September 2014 – What’s New in Women’s Philanthropy
This issue of the e-newsletter highlights some of the new programming Women’s Philanthropy is planning this year. In bringing back a Women’s Shabbaton and the Leadership Power Series and offering new opportunities like a Young Women’s Mission to Israel and the Center for Volunteerism, Women’s Philanthropy hopes to inspire you to learn, grow, and connect.
Also new this year is my position of Vice President, Community Engagement. In this role I look forward to helping all of our wonderful women learn about Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ and Women’s Philanthropy. I would like nothing more than to identify ways for all of us to contribute to the good work of Federation in ways that will be personally satisfying, meaningful, and rewarding.
If you know someone who might like to know more about our Jewish community or if you yourself are interested in taking a fresh look at Women’s Philanthropy, I hope you’ll contact me at caplan973@comcast.net.
Jody Caplan, Vice President Women’s Philanthropy - Community Engagement
Greater MetroWest Women Make the Greatest Volunteers
By Terri Friedman, VP Women’s Philanthropy - Volunteerism
The Center for Volunteerism was created as a formal effort to mobilize volunteers following tremendous positive feedback from the hands-on efforts to help Union Beach recover after Super Storm Sandy. Women’s Philanthropy women were extraordinary in their response and did a large part of the hands-on work.
As a result of the wonderful efforts on the part of our women, Women’s Philanthropy has created a brand new position on our Board — Vice President for Volunteerism — and I am honored to hold this new position. My goal is to work closely with the Center for Volunteerism to provide meaningful opportunities for women to come together and work hand in hand to take care of Jews in need and strengthen our Jewish community locally and around the world. This is an integral part of the Federation mission.
This past summer the Center for Volunteerism sponsored Volunteer Boot camp, organizing nine different days to engage in a broad range of hands-on volunteer projects. Examples include baking challahs with residents of Daughters of Israel and weeding, watering, and cleaning one of the community gardens supported by the Newark Conservancy. So many people participated in Volunteer Boot camp, several of whom had never before participated in the work of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 2, which is known nationally as Giving Tuesday. Women’s Philanthropy will be working with the Center for Volunteerism to sponsor a community-wide challah baking event to provide challahs to clients of Jewish Family Services of Central NJ and MetroWest
I think that Jack Johnson’s lyrics from the song “With My Own Two Hands” eloquently highlights the mission of the Center for Volunteerism. I encourage you to listen to this song:
I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a brighter place
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a safer place
With my own two hands
I'm going to help the human race
With my own two hands With my own
With my own two hands
I can hold you
With my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you've got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
With our own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
For more information or if you have an organization/program you would like to be considered for the Center for Volunteerism, please contact Stacey Brown at sbrown@jfedgmw.org or (973) 929-3027.