2018

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Coach: Stu Maleef
Peer: Carly Zimmerman

Website: alannaraffel.com
Social media: Instagram

Venture Description

Access Point is a consulting company and resource for accessible events and places in Philadelphia and beyond. We collaborate with museums, theaters, and other organizations to create inclusive programming for people with disabilities and their families. Our newsletter and website provides information about upcoming events with accessibility offerings (audio description, open captioning, American Sign Language, etc) and ideas for promoting access.

About the Founder

Alanna is a pediatric occupational therapist who spends her work day with elementary and middle school students in the Philadelphia Charter schools and her evenings and weekends exploring arts and culture in Philadelphia. She is excited to be joining us as a Fellow and looks forward to sharing her big ideas with the Jewish community!

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Coach: Julie Meyers
Peer: Caroline Fortin

Venture Description

HOME is a comprehensive anonymous and public online forum for people to express stories of belonging, love, loss, resiliency, and forgiveness surrounding the topic of divorce. The goal of HOME is to create a safe space for community building while debunking shame and stigma, fostering healing, highlighting valuable resources, and helping all parties in the pre, during, and post divorce experience feel seen, valued, and heard.

About the Founder

Serena, an artistically minded person, has decided to use her creativity to channel in on something so important to her. Being a child of divorce herself she knows how difficult this can be and would like to ensure a place where people can feel comfortable.

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Coach: Michael Adler
Peer: Lauren Dranoff

Website: veryawesomearts.com
Social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Venture Description

Very Awesome Arts is changing the way we learn about religion by helping us laugh about it. We’re celebrating culture through comedy across four entertainment platforms: theater, film, audio, and tech—retelling traditional stories in interactive, unexpected, and provocative (like, really provocative) ways. Our content pushes boundaries in the name of bringing us together, because that’s what the world damn well needs.

About the Founder

Josh Silverbauer appreciates a good hat, and underneath his hats lives a very awesome brain. His left brain owns a digital agency, building websites and tracking data for clients. His right brain writes rock operas and creates theater extravaganzas. He and his wife co-produce the now very popular Very Awesome Purim series, and that’s only the beginning of what they have in store for Jewish arts, culture and interactive content.

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Coach: Larry Kaplan
Peer: Molly Wernick

Website: craftandchestnut.com
Social media: Instagram, Facebook

Venture Description

Craft & Chestnut can craft with you in any location and for any occassion. On one hand, we provide materials and instructions for a unique craft, while IN your other hand, we make sure you always have a drink. Regardless of your crafty skills coming into this fun and social atmosphere, you will be sure to bring home a masterpiece!

About the Founder

Michelle, an architect from Boston, is excited to share her love and passion for crafting with the Philadelphia community. She has a strong belief that people should make time for themselves, and by providing a creative outlet for people to do just that, Michelle can bring some fun and relaxation into your life!

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Coach: Rachel Dukeman
Peer: Sara Goldfuss

Website: risinginlovethemusical.com
Social Media: Instagram

Venture Description

Rising in Love The Musical is the story of an engaged couple and the miscommunications that impact our most intimate relationships: our partners, our families, and ourselves.

About the Founder

Rory Michelle is a singer-songwriter and composer. She has recorded four studio albums of original music in the last six years and performed her songs internationally. Her work explores relating to ourselves, others, and a spiritual Source in healthy, authentic, creative, and constructive ways.

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Coach: Matt Handel
Peer: Morgan Berman

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Coach: George Shotz
Peer: Polly Edelstein

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Coach: Matt Pincus
Peer: Jess Edelstein

Website: 3rdgenblinds.com
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
Press:

Venture Description

We are Jessica, Stephen and Zoey Bird and we are 3rdGenBlinds. Jessica is the 3rd generation in her family to be selling custom window treatments. We are the first generation, however, to be selling retail. Jess’ father and grandfather began their businesses in the wholesale blind industry and we are so grateful to be able to bring their beautiful products right to your door as the first retailers in our family. We are a fully shop-at-home business which means no storefront and no overhead which helps us keep our costs down to give our customers one of a kind experiences at a great price. As a local business we provide window treatment services in and around (but not limited to) Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware Counties. Schedule your in-home consultation today and shop from the comfort of your very own home!

About the Founder

Jess is a fun-loving entrepreneur with a dedication and passion to her family and career. She founded a third-generation window treatment business called 3rdGenBlinds. She is the third generation selling window treatments, but first generation to be selling retail, versus wholesale. One of her biggest passions with this business is finding ways to give back within her own community of customers as well as partnering up with a non-profit to be able to run a successful business while simultaneously contributing to a great cause.

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Coach: Stacey Pass Prieto
Peer: Amy Zitelman

Website: kgstrongtraining.com
Social media: Twitter, Facebook
Press: Philadelphia Magazine

Venture Description

KG Strong is a woman-powered kettlebell and strength training studio in the BOK building in South Philly, offering private and semi-private training in a supportive and body-positive environment. Students come to KG Strong to learn strength skills from educated, experienced and passionate women trainers, and they stay for the amazing community.

About the Founder

In the summer of 2017, Katie was awarded “best personal trainer” and the title fits her! She has worked so hard to get where she is today and is excited to continue to guide others towards a healthy lifestyle. As the owner of a female powered Kettlebell studio, KG Strong, Katie has devoted her life to helping people better themselves.

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Coach: Ben Weinraub
Peer: Samantha Hyman

Venture Description

Koatee is lifewear that serves a dual purpose; one as a pleather jacket and two as a a pleather jacket that with the snapping and zipper functions will fold itself into a bag. It is a convenient product that allows for the individual to live their always changing lives on the go – whether their day starts off using Koatee as a jacket or a bag.

About the Founder

Koty is a hard worker, a devoted friend, and a leader in the Jewish world that lives and breathes the city of Philadelphia.

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Coach: Scott Aronow
Peer: Jonathan Wetstein

Venture Description

Parents Just Don’t Understand is a support group for siblings and peers struggling with their loved ones addiction and recovery. The goal is to create a safe space for young people to share their experience and strength.

About the Founder

Jake and his dog Franklin (as in Benjamin) are pysched to join our Fellowship team! Not only is Jake a real estate agent and champion axe thrower, but he also has some great ideas on how to better the Jewish community and support people struggling with drug and alcohol addictions.

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Coach: Neal Pollack
Peer: Ariella Werden-Greenfield

Venture Description

JewJitsu United aims to partner with Jewish educational facilities and community groups to establish and support martial arts programs for young Jewish children. A 12-week curriculum is being developed to instill Jewish values alongside the physical lessons.

About the Founder

Dave is a jack of all trades with backgrounds in law, engineering, and physics which have allowed him to develop insight into the functioning of systems and how to best optimize them.

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Coach: Rhona Gerber

Peer: Joy Stember

Davinica is a graphic designer who is incredibly passionate about her community (especially her Jewish one), social justice, the arts, her holistic lifestyle, and her career. Her venture, Creating United Empowerment (CUE), is a charitable online art gallery that donates a portion of its sales to nonprofit organizations that empower women* to thrive in the face of oppression.

*CUE is inclusive and accepting of all people who identify with, as, or stand with women.