For a 10th year, Gateways: Access to Jewish Education has been named one of North America’s top 50 innovative Jewish organizations in the 13th annual Slingshot Guide. The Guide has become a go-to resource for volunteers, activists and donors looking for new opportunities and projects that, through their innovative nature, will ensure the Jewish community remains relevant and thriving. Slingshot 2018 was released today.
Selected from among hundreds of finalists reviewed by over 100 individuals with expertise in grant-making and Jewish communal life, the Guide said that Gateways: Access to Jewish Education “is elevating the conversation around the inclusion of students with disabilities and is sharing its resources and expertise to create the conditions for sustainable inclusive impact on a larger scale as it prepares to expand outside of Massachusetts.” Organizations included in this year’s Guide were evaluated on their innovative approach, the impact they have in their work, the leadership they have in their sector, and their effectiveness at achieving results. Gateways: Access to Jewish Education is proud to be among the 50 organizations honored for meeting those standards.
The organizations included in the Guide are driving the future of Jewish life and engagement by motivating new audiences to participate in their work and responding to the needs of individuals and communities—both within and beyond the Jewish community—as never before.
“Gateways: Access to Jewish Education is proud to be selected in this year’s guide, and thrilled to be part of the amazing community of the hundreds of innovative Jewish organizations included in the Guide over the past 11 years who continue to create positive change in the Jewish community,” said Arlene Remz, the organization’s executive director. “We are honored to be included among the ranks of other incredible inclusion organizations like Hidden Sparks, The Miracle Project and Judith Creed Horizons for Achieving Independence and alongside many other innovative Massachusetts-based organizations like Keshet, PJ Library, Mayyim Hayyim and Interfaith Family.”
Added Stefanie Rhodes, executive director of Slingshot, which publishes the Guide each year: “Slingshot’s work is to help Jews find, fund and connect to meaningful, exciting experiences in Jewish life. We are proud to highlight organizations doing exceptional work, serving as the trailblazers for what is possible, meeting the community’s evolving needs and inspiring all of us. Whether we look to the guide for funding ideas, best practices or trends in Jewish life, it remains a resource for all of us, providing new tools and optimism for our collective future.”
Sarah Rueven, Slingshot’s board chair, agreed: “We are excited to highlight the work of organizations that strengthen Jewish life by rising to the challenges of the day and making our community more relevant to our generation. We are inspired by projects that help people connect to Jewish life in ways that feel both fresh and relevant, while honoring our traditions. Readers will learn about valuable new projects and gain a deeper insight into the emerging needs in Jewish life, as identified by our community’s top leaders.”
Being listed in the Guide is often an important step for selected organizations to attain much-needed additional funding and to expand the reach of their work, as the Guide is a frequently used resource for donors seeking to support organizations transforming the world in novel and interesting ways.
About the Slingshot Guide
The Slingshot Guide, now in its 13th year, was created by a team of young funders as a guidebook to help funders of all ages diversify their giving portfolios to include the most innovative and effective organizations, programs and projects in North America. The Guide contains information about each organization’s origin, mission, strategy, impact and budget, as well as details about its unique character. The Slingshot Guide has proven to be a catalyst for next-generation funding and offers a telling snapshot of shifting trends in North America’s Jewish community—and how nonprofits are meeting new needs and reaching new audiences. The book has been published annually since 2005. Each edition is available as a free download at slingshotfund.org, where you can learn more about Slingshot’s work and new strategy for continuing their impact into the future.
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