What’s Nu?

This award recognizes individuals, programs or organizations that successfully experiment with new ways to demonstrate the significance or relevance of historical records for understanding the past, or that use historical records to reach new audiences. The award was presented at the Oct. 28 JMM Board of Trustees meeting by Matt Blessing, state archivist and administrator of the Library-Archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

 

 

MILWAUKEE – “The Sustainability Mindset,” co-authored by Spectrum Nonprofit Services principal Steven Zimmerman with Jeanne Bell of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, was honored with the 2015 Terry McAdam Book Award. 

The award was presented at the Alliance for Nonprofit Management National Conference in Portland, Oregon, in October. Each year, the Alliance for Nonprofit Management selects the most inspirational and useful new book that also makes a substantial contribution to the field of nonprofit management. The Terry McAdam Book Award was established in 1989 to commemorate the life and work of New York Community Trust vice president, Terry McAdam, who devoted his life to improving the nonprofit management field. Written as a step-by-step guide, “The Sustainability Mindset” outlines a framework for nonprofit professionals and board members to better understand their business models and make decisions to strengthen their fiscal health and maximize mission impact. 

 

More details on the book can be found at NonprofitSustainability. org. This is the second book from co-authors Bell and Zimmerman. Their first book, “Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability” was published with Jan Masaoka of CalNonprofits in 2010 and became a top selling nonprofit book. Zimmerman serves as chairelect on the Jewish Family Services (JFS) Board of Directors and as chair of the JFS Transition Task Force, working to fill the leadership role of JFS President/CEO Sylvan Leabman, who is retiring in December 2015.

 

 

WAUKESHA – Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha donated approximately 900 pounds of food and supplies and $725 to the Waukesha Food Pantry this year as part of its annual High Holy Days food drive.

 

“Poverty is a multifaceted issue,” said Sharon Levy, a Coe College of Iowa freshman whose parents, Mark and Cindy Levy, are members of the congregation. “With only a limited amount of money, families are too frequently forced to choose between necessities. Should they put their money toward rent, gas or food? Although it is not a permanent solution, those of us with enough money to feed ourselves and our families without worry could find within ourselves the mitzvah to help feed those in need. To make their lives a little easier, to enable them to go to work, can help them pull themselves out of poverty.”

 

Sandy Villa, chair of the Sisterhood’s Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) Committee, spearheaded the food drive. The synagogue also will be involved with helping elderly neighbors clean up their yards on Nov. 1 through the Interfaith Senior Program. And through September, Congregation Emanu-El members had contributed more than $2,000 to the Syrian refugee relief effort.

 

 

WHITEFISH BAY – The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center has announced a partnership agreement with Ferrante’s Restaurant & Signature Catering.

 

The north shore eatery, at 10404 N. Port Washington Road in Mequon, is now the exclusive provider of all JCC kosher food services, including the in-house café, CafA B Data. As a long-time partner of the JCC, Ferrante’s will now occupy permanent space in the JCC’s expansive kosher kitchen located within the facility on the Karl Jewish Community Campus in Whitefish Bay. Ferrante’s will provide complete kosher food services for meetings, special events and activities on campus and at the Linda and Fred Wein Center for Gan Ami – Mequon.

 

Ferrante’s kosher catering division, an extension of the company’s signature catering business, has been serving families and synagogues in Milwaukee’s Jewish community since 2000. Ferrante’s at the JCC is open to the community Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., with lunch service on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Daily fare at CafA B Data will include items such as grilled chicken shawarma in pita bread, black bean burgers, grilled Portobello mushroom sandwiches, and JBurgers with grilled salami and fried onions.

 

 

GLENDALE – Leigh Bojan, a student at Nicolet High School, recently was chosen from among 2,000 student candidates from over 100 cities worldwide to win The George Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Teen of the Year Award.

 

The honor is presented to the teen who best displays leadership initiative in the community. Bojan and some fellow students were faced with a church-state issue when they wanted to erect a sukkah, a temporary structure, to celebrate the Jewish harvest festival Sukkot on school grounds.

 

Last year there was a complaint about religious symbols on public school property. Bojan coordinated efforts to meet with school administrators, to find alternative off-campus sites, and to arrange for construction. Students worked with Chabad and with administrators to allow students to visit a sukkah during school hours.

 

The George Rohr JLI Teen of the Year Award was presented to Leigh at a special ceremony and dinner sponsored by National Jewish Retreat for 1,100 guests held in Washington, D.C.

 

 

WHITEFISH BAY – This summer brought big changes to the Jewish Community Garden at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center. New structures replaced old beds that had deteriorated over more than five years of service, and the amount of planting space increased by more than 50 percent.

 

This revitalization has led to renewed interest in using the garden as an educational venue as well as a focal point for activity around planting, growing and harvesting. “The Jewish Community Garden started as a staff project at the JCC,” said Jody Hirsh, director of Judaic Education for the JCC.

 

“The idea was to use the garden itself and the produce from it to teach about Jewish values, especially the stewardship of the land and feeding the hungry. We at the JCC are particularly proud of the successes of this garden, which has evolved into a true community project.”

 

The rebuild took place on Aug. 5, as one of the JCC Maccabi Games’ JCC Cares projects. Approximately 100 student athletes contributed to the effort, which included building new raised beds, filling them with earth, mulching the area and painting identification signs. Now operated with the support of other organizations, including Tikkun Ha-ir of Milwaukee, the garden grows fresh produce, which is then distributed to families in need through the Jewish Community Pantry and other services.

 

Over the years, the garden has produced hundreds of pounds of fresh, nutritious vegetables, including tomatoes, potatoes, beans and various greens. Looking to next year, students already planted the first crop for harvest this summer. “My first grade class at Milwaukee Jewish Day School is learning about gardens, farms, composting and how everything has a purpose for helping our earth and each other,” stated Milwaukee Jewish Day School teacher Karin Damico. “The first graders planted garlic cloves in one of the beds. We’re excited to walk to the JCC to visit the garden and watch the growth throughout the seasons.”

 

Volunteers with all levels of gardening experience are welcome, from master gardeners to those who just want to learn. For more information contact Sarah Siegel, engagement director at the JCC, at SSiegel@JCCilwaukee.org.

 

 

WAUKESHA – A relationship between Jews at Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha and Muslims who belong to the Islamic Society of Milwaukee’s Brookfield mosque has been developed, as both groups discovered there is common ground and historical significances among the two religions.

 

Twenty members of the mosque visited CEEW on Sept. 27, following a visit by CEEW members to the mosque in February to learn about Islam. The CEEW group was the first to visit the new mosque, which opened in January. Rabbi Steve Adams, former spiritual leader at CEEW who had developed a relationship with Muslim leadership during his 16 years in Waukesha, explained Jewish customs, rituals and holidays to the Muslim visitors.

 

“We intend to continue the connection with the mosque with our new spiritual leader, Cantor Deborah Martin,” CEEW president Ann Meyers of Pewaukee said.

 

 

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Jewish Federation is one of more than 100 organizations that have committed to a better work-life policy through the organization Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community.

 

The Federation has joined the “Better Work, Better Life” challenge, which has proven that real change happens when people stand up for their values. During the challenge on Oct. 28-29, the AWP celebrated the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and the other organizations for stepping up and illuminating the path forward for the community and the country.

 

The AWP is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women into leadership positions in Jewish life; to stimulate Jewish organizations to become more equitable, productive and vibrant environments; and promote policies that support worklife integration and flexibility for professionals and volunteers.