Fellows

Welcome our 2021 Tribe 12 Fellows!

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We are so excited to welcome these 16 amazing people! Over the course of the next few months, we cannot wait to watch them grow!

 

 

 

Aimee Goldstein 
Curlyfish Productions
Fun Fact: Has a 20-year-old pet frog

 

 

 

Michal Naisteter
Sex Positive Mama
Favorite Jewish Food: Latkahs

 

 

 

Matt Bussy
Diversifying Philadelphia’s Jewish
Film Festival
Fun Fact: I’m half-British!

 

 

 

Danielle Silberman 
Peace Lily Counseling Services
Favorite Jewish Memory: My wedding!

 

 

Alexa Stango
Aleysunflower Secondhand
Clothing Store
Favorite Jewish Memory: Shabbat dinners with roommates

 

 

Erica Kushner
Habonim Dror North America and Movement Democracy
Fun Fact: Erica makes challah every week

 

Eli Robbins
civio.io
Fun fact: Eli is Juban
(Jewish Cuban)

 

 

 

Elijah Tomaszewski
Those Near and Far: Writing
Transgender and Jewish Characters
Favorite Jewish Holiday: Simchas Torah

 

 

Jamie Price
LIB Consulting Group
Favorite Jewish Memory: overnight summer camp

 

Sonia Gordon-Walinsky
Pasuk Art
Favorite Jewish Ritual: Rosh Hashanah mini – seder w/special foods for the new year

 

 

 

Amanda Thum
The Confidence Class, Inc.
Favorite Jewish Ritual: Shabbat

 

 

Gabrielle Schwartz
Cannabis and Cosmetics
Favorite Jewish Memory: Birthright Trip in 2015!

 

 

 

Jessica Grill
Nature Play NJ
Fun Fact: has competed and placed in traditional archery competitions

 

 

 

Hana Bernett
Safe Socially Distant Social Skills
Fun Fact: Loves her Margate summers

 

 

 

Benni Litman
LIB Consulting Group
Fun Fact: Used to study chimps
in the wild

 

 

 

Becca D’Onofrio
Parenting Positively
Fun Fact: Lived in Amsterdam for 5 years

Are you an Intrapreneurer?!

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The Tribe 12 Fellowship – for Entrepreneurs and…Intra-preneurs?

Many of you are familiar with the Tribe 12 Fellowship. It’s a leadership and entrepreneurial program for individuals that are dedicated to personal growth, enriching communities, and making Judaism their own. Through a curriculum built on the themes of self-discovery, philanthropy, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship, Fellows apply the tangible skills they learn to create a capstone project of their own design: a new or existing business, nonprofit, community, or anything in between.

But what about folks working in established organizations that they didn’t create? I’m glad you asked! While known for incubating new ventures, the Tribe 12 Fellowship is also for people looking to grow and develop within an existing organization. Whether you’re looking to increase engagement, prototype a new program, or just hone your professional skills to better serve your current work, the Fellowship can provide you with the foundation to achieve your goals

Do you know someone who is looking to innovate and progress in their current place of business? Could you be an intra-preneur?

Reach out to our Fellowship Coordinator Polly to learn more about the Fellowship and how it could best serve you!

You can reach Polly via email at Polly@tribe12.org

 

Reflections on the 10th Annual Tribe 12 Fellowship Launch Night

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To those who attended our virtual Tribe 12 Fellowship Launch Night – Thank you! We hope you were inspired by the work our Fellows put into their ventures. It takes a lot of courage to continue to innovate and dream big in these uncertain times and we could not be more proud of their achievements.

Unable to make Launch Night this year? Check out our virtual recording of the evening here. Want to keep up with our Fellows and learn about the things they are working on and needed as they continue to grow and develop their ventures?

Read below to learn more about what they are up to and how you can help!

Hillary Barlowe: Ehyeh

I am looking for folks to follow my Instagram @spiritcarekit to meet the artists and healers contributing to the boxes. Preorder a box for yourself or sponsor one for a neighbor.

Jessica Creane: IKantKoan

I need $10,000 to pay a team of designers a living wage for the month it will take to make R&J a reality.

Alex Fox: Real Estate for All Abilities 

Follow me on Instagram at @closeitwithfox help me reach, and let me know of disability organizations. And refer me to clients of all abilities that could use my help in real estate.

Matthew Goldberg: MakeAway Retreats 

Sign up for the first retreat at super early bird pricing or express interest! Find more information here! 

Dani Horn: Repair the World Philadelphia 

I am looking for volunteers for in-person and virtual opportunities to address local urgent needs as well as financial contributions to support Repair’s community efforts.Visit werepair.org

Sara Kupfer: Fit Jewess 

I am asking 5 of you to introduce me to a social media influencer who has an engaged Jewish female following for a one day Instagram takeover so that I can increase my reach. Follow me @fitjewess

Shoshana Leshaw: CreativeCare Consulting

I am looking for 2-3 people who are creative, business-minded, and driven to partner with me part-time as I grow this idea. Together we can remind mental healthcare workers that they are not alone.

Caleb Murphy: TheKindversation

Please like and subscribe to my Youtube channel and share my videos on all your social media platforms.

Katie Rabinowitz: The Shaw Method

I am looking for new clients looking to shake up their routines by signing up for my newsletter, joining my daily classes, or signing up for a personally curated program. Follow me @theshawmethod 

Michael Saks: Michael Saks Digital 

I am looking for 10 small Jewish businesses looking to update or develop their digital footprint. Follow me @themichaelsaks 

Noga Schechter: Rapid Medical Parts, Inc

I am looking for connections to Medical Facilities, NGOs, Municipalities and State Governments to fill in pre-orders for our emergency ventilator solution. 

Ashley Toal: iGoodBoy

I’m looking for a dog trainer who can help me lead virtual dog training sessions. Follow me @igoodboypets on Instagram! 

Nicole Wasilus: Everybody Loves Organizing 

I’m looking for new clients in the Philly area who want to organize their homes. Schedule a free virtual consultation with me at bit.ly/lovesorganizing. And follow my Instagram @everybodylovesorganizing

For more information on our Fellowship Program please reach out to Fellowship Coordinator Polly Edelstein or see our website! 

 

9 Ways the Fellowship Helped Me Start a Successful Business

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Join the 2020 Fellowship Cohort for the 10th Annual Tribe 12 Fellowship Launch Night: The Beginning!

Hear first hand from one of our Fellowship Alumni! 

Aleeza Ben Shalom of Marriage Minded Mentor went through the Tribe 12 Fellowship in 2013. As CEO of her business, she works as a coach and trainer to empower singles “to get over their hurdles and under the chuppah.” Aleeza is also the author of Get Real, Get Married. Check out Marriage Minded Mentor on Facebook!

Tribe 12 Fellowship gives young budding entrepreneurs an opportunity to blossom. So what is their secret and how do they build an entrepreneur? Here are 9 ways they helped me to grow and become the professional that I am today.

1. Belief In Me, Not Just My Venture

While it’s true that Tribe 12 would be ecstatic to see your venture succeed, it is not the venture that they believe in. It’s not your amazing business idea they want to support. Tribe 12 believes in YOU! They want to help you to grow personally and professionally. Whether your venture succeeds or fails, YOU will always succeed. Because even a failure is an opportunity for growth and learning. And if you have skills, Tribe 12 knows you’ll go on to try something else until you succeed.

2. Business Training Sessions

There is a wonderful and intimate group (about 10-12) of fellows each year. Together you receive training and participate in workshops where you learn new skills, refine your venture and engage in new thinking. Your peers are there to support you. I loved having a team of good hearted and supportive people to help me refine my vision and make my dream business a reality.

3. I Found Myself A Cheerleader

Being an entrepreneur can be lonely and challenging at times. Personally I work from home and spend much time on my own growing my business. Having a peer group and supportive business networking group made a huge difference. I knew I had a squad behind me who supported me and wanted to see me succeed. They cheered me on along the way. A supportive environment is key to an entrepreneur’s success.

4. Network, Network, Network.

I appear outgoing to most people, but I’ll tell you a secret: I’m an introvert by nature. While I have trained myself to be more of an extrovert, meeting new people can be a challenge. Tribe 12 provided me a network and connections that made meeting people a joy instead of a challenge.

5. Go Ahead And Make A Mistake

Tribe 12 embraces mistakes. In fact, if you’re not making mistakes in business you’re doing something wrong. Together we looked at where we went right and where we went wrong. I had a support group to help evaluate how to do things better next time.

6. Grant And Scholarship Opportunities

Whether you’re a for profit or nonprofit business, Tribe 12 lets you know about local, national and international opportunities to get financial support on an ongoing basis — long after your Fellowship has ended. In addition, they have a network of funders who are eager to learn about your venture and possibly support it. I personally received financial support to bring a 20-hour coaching training to market through a connection from Tribe 12.

7. It’s Not A Sprint, It’s A Marathon

Tribe 12 taught me to take my time, develop my ideas and build my business. Personally, I was in a rush to make things happen. Thank goodness for Tribe 12. They helped me to slow down and take the time to do things right.

8. Build Your Business Around Your Life

Instead of a traditional model of building your life around your business, Tribe 12 encouraged me to build my business around my life. At the time I was in the Fellowship I was pregnant with my 5th child! Building a business, while important, had to come second to taking care of my family. Tribe 12 believed in my passion and vision and helped me build a wonderful business around my wonderful (and growing) family. I so appreciated that they believed in me even when it looked like I had my hands full. I slowly grew my business and was afforded the ability to be a stay-at-home mom and work part time doing something I love. Now that my kids are all in school I have time to grow my business at a faster pace.

9. Launch Night

There’s just something special about presenting your venture to a crowd of a few hundred people. I stood on stage and shared what I was doing and why it was important to me. I also had to prepare a table, present my business and talk to potential clients. Of course I had to have business cards ready to go; I also had copies of my book, Get Real, Get Married, which was released at Launch night 2013. To this day I am always prepared to attend an event, speak to people and share what I’m doing in business. I still have my bag packed with my tablecloth and everything necessary to showcase my business.

Could I have done all this on my own? No. Tribe 12 was instrumental to my success. Thank you, Tribe 12. I love what I do and I love that you still support me and my growing business.

Join the 2020 Fellowship Cohort for the 10th Annual Tribe 12 Fellowship Launch Night: The Beginning! Launch Night will be the first time to hear about their socially-conscious businesses, nonprofits, and projects that will change our communities and the world. Join us to discover what ventures our Fellows have created, share your insights in a small group of like-minded individuals, and learn what you can expect from the Fellows and their ventures. This free event is open to the public. You must register in advance as a Zoom link

Quaran-Cleaning & Organizing Part 2

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Hi there, Tribe 12 community! I’m Nicole Wasilus, owner of Everybody Loves Organizing, and I’ve got some organizing tips for you to make your home more zen & orderly while you’re staying in.

Bedroom

 

Most of us are working from home now, so we’re spending much more time in our spaces. A simple but effective thing you can do is make your bed every morning. It takes just a minute or two, and it makes your bedroom’s energy so much different. It’s a great way to get the day started on the right foot. And if you don’t have a lot of storage space, remember that the underside of your bed has plenty of room for plastic bins or slide-out drawers!

Take a look at your dresser. A method from Marie Kondo that I love is file folding, which is where you fold and stack your clothes horizontally rather than vertically. Here’s a video tutorial on how to do it, and I challenge you to give it a try. It takes a little time upfront, but you’ll save time and energy down the line. No more fishing for that one t-shirt and messing up the rest!

Finally, let’s look at your bedroom closet. I recommend having uniform hangers. When everything matches, it looks so much cleaner! And just like in the kitchen, take everything out to see what still fits and what you actually like. As you put everything back, take time to sort by sleeve length, formalness, or even color!

Closets 

You know what I’m going to say, but it’s important to repeat: look through your closet’s coat collection, and decide if there’s any you don’t wear. Using matching hangers, organize your coats from short to long, and group them together with who they belong to in your household.

Treat your suitcases and luggage like nesting Russian dolls. Store smaller suitcases and travel bags in a larger one to save space! Similarly, maximize your storage by using all the vertical space in your closet. Store out of season items or things you don’t frequently use at the tippy top. Consider a shoe rack like this one I have from the Container Store (my home away from home). When everything has its place, your closets really come together.

Those are all my tips. I hope they were informative and sparked a fire in you to take this time we have and get organized! If you have questions or would like to talk in-depth about your space, contact me on my Facebook page!

 

Tribe 12 Fellow Spotlight: Pivot to Create Life-Saving Ventilators

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For one of our Tribe 12 Fellows, her work may be the difference between life and death.

Noga entered the Tribe 12 Fellowship with the goal of solving the problem of social isolation. She was raised on a Kibbutz (collective farming community) overlooking the Dead Sea in Israel. The Kibbutz upbringing establishes community as a high priority in life, which Noga saw was lacking in the States.

Though her passion for curing loneliness is still strong, the current pandemic necessitated a shift in her focus. In March, the public was notified to start social distancing to flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic. While watching the news one night, Noga learned of the low numbers of ventilators and how doctors would have to make hard choices about resource distribution. In other words, if a patient had a lower chance of survival, they might not receive a ventilator.

Noga, the chief of staff to the CEO of a data analytics and healthcare company in the Philadelphia area, contacted her two partners at VeriTX, a startup that specializes in digital supply chain for air space and planes. VeriTX’s focus would be the best and quickest solution to the problem of how to get more ventilators into hospitals.

Collectively, Noga and her partners figured out that by leveraging existing CPAP and BiPap technology with several key innovations, they could turn a common bedside helper into a life-saving tool for those in critical condition. VeriTX quickly pivoted to form Rapid Medical Parts.

Embodying the spirit of rapid prototyping, the team sent the specifications to an engineering team in Los Angeles, who produced a working model a week later. Noga and her partners are now trying to secure investment partners so they can establish a commitment of funding to create and rapidly scale the design. At the same time, these changemakers will be bringing their prototype to the FDA for approval, a necessary first step before being able to manufacture and distribute the technology to health systems, governments, and non-profit organizations. Noga’s work is a great example of the global effort to flatten the curve and protect the lives of those most vulnerable with the tools we have at our disposal.

We are incredibly proud to see our Fellows use their skills for the betterment of the community. At the end of the day, we are nothing without each other. Contact Noga at noga@veritx.com if you can help with this life-saving work.