January-February 2012 - The Jewish Georgian

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Page 18 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN January-February 2012 AMERICA’S BEST CLEANERS TM 4455 Roswell Road Atlanta, Georgia 30342 404-255-4312 www.presstine.com Pomegranate Prize recognizes GHA’s innovative work in early childhood education Anna Hartman (center) celebrates with GHA students In November 2011, Anna Hartman, director of the Early Childhood Department (ECD) at Greenfield Hebrew Academy (GHA), received the Covenant Foundation’s Pomegranate Prize. This Jewish educational award was the only one granted this year in the field of early childhood education. In fact, of the sixty awards the foundation has given since 1991, this is only the third that has gone to representatives of early childhood education. Before it was recognized by the Covenant Foundation, GHA was lauded in a Yale University study. The findings reveal that the signature elements of the ECD’s scientific study of child development, Jewish thought, the approach of Reggio Emilia schools, and research on the most effective way to engage children and their families in Jewish life “foster deeper relationships among the adult community, which translate into improved outcomes for the children.” Anna Hartman, along with the ECD faculty, has traveled around the country, learning from the nation’s best preschools and thinkers. She said, “We have learned from the best and been shocked and saddened to see what constitutes early childhood experiences in so many other schools.” GHA achieves excellence by nurturing authentic Jewish childhoods and helping families realize their divine poten- tial, in an environment of relationships, inquiry, reflection, and collaboration. Through the creation of this prize, the Covenant Foundation, whose mission is to Anna Hartman support quality educators, seeks to capture the passion that comes with new experience, nurture new leadership for the field in an intentional way, and enable emerging educators to take risks and make a difference. The $15,000 attached to the prize will constitute a fund to further professional development in the Reggio Emilia practice.
January-February 2012 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 19 ISJL named one of North America’s Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) has been named a Standard Bearer by Slingshot ‘11- ‘12, a resource guide for Jewish innovation. For the past seven years, Slingshot has featured annually the 50 most innovative Jewish projects in North America, which are selected from among hundreds of nominees. In that time, ten organizations have risen to the top again and again as leaders within the community and mentors to other organizations. Now called Standard Bearers, they have been listed in at least five editions of Slingshot. These organizations were chosen not only for longevity, but also because they continue to achieve Slingshot’s core criteria of innovation, impact, leadership, and organizational efficacy. According to Will Schneider, executive director of Slingshot, “Seven editions of Slingshot ago, Jewish innovation was still largely undefined and unexplored, and 66% of the organizations listed in this year’s guide weren’t even founded yet. Over the years, the Standard Bearers consistently set, exceeded, and reset the high standards that emerging organizations and projects in Jewish life aspired to match. In truth, we had trouble selecting a name that would set them apart as examples of ongoing excellence without placing them on an “emeritus” list or implying that their innovative days were behind them. We settled on Standard Bearers, because these groups set benchmarks for the field and led by example with ongoing innovation and relevancy.” Slingshot is used by philanthropists, volunteers, not-for-profit executives, and program participants to identify path-finding and trailblazing organizations grappling with concerns in Jewish life such as identity, community, and tradition. ISJL was chosen by a panel of 36 foundation professionals from across North America. This was ISJL’s sixth time being featured in Slingshot. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, the ISJL promotes Jewish life in the South through partnerships with Southern Jewish communities. Founded in 2000, the ISJL supports religious school education, rabbinic services, Jewish culture, community engagement, history, and the arts in underserved communities, as well as larger population centers. The independent, trans-denominational institute currently partners with more than 100 diverse Jewish congregations and community groups across 13 states: Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, and the Florida Panhandle. Through this unique model, the ISJL encourages communities large and small to assume the shared responsibility of promoting Jewish life and tradition region wide. “The ISJL implements innovative solutions to deliver Jewish programming and resources to communities across the South,” explains ISJL president Macy B. Hart. “Our inclusion in Slingshot ‘11-‘12 as a Standard Bearer reaffirms the impact of our work and allows us to continue building our capacity. We see that we are helping create a rich Jewish life for this next generation. Jonathan Raiffe, the chairman of Slingshot, said, “The Slingshot guide makes a statement to the Jewish community and beyond that next-gen funders embrace change, innovation, and evaluation when meeting the needs of our community. Slingshot promotes organizations that hold themselves accountable to all their stakeholders and up to the same scrutiny as forprofit organizations, while pushing the boundaries of how to solve the most pressing issues. Slingshot is about making a statement as to what we believe are the greatest needs and which organizations are doing the best job to fulfill those needs. Organizations that receive grants from Slingshot clearly identify an unmet need and offer proven models and solutions that can have a far-reaching impact.” Slingshot ‘11-‘12 was released on October 18, 2011. The community will meet on March 14 in New York City at the annual Slingshot Day, where over 250 notfor-profit leaders, foundation professionals, and funders of all ages will engage in candid conversations about philanthropy and innovation. 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 seventh 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.slingshotfund.org.
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January-February 2012 - The Jewish Georgian

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