2013

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Website: learn2earn.org
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Venture Description

My online platform Learn2Earn is a fun and interactive reading incentive platform. It tracks and motivates active reading. My site also creates online reading communities that involve students, parents, and the students’ families and friends to provide the social and instructional support and motivation for reading. My site also has a crowdfunding fundraising platform built into it so that in the case that a school or other organization wishes to use my site to do a fundraiser then schools receive money based on the number of books their students read. These fundraisers are particularly profitable because they tap into each students’ network (realistically their parents’ network) to significantly widen the net of donors.

About the Founder

I attended Jewish day schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. After high school I went to Williams College where I studied Economics, History, and Statistics, and graduated in June 2012. I decided to start Learn2Earn because I’ve always been passionate about education and reading and have always wanted to do something that positively influences a lot of lives. Now I’m excited about my company and all the different places it can go.

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Website: vinedining.com
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Venture Description

For the first time in US history, this generation of children is not expected to outlive their parents. We are facing a national pandemic of sick and obese children and adults who are frequently becoming diagnosed with easily treatable diseases: heart disease, type-two diabetes, and high blood pressure to name a few. These diseases are a direct result of poor eating habits related to not knowing about healthy choices. Therefore, my venture is to create a healthy, plant-based, kosher personal chef and cooking class business. I am going to change this problem of not knowing how to make healthy choices through teaching individuals how to cook nutritious, delicious meals that are plant-based, and happen to be kosher as well. For the parents who work full time, I would like to be the personal chef that comes to their home and makes nourishing meals for their family. And for the mom or dad who does have time to cook, I want to be the liaison to teach him or her how to cook nutritious meals. I would like to start in the Jewish community, one in which I am familiar. Because I believe in plant-based food, I am able to cook completely kosher food appealing to a more religious demographic.

About the Founder

I consider myself a Jewish vegan who gets excited by food and anything Israel-related. I graduated from Penn State University in May of 2011 with degrees in sociology and international studies. During my time at Penn State, I studied abroad in Tel Aviv, and then lived on a kibbutz the following summer. Living in Israel allowed me to fully express my Jewish self, coming home with a passion for the state of Israel and the Jewish people. I loved being around people similar to me, knowing that the stranger sitting next to me on the bus celebrated the same holidays as me growing up. Through returning to Israel as the madricha of two birthright trips post-college, I realized that I wanted to work in the Jewish community. Thus, I currently work for Maccabi USA. Aside from my love of Israel, I am a passionate about healthy, plant-based food and working out. I get most excited about my daily gym work outs and self-cooked vegan fare. Besides these passions of mine, the most important elements of my life are my friends and my family. They both contribute to my boldness and confidence to embark on a self-made business. I treasure my close friends from all walks of life, and feel fortunate to have important people in my life.

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Website: phillyaepi.org
Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn
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Venture Description

We have something like 3,000 alumni in the Philly area of all ages (mostly 20s-50s) who come from a diverse set of backgrounds and schools and have all been introduced to the idea of being involved in the Jewish community. However, the majority of these alumni (and new ones moving to the area) aren’t actively engaged and aren’t involved as much as they could be. My group has the backing of our headquarters and has begun to regularly host events aimed at adding value to the members and getting them involved in the Jewish community. We want to make sure that all their skills and experience is benefiting our community and that everyone is aware of the opportunities to getting involved.

About the Founder

I’m a software developer currently in Philly who grew up splitting time between Atlantic City and Key West. My involvement in the Jewish community didn’t start until joining AEPi at Drexel who also introduced me to Hillel. They showed me that even more than software, developing people and communities is what excites me. I was able to serve as president of the Hillel and AEPi before graduating and now volunteer as an adviser for both groups.

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Venture Description

Utilizing my professional experience as a personal trainer and my desire to energize and inspire, I have developed a specialized group exercise class providing community-oriented connections to Shabbat. Participants experience a unique blend of fitness and mindful discussion.

About the Founder

Emily didn’t identify as an athlete until she looked back on her physical endeavors and accomplishments. After three years as a competitive wrestler, she became the first female at her high school to make the varsity team. She continued her love of sports to play rugby at Bryn Mawr College (graduated 2007). Emily’s overall approach to life is to live simply, through health and happiness. She has professional expertise in one-on-one personal training, spinning and group exercise classes and personal accomplishments of competing in multiple half marathons, triathlons and marathon.

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Coach: Michele Rifkin
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Website:
Social Media: Facebook
Press: Jewish Exponent, Jewish Learning Venture

Venture Description

My venture seeks to fill an existing gap, i.e. many religious and day schools and Jewish camps require tools and knowledge to successfully support children with special needs. It appears that many religious school directors and staff often have limited familiarity with the strategies being utilized with these same children in their ‘secular’ educational environment. Many parents of children with special needs often become frustrated with Jewish institutions and find ways to ‘opt out’. This eventually leads to decreased engagement with Judaism for these children, as well as their parents. That is where my services come in—to support Jewish engagement for the child and family. It is more cost effective for a parent or an institution to pay for a limited amount of on-site consultation to help make environmental adaptations, utilize sensory and movement strategies, create behavior plans or visual schedules, or work directly with a child (i.e. providing direct therapy on-site at a Jewish day school or camp). Instead of being on-site all year, which is more expensive, I can provide Jewish learning institutions across the Delaware Valley with the tools to become more inclusive using shorter term support. I started working with my first synagogue recently. Azar has recently merged with Jewish Learning Venture’s Whole Community Inclusion program.

About the Founder

I originally moved to Philadelphia to attend graduate school in occupational therapy in 1999 and have remained here ever since. I participated in Tribe 12 activities during my single graduate student days, and my husband Barak and I attended couples-only dinners after we were married. Our son Julian arrived in 2004, and our daughter Sophie was born three years later. Shortly after migrating to the suburbs, we joined a small Conservative synagogue. I consider myself Jewishly engaged. I also love what I do for a living– promoting independence in self-care, educational and leisure activities for children with special needs. Occupational therapists focus on the ‘job’ of living, on ‘occupations’ such as feeding and dressing oneself, playing and interacting with peers, writing and using a computer, just to name a few. For children (and adults) who struggle to use their eyes and hands cooperatively, who might be overwhelmed with the daily barrage of sensory information from the environment, engaging in meaningful activity requires tools, strategies and adaptations. It is the intersection of Judaism and occupational therapy that brings me to the Tribe 12 Fellowship. I have always felt strongly about cultivating my own Jewish identity and ensuring my family’s full participation in the Jewish community. I feel that all people deserve the opportunity to be fully welcomed and supported by their faith communities. However, this is not as simple a proposition as it sounds for families whose children have special needs.

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Website: joystember.com
Social Media: Facebook
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Venture Description

Joy Stember creates pewter Judaica and objects for the home for new generation of Jewish collectors. Her goal is to stress the importance of hand-made crafts and supporting local businesses. As a new generation of young professionals are getting married and having families keeping old traditions is getting harder. They have been given their parents or grandparents Jewish objects that are important but very stylistically outdated. Joy creates beautiful well crafted Judaica to help keep these families keep the traditions that have been passed down to them, only with a new contemporary flair.

About the Founder

In the winter of 2010, I went on a Taglit Birthright trip to Israel. While there, I was captivated by the landscape, culture and history. When I returned home I felt a stronger connection to Israel, my culture and my identity as an artist. This journey profoundly changed my perspective and led me to discover my true passion. I began to focus on creating contemporary Judaica full-time and opened the Joy Stember Metal Arts Studio, LLC. This decision has not only provided great personal fulfillment but also the opportunity to share my craft with the world.

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Website: spectrumphilly.org
Social Media: Facebook
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Venture Description

Spectrum Philly currently functions as an organization that hosts social and cultural events for queer Jews in their 20s and 30s. Spectrum builds community for these Jews who otherwise might not find a place for themselves in Judaism at all – but in it’s current state, it builds a relatively insular community. I intend to transform Spectrum into a larger organization with wider roots, acting as a bridge between queer young adults and the greater Jewish community. Studies show that even though more synagogues are identifying themselves as queer/LGBT-friendly, they are not attracting LGBT members. Jewish communities cannot rely exclusively on pale outreach efforts from within their historically queer-unfriendly institutions to create spaces where queer Jews will feel at home; rather, queer-outreach organizations need to create that space from the outside in. Spectrum needs to actively connect to synagogues, the Gershman Y, the other arms of Tribe 12, and more. Spectrum needs to create spaces for young queer Jews at events that are not expressly queer-friendly, and plan Spectrum sponsored events that are open to the greater Jewish community, and ultimately serve as a national model for queer young adult involvement in Jewish communities. Spectrum Philly merged with Tribe 12 to create the current Tribe 12 LGBTQIA+ Tribe.

About the Founder

Architectural designer by day, community organizer by night, Makella is a passionate, resourceful problem-solver backed by a practical foundation of design, leadership, and project management. Drawing on her own struggles to make a home in both the Jewish and queer communities, Makella finds great strength in building bridges and bringing people together in exciting, entrepreneurial, and meaningful ways. Makella is a co-author and illustrator of “Ma Nishtana,” a GLBTQA haggadah that is at once both innovative and traditional. She is a graduate of architecture programs at Drexel University and Washington University in St. Louis.

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Venture Description

The Changency is a fellowship-style initiative that teaches its participants that they have the ability to make an impact on their community as an individual and as part of a group. This addresses the issue that many young people feel that since they don’t necessarily have money to donate, they can not influence change around them. Through the exploration of social justice, volunteerism, advocacy and philanthropy, participants will get to accesses a variety of ways they can make a difference in their community through a Jewish lens.

About the Founder

I am an energetic Jewish Community Professional with a constant drive to make things better than they already are. I’ve lived: In Elkins Park, PA, Akko, Israel, Ithaca, NY, Washington, DC, & Philadelphia, PA. I’ve learned: At Cheltenham High School, the Jewish Community High School at Gratz College, & Ithaca College. I’ve lead: Campers and Staff at Habonim Dror Camp Galil, student leaders at Ithaca College, Jewish community programming with The Collaborative. I love: Meeting new people, trying new things, developing new and innovative programming, bringing people together, standing up and speaking out, the idea that social media is the truest form of democracy that exists globally.

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Website: marriagemindedmentor.com
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram
Press: marriagemindedmentor.com/in-the-press

Venture Description

My venture, Marriage Minded Mentor helps individuals get to know themselves so they can be more prepared to date for marriage. In addition to this one-on-one mentoring on self development, Marriage Minded Mentor sets up singles that are looking to be engaged this year. The greatest problem that MMM seeks to solve is the crisis of older singles not getting married. My specialty is in working with older singles (late 20’s-60’s). MMM is the right solution because we both educate the early 20’s so they don’t end up in my pool of clients in 10 years and at the same time we offer a marriage minded approach to dating for the older singles.

About the Founder

Wife, Mother, Mentor, Matchmaker. It took me 34 years of soul searching and self exploration to find my passion, and I found it. Mentoring singles and couples – this is my passion. I am a passionate mentor and matchmaker with a unique approach. My natural insight and strong passion for connecting people, as well as her enhanced listening skills, give me an edge in helping people shape their lives. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, where I designed my own major, and I have been seeking out and accumulating life experience ever since.

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Coach: Ben Weinraub

Website: schmearit.com
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Press: schmearit.com/press

Venture Description

A unique food truck with a social conscience. The food concept involves bringing NYC bagels to Philadelphia, and schmearing them with made-to-order spreads. That could mean tuna salad mixed with avocado, chopped tomatoes, and peppers for one customer or low-fat cream cheese mixed with chopped lox, scallions, and cucumbers for another. Call it the Coldstone Creamery of Bagels. I’m even more excited about the second component: each week, I will donate a percentage of profits to a local nonprofit. I will solicit causes and charities from my customers, empowering them as philanthropists at no extra cost or effort. My truck will be a grassroots fundraising and marketing platform, and a stimulus for thought and conversation. There are two conflicting problems Schmear It seeks to address: too many people are needy and struggle to maintain basic quality of life (hunger, for example, is rampant – data indicate 1 in 4 in Philly are hungry – and yet feels distant for most who never have to worry about their next meal. Hunger will be a focus area given the logical food association.), and simultaneously, greed and the bottom line predominate much of business. Aside from fundraising, I hope to send the reminder that there are many less fortunate than we. I aim to be an active demonstration (particularly to aspiring Penn students, many of whom study at Wharton) that business is not just about profits and that a social mission interwoven with a product can actually be good and right for business.

About the Founder

I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and am always happy to return home. I recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in May ’11, having studied History, Communication, and Psychology, fully taken advantage of student life, and gotten to know and love Philly. I continue to search my own creativity and opportunities around me for the “career path” that will combine all of my passions, skills, and interests. I am adamant about doing something that I am passionate about, has an impact, and is unique. I tried baseball and loved it but was unfulfilled by its lacking social impact. I have more recently tried the nonprofit sector but have at times been frustratingly disillusioned by certain aspects. I am developing the mindset that good can often be accomplished better from a for-profit platform in which a social conscience is inextricably tied to its core brand and business model. This is what I am currently seeking to do. Specifically, I would like to one day apply social business models to the restaurant industry. In addition to my career ambitions, people, baseball, dogs, food, evolving media trends, wine, beer, neck ties, smart and creative business ideas (particularly the one-for-one socially infused business model), and traveling and exploring new countries and cities all excite me.

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Social Media: Facebook
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Venture Description

Closet Redemption is an investment in actualizing your potential. We work hard on our insides, constantly striving to refine and cultivate from within, be it in the spiritual realm, the academic world, in our professional life, within our communities and our homes. Our inner beauty is our core, but our outsides should not be forgotten. Physicality is often seen as superficial, yet if recognized as a means to elevate the internal and to radiate inner beauty outward, it is not superficial at all. Closet Redemption is about teaching women how to use and love what they already have. We teach women how to shop their own closet, how to revamp and repurpose their existing wardrobe in an effort to reflect the inside out. Got a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? In a two hour session, we will put together complete outfits from head to toe from your own closet, photographing each look providing clients with a visual guide “The Look Book” for later reference. Closet Redemption’s suite of services also include personal shopping, clothing restoration, image consulting, packing services, etc and we are continually adding new value propositions to best serve the needs of our clients. Closet Redemption prides itself on looking at the clothes in your closet in a whole new way with a fresh eye, a sensitivity to your specific needs and budget, and a flare for your individual style and personality. It’s about spendLESS shopping, not ENDLESS shopping.

About the Founder

I am a Jewish woman- a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a sister in-law, a niece an aunt, a friend, a member of my community, a student, a former advertising executive, a stylist, a headband maker, a baker, a horseback rider, an excellent gift wrapper and G-d willing one day soon a wife and a mother. I am passionate about actualizing my potential, refining my character traits, connecting with others, learning new things and growing as a person –all of course while wearing a great outfit. I get excited when things “fit” (and I don’t only mean clothes), when there is synchronicity, when things come together and work, be it an opportunity that presents itself, perfectly mixed patterns, a beautifully set table, or a “chance” encounter. I am the person who really appreciates beauty on the outside but also truly sees it as a reflection of beauty on the inside. I am driven to succeed by the possibility of having an impact on others, by the opportunity to become the person I am meant to be, by using my gifts and talents to do the job that only I can do in this world.