing change, precedented and unprecedented.”
Meet the new participants of The Change Accelerator and learn more about their work here.
Our purpose is to enable entrepreneurs to bring bold Jewish ideas to light. We help them reach Up to people in new ways that are meaningful, more inclusive, and create a brighter future for our Jewish community and the world we share.
