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Elluminate E-News June 2024
Message from our CEO
We are so grateful for the outpouring of support for Elluminate at our Annual Luncheon in May. More than 400 generous supporters packed our event space, elevating our shared mission to support visionary Jewish women executives of nonprofits working for social change. Many of our donors had the opportunity to sit and visit with our Collective members, and for these attendees, this was a highlight learning about the issues that Collective members are working on.
At the same time, Jewish women leaders themselves have been making a point to thank Elluminate for creating a network for them to support each other, to empower them as leaders, and to give them strength to continue even when faced with challenges. While there are a number of Fellowships in the Jewish community, we are unique as we support a global network of entrepreneurial women practicing their Jewish value of Tikkun Olam.
Since I began my work at Elluminate 10 months ago, many people have thanked me for the work of the organization:
During my visit to Israel in March, as I hugged each Israeli Collective member when we met, each personally thanked me for Elluminate showing up in a time of crisis, for creating an Elluminate community in Israel to tackle issues specific to the country and putting a representative on the ground to help them navigate this moment — especially as funds moved from supporting civil society organizations to paying for wartime needs.
Our Orthodox members thanked us, as eloquently expressed by Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll of Chochmat Nashim: “Elluminate sees us as important women leaders advocating for women’s equality when the Jewish community stereotypes us as Orthodox and conservative and the Orthodox community does not see us at all.”
Another member thanked me and said she never really saw herself as a leader until she was accepted into The Collective. Now when she advocates for her cause, she is empowered by having a whole network of women behind her — ”the doers and the donors” — and it gives her immense confidence and fortitude.
And, I want to THANK YOU for your support of Elluminate! As we end the fifth program year of The Collective, our work is only starting as we continue to strengthen women leaders to create transformative change during a time of growing challenges for women.
We cannot do this important work without your genderosity. As our fiscal year comes to an end, we hope that you will consider making a generous donation to help us scale and grow as we meet this moment by empowering future women leaders working on the front lines of today’s pressing issues.
Warmly,
Melanie Roth Gorelick
Elluminate CEO
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Bolstering Israeli Women Now and Post-War: Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund Grants Announced
Elluminate and The Hadassah Foundation have announced grants to five Israeli women’s organizations from the jointly established Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund.
The Fund — representing the commitment of a total 11 Jewish women’s organizations throughout the US — was created by Elluminate and The Hadassah Foundation to support Israeli nonprofits actively and effectively working to give voice to women and advance equality in government and civil society as Israelis reprioritize and rebuild during and after wartime.
Read about the Fund and its grants here.
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SAVE THE DATE AND REGISTER!
NYS ERA Briefing: Your Life, Your Rights
When: June 24, 2024 — 5:30 to 7 pm ET
Where: UJA-Federation of New York, 130 East 59th Street
Did you know New York State does not have an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in its state constitution? Did you know that a state ERA would affect every facet of women’s lives — from the workplace, to health care, to domestic violence protections, to services for homeless women … and more? Did you know a state ERA is on our November ballot?
It is imperative that the ERA is codified in our New York State Constitution, and ultimately in the U.S. Constitution. How will that happen? What can we do?
Join us on June 24 and arm yourself with knowledge about the ERA and what we can do to codify women’s rights into law, as we carry on the fight. We will be joined by Marcy Syms, Co-Founder, and Ting Ting Cheng, Director, ERA Project at Columbia Law School.
Register here, and for more information email info@elluminatewomen.org.
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News of Impact, from Our Israeli Collective Members | |
Orit Sulitzeanu, Executive Director of The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel was recently awarded the Ruth Rappaport Prize for Women Generating Change Following October 7th. The Rappaport Prize Committee cited Orit’s dedication and inspirational struggle to expose the truth about Hamas’ sex crimes, her profound influence on public opinion and decision-makers worldwide, and the appreciation of her public advocacy and explanatory efforts for the State of Israel.
In February, ARCCI submitted a report to the UN detailing the sadistic and systematic nature of the sexual violence used by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, and evidence of such crimes perpetrated on hostages being held in Gaza.
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Dana Talmi, Founder and Executive Director of Yahel — Israel Service Learning has announced that in response to heightened needs on the ground across Israel, and the increasing interest from international volunteers eager to contribute, Yahel is expanding its efforts. The organization will launch two new Yahel Volunteering Hubs, or regional centers … a Southern Hub, serving southern Israel and based in Ofakim, and a Central Hub, serving central Israel. The Hubs will serve as a mechanism for engaging international volunteers in Israel in effective, responsible and meaningful short and long-term volunteering experiences.
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Ela Alon, Executive Director of Itach Ma’aki — Women Lawyers for Social Justice reports that the organization authored Hidden Voices, The Consequences of the October 7th War on Women’s Employment. The goal of the report is to elevate “the voices of women at the margins of the employment market and in the social and geographic peripheries of Israel … As a grass-roots organization, Itach Ma’aki has the ability to sound those voices, discern the difficulties and challenges to be addressed in the areas of employment and social security, and recommend modes of action that provide solutions which include those populations which are usually transparent or marginalized.”
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Elluminate Goes to Suffs on Broadway!
About 30 Elluminate community members headed to Broadway on June 5 for a performance of the Tony-nominated musical Suffs — the inspiring dramatization of the struggles and victories of our matriarchs, the suffragists, who worked passionately to secure women the right to vote in 1920 … and ignited our continuing pursuit of equal rights and opportunity. We applaud the cast and creatives for bringing this story to the stage and filling us with hope and energy for the work that we do … and we send them best wishes at the Tony Awards on June 16!
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In the Movement for Safe, Respectful and Equitable Jewish Spaces
Elluminate CEO Melanie Roth Gorelick was honored to speak at the SRE (Safety, Respect, Equity) Network Convening in New York on June 4, at the “Women Championing Women” reception. The Convening brought together SRE members, affiliates, grantees, funders and Jewish community leaders committed to building cultures of respect and belonging across our organizations and beyond.
“It is time for men and women of all generations to band together to build a world that represents our values, our Jewish values,” Melanie said at the reception. “I think we need a strong Jewish community that works to safeguard women’s rights and to center a gender lens on our policies and community.”
Also speaking at the reception was Daphne Lazar Price, Executive Director of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, Guila Benchimol, SRE Advisor, and Wendy Platt Newburger, Director of Jewish and Israel Giving, Crown Family Philanthropies.
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Congratulations to Elluminate Collective Cohorts 3 and 4!
Elluminate celebrated the inspiring graduates of Collective Cohorts 3 and 4 at a special dinner with Visionary Circle members, our Board and other Collective members in May. In addition to presentations, feminist Israeli poet Maya Tevet Dayan — who also spoke at our Annual Luncheon — delivered a moving reading touching at the essence of our community and vision for greater society. We are all immensely proud of the members of these cohorts, and the work we do to empower and elevate and connect them.
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Crown Jewel Conversations
Elluminate’s Crown JEWEL Conversations monthly webcast highlights one of our Collective members who share their personal story, issue area and how they are creating change. Register now to join us on July 11 to hear how Kerry Brodie, Founder & Executive Director of Emma's Torch, provides culinary training and job placement to refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking to help these individuals find meaningful work that celebrates their cultures and helps them build community.
Our most recent conversation, on June 6, featured Ela Alon, Executive Director of Itach Ma’aki — Women Lawyers for Social Justice. Ela discussed her work leveraging the Israeli legal system to protect women from social, ethnic and economic discrimination, and how she uses multi-cultural discourse to uplift women from diverse backgrounds, and promote understanding and cooperation. Watch Ela in conversation with Elluminate Immediate Past President Rachel Weinstein here.
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Please consider making a generous gift to support Elluminate’s work and programming during this critical and challenging time. | | | | | |
