Whew. Another grant shipped out. Just pointing out that PresenTense is currently managing 23 active grants (greater then $5K with most being in the 15K+ range) and 10 significant funding client relationships. This does not even take into account recent past funders who we’d like to retain, keep in the loop (because we really appreciated their support), or re-engage. Every single one of those active grants requires its own unique reporting format, schedule, and documentation. Is it any different at other independent orgs about PT’s size? I’m wondering about Hadar, Moishe House, Mayyim Hayyim, and others who do not have a single funder that is more than 15% of annual budget, about $1-2m annual operating, and classified as “innovative.” Also pushing loads of paper? 

I’m preparing to teach at London’s Jhub Jewish Community Startup and Coworking Space in February. Here’s the draft plan of the sessions I’m thinking of delivering, building on our tried and true @PresenTense training seminar. I’m psyched for it though, as I’ve spent some time lately refershing tools and understanding how to more effectively use things like unbounce, assistly, wufoo’s + mailchimp with auto-responder campaigns, and a few other cool things. These seminars will include lots of new stuff that we may one day be able to roll out to our global PTSchool training program (and if you haven’t signed up for our seminars in North America you should really email Naomi and do so).

If you’re in London and want to come in early February, email the Jhub folks, and get the details. I’d love to meet you, and I’m sure they would too!

The below is just a draft, as I’m going back and forth with the talented Jhub team to make it better I’d love comments and thoughts to improve.

#Day 1

09:00 – 10:00

Coffee and Catch Up – Meet your fellow participants! A time to have a cup of coffee (or tea) and chat before the session begins

10:00 – 12:00

Session 1: Guerrilla Web: What are the core tools that you should own as a Digital Age startupist, activist, or professional? By the end of this session you’ll possess a set of tools with which you can do almost anything you need to get your idea off the ground on the internet. This session will not explore social media. 

No prior skills necessary (besides knowing where the on/off button is).

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch – Whether you’re attending the morning or the afternoon session, join your colleagues and friends for some sustenance.

13:30 – 15:00

Session 2: Advanced Guerrilla Web: How do we know if our website is achieving its goal? How can we strive to improve our digital presence, and scientifically assess whether we’re succeeding? How can we be more sophisticated about using forms and email so that we save ourselves time? In Session 2 we’ll build on the skills we developed earlier in the morning, in order to add a layer of sophistication to how we use the internet.  You’ll conclude this session equipped with powerful tools to make your organization or initiative stand out from the crowd.

15:00 – 15:30

Tea Break – A must for any productive afternoon

15:30 – 16:30

Session 3: Resource Mapping

This session will be a time for us to further digest the morning’s fare and, together, introduce a set of online that resources that every Digital Age professional should keep close. What blogs should you be reading? Where do the best tools appear? What’re the smart college kids reading? You’ll come out with knowhow to keep yourself on the cutting edge.

16:30 – 17:00

Wind down: A time to chat informally about what we learned. 

#Day 2

09:00 – 10:00

Coffee and Catch Up – Meet your fellow participants! Aa time to have a cup of coffee (or tea) and chat before the session begins

10:00 – 12:00

Session 1: Manning the Gates: Building a community, and gaining traction online, is really all about relationships. What tools can help make your online presence as user friendly as possible? How do you reduce your workload but still maintain a top notch community engagement operation? This seminar will teach you tools for connecting to your community members by keeping them happy and close.

Prerequisites: Try to come to Day 1 if you can. If not, don’t worry, we’ll mange! 

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch – Whether you’re attending the morning or the afternoon session, join your colleagues and friends for some sustenance.

13:30 – 15:00

Session 2: Advanced Social Media: Like most people on earth (nearly!) you probably have basic facility in Facebook, and maybe even Twitter. In this session we will build on your digital knowhow to provide you with a deeper set of tools, strategies, and tactics for community and movement building online. You’ll leave this session not only having seen case studies and tools, but also a clear path to actualizing your potential in the web’s social sphere. 

Prerequisites: This sessions assumes some basic knowledge of social media. While not required, it’s particularly helpful if you attended Esther Kustanowitz’s session in December. 

15:00 – 15:30

Tea Break – A must for any productive afternoon

15:30 – 16:30

Session 3: Aftertea Freestyle

We’ll spend some time discussing your goals and challenges in the realm of social media and venture building. In the process, we’ll look for lessons that we can generalize, and tools that might be of use to the specific cases that arise. 

16:30 – 17:00

Wind down: A time to chat informally about what we learned. 

Thoughts recorded on Asarah b’Tevet, fast day commemorating the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Thanks to RF and DM for creating a space of special learning and experiencing.

From the HafTorah we read during last week’s fast: 

For thus said the Lord: “As for the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, Who have chosen what I desire And hold fast to My covenant — 5 I will give them, in My House

And within My walls, A monument and a name Better than sons or daughters. I will give them an everlasting name Which shall not perish. 6 As for the foreigners

Who attach themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, And to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants —  All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, And who hold fast to My covenant —  7 I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.

We should remember that the prophetic perspective woven into Judaism cared little for birthright, Land, and right. It cares for the purpose, simple and true, to be the type of People that the force of all creation would approve tending the one and only earth. To be the Light, and to inspire the Nations. If we falter, and the “eunuchs” and “foreigners” emerge true, then so be it. The mission matters more than who carries it out. If we still wish to be the ones, then it bears to remember that as formidable and strong and wealthy we may grow, and as much as we may try, nothing, certainly nothing worthy of history, Judaism, and our lives, is given on a silver platter, most certainly not a birthright.

“Seek the Lord while He can be found, Call to Him while He is near.Let the wicked give up his ways, The sinful man his plans; Let him turn back to the Lord, And He will pardon him; To our God, For he freely forgives.” 

Let us honestly assess, each and everyone, what motivates us to act. Let us not rationalize. Let us not paint over truths with grudges and anger. Let us not profane ourselves by ignoring painful decisions, and hiding from self-knowledge.