2014

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Coach: Michael Adler

Website: theauerbachfirm.com
Social Media: Facebook
Press: Billy Penn

Venture Description

The Law Office of Steven Auerbach is a Philadelphia-based law firm that handles nearly all aspects of commercial, personal injury, and unemployment law. Steven Auerbach and his firm work tirelessly to ensure that you receive favorable results from your hearing. Auerbach’s newly-launched legal practice is tailored to meet the unique needs of litigants in the Philadelphia area, and has emerged as a recognized leader in commercial law and unemployment compensation litigation. Covered cases include: personal injury, commercial law, family law, on-the-job and traffic accidents, and unemployment compensation. Whether your case is settled out of court, in mediation, or in front of a judge appointed by law, Auerbach can help your case.

About the Founder

Steve is a Main Line attorney, father, and son. At 27, Steve has graduated from law school, opened his own commercial litigation practice, and has authored the World’s first English table of contents for the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law). Steve is best characterized by his strong sense of determinism and appreciation of nuance. He is excited by trend-setters, ground-breakers, and by those who maximize their potential.

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Website: iamproject.co
Social Media: Facebook
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Venture Description

The goal of The “I Am” Project is to foster stronger and more confident students by teaching them tools that access their strengths, talents, and abilities. Teaching them to create the realities they desire, heal wounds and past traumas, and become compassionate, productive, and self-reliant adults. “I Am” teaching takes every aspect of a student into consideration so that he or she may grow, move through any internal blocks or obstacles that may have manifested, and that may be confronted physically. Students learn valuable strategic thinking and the ability to trust in key natural instincts. Our creative and dynamic training increases balance, alignment, agility, flexibility, strength, power, breath consciousness and awareness to reveal your peak performance in all aspects of life. The goal is to create curriculums for elementary, middle, and high schools that encompass and incorporate these tools and put them to practice.

About the Founder

Yali is a writer, speaker, teacher, and consultant with a passion to uncover strength and healing within herself and others. Throughout her life, Yali battled with recurring instances of abuse that culminated in a shattering of her self-perception, thus sparking a vicious cycle of depression, eating disorders and self-harm. By getting to know her mind and her body through a mélange of physical, mindful, and therapeutic practices, she eventually came to know herself. She teaches these tools and fosters self-care in classrooms in the Philadelphia area. The “I Am” Project emerged from her work with survivors of violence and students dealing with mental illness and anxiety. The “My Voice Workshops” and “I Am Curriculum” which make up I Am – My Voice emerged from Yali’s journey in healing from illness and struggle along with the results she observed in working with her students and groups of survivors.

 

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Website: challahforhunger.org
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook

Venture Description

Challah for Hunger (CfH) brings people together to bake and sell challah to raise funds and awareness for social justice causes. 2014 marks our 10th anniversary of creating transformational experiences for young Jews through social justice work and challah baking. To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we want to re-connect with our thousands of alumni by developing a Challah for Hunger Alumni Network. We want to create online and in person opportunities for CfH alumni to continue to engage with social justice work, Jewish community and philanthropy. For many participants, CfH is an entry point to Jewish social justice work, and we want to support the continuation of their journey.

About the Founder

Carly Zimmerman, CEO of Challah for Hunger, started her Jewish journey at the University of Pittsburgh, where she co-founded a Jewish a cappella group and the Pitt Challah for Hunger chapter. Passionate about student empowerment and social justice, Carly worked in the Hillel community and received her master’s degree from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Carly spends her free time exploring the Philadelphia’s parks and restaurants with her husband, Michael, and dog, Henry.

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Website: palawyersforyouth.org
Social Media:Twitter
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Venture Description

We aim to give voice to otherwise silenced experiences of youth by advocating for reforms that promote positive youth development, effective legal representation, and supportive relationships between the community and youth. We believe in the resiliency and potential of young people. In working towards a more just juvenile system, we aim to empower system-involved youth to identify their own goals, acknowledge their potential, and realize their dreams. We believe that working with individuals can inform a wider advocacy approach. We will assist reintegrating youth by providing advocates for youth before they are released from detention facilities; advocates will continue to work with youth post incarceration to navigate complicated educational and legal systems through consistent and informed mentorship and case management, intervention into the school-to-prison pipeline trajectory, and advocacy-driven, client-centered direct service.

About the Founder

Elana takes to heart the idea that with privilege comes responsibility. After majoring in African-American Studies at Wesleyan University, Elana adopted a set of radical politics including a desire to dismantle hierarchical structures that form the foundation of modern society. She focused on prison abolition work, and spent a year working at the New York Legal Assistance Group through AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps in New York City upon graduation. Shortly thereafter, Elana began law school at Georgetown, working on projects relating to solitary confinement of youth, prison expansion, and the school to prison pipeline, and interned at the Capitol Area Immigrant Rights (CAIR) Coalition, the Washington Lawyers Committee in the Prisoner’s Project, Human Rights Watch, and participated in the juvenile defense clinic at Georgetown. Now, as a lawyer, Elana is looking for ways to continue this work outside of her primary job.

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Venture Description

Studies show that exposure to American Sign Language before the development of spoken language helps to improve children’s visual and mental acuity. Heather Schmerman devised a fun and creative way for parents to do this! Sign of the Times is a unique, innovative business plan, which aims to educate Jewish parents on how to communicate with their children using storytelling in American Sign Language (ASL). Schmerman, a Deaf professional ASL teacher, designed a personalized course that will educate parents on ASL storytelling and conversation basics. By the end of the course, parents will be able to sign their own bedtime stories to their children. As a memento, parents will take home a digital video recording of themselves signing a story in ASL.

About the Founder

Heather is full of energy, ambitious, and willing to learn about anything with an open-mind and eyes when it comes to unexpected adventures! Heather is originally from Chicago, attended California State University, and studied for a year in Australia. Her passion for traveling, food, culture, acting and adventure has taken her to Southeast Asia, Turkey, Greece and Israel. Heather uses every day to meet new people and learn wherever she can. As a teacher, she is able to pass her knowledge of American Sign Language on to her students. Everyone she teaches wants to learn more, and Heather is always willing to share what she knows.

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Venture Description

Shine Dance Studio will provide a professional and exciting place for Jewish girls to discover their uniqueness through dance. The focus of the studio is on the importance of modesty and developing a healthy sense of self esteem and body image. Walk in, learn to dance, and let your true self shine. Shine will also be geared to the schedule of the observant community. The greater Jewish community will have a chance to send their girls to a class where they won’t have to miss any classes because of Shabbat or holidays and they will be able to participate in performances because they will take place in a modest environment that befits Jewish girls of all backgrounds.

About the Founder

Lauren Somers is passionate about improving the lives of others through dance. As a former dancer, she knows the value and impact that results from self expression. In addition, Lauren strives to impart Jewish values such as modesty and a healthy self esteem. Lauren is committed to helping others tap into their core values and strengths on the dance floor. She is a dedicated wife and loving mother of four children.