YIDDISHKAYT LOS ANGELES NAMED ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S MOST INNOVATIVE JEWISH NONPROFITS

FOURTH ANNUAL "SLINGSHOT" GUIDEBOOK NAMES 50 MOST INNOVATIVE JEWISH NONPROFITS IN AMERICA

(Los Angeles, CA) – September 15, 2008 – Yiddishkayt Los Angeles has been named one of the nation’s 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in Slingshot 08/09, a resource guide to Jewish innovation. Compiled and published by 21/64, the annual guidebook features programs, organizations, and leaders that take innovative approaches to addressing age-old concerns of identity and community in Jewish life today. The first time being named in Slingshot, Yiddishkayt Los Angeles made the cut this year after an extensive evaluation process overseen by 25 foundation professionals.

Each year, the organizations listed in Slingshot offer a glimpse into the trends shaping North America’s Jewish nonprofit sector and the Jewish community at large. Those selected in Slingshot 08/09 are reinvigorating Jewish expression and practice in the areas of ritual, history, language, liturgy, culture, and tikkun olam, healing the planet.

Yiddishkayt Los Angeles strives to ensure the survival of the endangered thousand-year legacy of Yiddish language, culture and history.

With groundbreaking education programs, events and citywide festivals, Yiddishkayt promotes and celebrates Yiddish as a profound pathway to Jewish identity.  Since its inception in 1995, Yiddishkayt has embraced the multicultural richness of Los Angeles to strengthen consciousness- and foster the growth- of all things Yiddish, connecting generations old and new with their priceless cultural heritage.

Yiddishkayt Los Angeles was selected by a group of 25 foundation professionals from hundreds of nominees. All nominees were evaluated based on programmatic innovation, community impact, leadership and organizational efficiency.

“Slingshot 08/09 shows us once again that both fledgling programs and established organizations across the U.S. are teeming with Jewish innovation, said Roger Bennett, co-founder of 21/64. “For years, I’ve heard skeptics say that Jewish innovation is a clever way of describing hip programs that are culturally-driven, but lacking in Jewish substance. Not true. The organizations in Slingshot 08/09 show us clearly that Jewish innovation consists of a profound mix of ritual, history, language and culture.”

Slingshot 08/09 will be unveiled at a launch event in Manhattan on September 18. A subset of the organizations featured in Slingshot will receive funding grants from The Slingshot Fund. Founded by Jews in their 20s and 30s, the Fund aims to provide a new model for raising and distributing grants by engaging young people in Jewish philanthropy who would otherwise not be involved.

ABOUT SLINGSHOT

Slingshot was created by a team of young funders as a guidebook to help funders of all ages diversify their giving portfolios with the most innovative and effective organizations and programs in North America. This guide contains information about each organization’s origin, mission, strategy, impact and budget, as well as details about its unique character.  Now in its fourth edition, Slingshot has proven to be a catalyst for next generation funding and offers a telling snapshot of shifting trends in North America's Jewish community. The book, published annually, is available in hard copy and as a free download at www.2164.net or at www.slingshotfund.org.“Reinvention and adaptation are the hallmarks of Judaism, and the Slingshot organizations are leading the charge in North America,” said Sharna Goldseker, co-founder and Director of 21/64. “By challenging convention and exploring new ways to bridge the past with the next generation, these nonprofits tell us that our tradition, history, and culture are still central to how we identify ourselves.”Aaron Paley, Yiddishkayt’s Founder and Chair, says “Yiddishkayt has radically shifted the prism through which Yiddish is viewed in Los Angeles through consistent creative programming and unique education initiatives. Our work has made Yiddish accessible to the next generation of Jews.  Inclusion in Slingshot 08/09 is a strong validation for the work Yiddishkayt is doing.  Slingshot exposes us to a vibrant funding community, a valuable vehicle as we work to grow our capacity and take our efforts to the next level.”

ABOUT 21/64

21/64 is a non-profit consulting division of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies. Based in New York, it offers services to individuals, families, businesses, foundations and federations in times of generational transition - including consultation, resource materials, networks and communication vehicles. 21/64 specializes in a multigenerational approach to philanthropy. In this era, when there are four generations above the age of 21 around corporate and philanthropic tables, multiple generations must learn to understand each others' “generational personalities,” motivational values, and visions. 21/64 facilitates the process of values clarification, strategic visioning and communicating to help multigenerational families define and achieve their individual and collective goals.

ABOUT YIDDISHKAYT LOS ANGELES

Yiddishkayt is a non-profit organization that promotes and celebrates Yiddish language, culture and history through multi-generational festivals, groundbreaking education and language initiatives, diverse programming throughout the year including lectures, film screenings, concerts, etc., and ongoing communication with its list of 8,000 including a bi-monthly e-newsletter and website. Yiddishkayt continues to develop imaginative educational and cultural programs that reach out to myriad cultures and communicate the Yiddish renaissance as it unfolds today. www.yiddishkayt.org

Read Yiddishkayt's nomination form on Slingshot's website. Click on overview and scroll down to our name.