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Tribes

12 Questions with Madam President

September 23, 2020 by Hannah Isaacs

We sat down with our newly elected President of our Board of Directors and asked her the important questions! Learn more about our fearless leader, Rachel Dukeman, and all about her favorite Jewish foods & celebrities. 

12 Questions with Madam President

1. Who are you?
Who are you? Who? Who? Whoo whoo? That’s what I assume everyone hears in their head when they read this question. Who am I? I’m just cool enough to know that those lyrics were written by The Who and definitely nerdy enough to associate the song with The Masked Singer and CSI.

I’m a native digital user who loves to unplug by going for hikes and birdwatching. I love plants and gardening. I’m an avid amateur chef and homesteader. I live in South Philadelphia with my partner of 12 years. I run my own business (a consulting practice).

I love learning about and tasting new wines. I find it a great way to relax while appreciating new places and cultures – throughout history wherever there has been grapes and people, there’s winemaking. And that now includes my basement!

2. What would your 6-word memoir be?
Almost perfect but not quite.

3. How long have you been involved with Tribe 12?
When the light first shined in the darkness, I was there. So… since the beginning. I was involved with Tribe 12’s predecessor, The Collaborative, and when Ross (our CEO) was talking to people about launching Tribe 12, I joined the Founding Executive Committee of the Tribe 12 Fellowship. A few years later, I joined the Board of Directors (one of the youngest members at the time!). I’ve been a board member for 7 years now. Then I joined the Board’s Executive Committee, and now I guess I’m stuck for life.

4. What’s your favorite homesteading project right now?
Oh, so many! Like many of us in the pandemic, I binged all of Bon Appetit’s “It’s Alive! With Brad Leone ” and started fermenting garlic in raw honey, which takes a while, so I’m excited that it’s now 4 months in and it’s so yummy with a splash of soy or Brag’s and homegrown green onions as a chicken or tofu marinade. You’ll never need take-out with this easy, flavor-packed meal. If this is not already happening at your fermentation station, I’m challenging you (Davinica)!

I also am very proud of my lacto-fermented lemons, which are a Morrocan-style preserved lemon. Takes about a month for the magic to happen. Then chop one up with some garlic, parsley, and add to full-fat Greek yogurt – oh my heavens! Delish. I eat that with everything from crudité to Adana Kebabs.

And lastly, homemade kombucha is the new sparkling water in my house — which is to say the most popular not-from-the-faucet beverage to drink morning, noon, and night.
Fav flavors include strawberry and ginger. I’d like to experiment with a pineapple mint.

5. Favorite Jewish celebrity?
Jon Stewart. No, Paul Rudd. Did you see his fun PSA about wearing masks? Well- watch it here! It’s a tie. They’re both smart and funny (and, did I mention, good looking?).

6. What is your bagel order?
I go classic with this. None of that rainbow unicorn nonsense. Give me an everything bagel with lox and the works. Do not skimp on those capers! (Mom, if you’re reading this, it’s a whole-wheat-everything bagel.)

7. What’s your favorite memory with Tribe 12?
Eleven years ago, I called Ross (our CEO) to ask to pick his brain about Jewish engagement of young professionals. I needed some first-hand insights to inform a strategic plan I was working on. Now either because it was a very Jewish discussion or a very nonprofit one, I entered the conversation asking for a favor and left having agreed to join a committee! (And now, as they say, the rest is history.)

AND a second favorite memory for you: A few years back, when Tribe 12 discovered it has a surplus of people named Rachel, it organized a Rachels-Only Happy Hour!

8. Who is the most interesting/most surprising person you met through a Tribe 12 connection?
Every connection is interesting! Ha! But most surprising to me was when I was at a dinner party and the host invited a childhood friend from Ohio who had recently moved to Philly. As a way of introduction, she motions to me and says vaguely that we’re both involved with Jewish nonprofits. So I make an invitation to Tribe 12’s Launch Night (the culminating event of the Fellowship program). As it turns out, her guest had already agreed to be on our Board of Directors! Jewish geography at its finest. Just goes to show how far-reaching our networks are.

9. What do you think Jewish life will be like in 10 years?
Since a Jewish woman will be President of the United States, the country will be running much smoother.

Yes, and… Since more people better understand the intersectionality of our multi-culturalism, we’ll find antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia are much rarer than present-day.

The trending decline of brick-and-mortar synagogue membership continues, however, in our post-pandemic world more people have discovered the joys of forming intentional communities of like-minded people who share common goals or interests. ::clears throat:: Y’know, tribes. These intentional communities or tribes act as safe spaces for people to express their authentic selves, explore interests, and work collectively – to overall live happier, healthier lives.

As the intentional communities branch out and intersect (yes, you can be in, say, a Jewish theatre tribe and an anti-racism activist one), we develop great leaders who respect and advocate for Jewish values.

10. As the nonprofit world questions the equity/access of the traditional board structure, what are you bringing to the table to create change from within?
I see myself as a catalyst to bridge our nonprofit into its next phase. With nearly 20 years of experience working with nonprofits, I’ve had the opportunity to see what it takes to run one from the volunteer level to running programs to managing staff to being executive leadership to sitting on a Board of Directors. This 360-degree-view has provided me with insights that, combined with my graduate studies and 12+ years as a strategic planning consultant, will enable me to promote and adopt new policies and help bring more voices to the table.

I say “help bring” because it is not on me or any one person alone to make our organization more equitable or accessible – it is on all of us. What is on me more specifically as the Board President is to create a platform in which all voices are heard within the organization. It is the role of the Board President to facilitate discussion, to listen to, and reflect on constructive criticism and to set a precedent that all perspectives are valuable. The next generation of nonprofit leadership is not top-down; it is grassroots, it is homegrown, it is collaborative, and it is reflective of the constituency it serves.

I am hopeful that with the years of experience I have within the organization, I am in a good position to build trust and understanding with as many stakeholders (staff and board, foremost) as possible. The fact that people know me pretty well should make it easier for me to challenge the status quo and push people to think differently – to stretch outside their comfort zone while knowing they are in safe hands.

11. If you had a magic wand what are your biggest aspirations for Tribe 12?
Well, if it were a truly magic wand, I’d just abracadabra us a large endowment. I mean, who doesn’t want a well-endowed organization?! 😉

All jokes aside, that does bring me to the heart of what I’d like to see Tribe 12 achieve over the next few years, which is to say: more money! With a larger operating budget, we would be able to better compensate our staff who are the life blood of our organization.

I am a firm believer that the term “non-profit” is misleading because, for most people, it implies “no” profit – and that is not the reality of the situation. In a nutshell, a non-profit is required to re-invest all of its profits back into the organization and its mission. That doesn’t mean a nonprofit cannot compensate its employees well (or fairly). It also does not preclude a nonprofit from making money.

I aim to have Tribe 12 increase its budget by diversifying funding streams, enhancing earned income options, and improving our ability to fundraise with individual donors. Of course, this is the worst economic time since the Great Depression to take on such an endeavor –but anything worth doing may come with challenges.

12. Pats or Genos?
Bleh, neither. Those two over-publicized monstrosities have lost sight of what makes Philadelphia an amazing city to live in. They have to see the irony of putting up signs that say things like “English Only” when your own relatives came to this country not knowing the language. Or how shaming people for not knowing the [highly contrived] lingo of ‘wit’ or ‘witout’ is a silly strategy for a business that benefits from this City’s tourism. And, let’s not even get started on the health or climate implications of a menu that revolves around beef (and processed cheese).

Now that I sound like a complete (and annoying) social justice warrior, I’ll play your game – I’ll add Tony Luke’s to the mix so that I appear accessible and seem like I’m one of the people, but I’m venturing slightly off the beaten path like the trailblazer I am. LOL. In all honesty, I do like how their menu has more offerings and that pickle bar is a Jewish foodie’s best friend.


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Filed Under: Adulting, Cool Stuff, Jewish Wisdom, Philly, Professional, Tribes

Jews Had Farm-to-Table Before It Was Cool: An Inside Look Into the Shtetl Skills Tribe

April 30, 2020 by Hannah Isaacs

Our lives as Jewish people are heavily influenced by the values and traditions of our ancestors, but in the long and arduous journey of survival and assimilation, we’ve forgotten how to live off the land. Why are we taught how to make challah but not sourdough? Why do we celebrate harvest festivals like Sukkot but not how to grow our own vegetables? At least in my experience, there’s been a level of pride my family has had in getting to move past “shtetl life”.

Long gone are the days of the small market towns in pre–World War II Eastern Europe where Jews came together to share resources and responsibilities to ensure our survival as a people. And while many of us are blessed with not having to question where our next meal will come from, recent events have made us overly aware that we won’t always feel secure and knowing basic skills (like how to make your own bread) provides a sense of stability during challenging times. This need for resource-sharing and sustainable survival skills led Nati Passow to create the Shtetl Skills program at the Jewish Farm School, an organization that was established in 2006 with a goal of teaching the values and practices of sustainability and resilience through “practical environmental education.” When the Jewish Farm School closed in 2019, Shtetl Skills found a new home at Tribe 12 as one of our newest tribes.

Fall/Winter Shtetl Skills programs. From left to right, Woodworking, Seed Keeping, Winter Kitchen Medicine

What exactly do you learn in Shtetl Skills? Through monthly hands-on workshops in the fall, spring, and summer you can connect to practical, ancestral, and sustainable skills rooted in Jewish traditions and land connection. We focus on one skill/workshop and work with professional artisans, herbalists, bakers, and subject matter experts to offer an extremely high level of content while teaching you how each skill ties into the themes of the current Hebrew month.
Each workshop gives you transferable skills that can jumpstart you on a path of self-sufficiency. After Owen Taylor at TrueLove Seeds taught us how to keep seeds, I started my vegetable garden entirely using the seeds from last year’s harvest. I haven’t bought bread in months and have even ventured on to learn how to make phyllo dough and pasta from scratch! Learning about the fermentation process in sourdough has inspired me to make my own kimchi and sauerkraut (next step: setting up a fermentation station à la Brad Leone). My house is decorated in hanging planters that I learned how to make from NYAI Wood Craft—there’s no better feeling than a guest asking where you got your decor and getting to say, “Thanks! I made it!”. I’ve even survived cold/flu season thanks to my daily shot of Fire Cider we made during our Winter Kitchen Medicine workshop.

Whether you have an urban farm or still don’t know what composting is and at this point, you’re too afraid to ask, there’s a Shtetl Skills workshop for you! Join us for our upcoming Spring/Summer workshops of the 2020 season:

  • April/Nissan: Zero-Waste Matzah Ball Soup – Watch the video here
  • May/Iyar: Faith in Cannabis with Laurel Freedman – May 20 via Zoom
  • June/Sivan: Sourdough 101 with Ailbhe Pascal of Fikira Bakery and 1149 Cooperative
  • July/Tamuz: The Art of Mending Clothes
  • August/Av: Zero-Waste Living with Amanda Lindner of The Enviromensch and Avodah

If you’re interested in learning more about upcoming workshops or would like to volunteer with Shtetl Skills, please contact Davinica at davinica@tribe12.org.

Filed Under: Adulting, Cool Stuff, Philly, Tribes

Fantasy Football

July 27, 2018 by Rachel Waxman

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Staff Leader: India Braver

Our leagues are a fun way to meet other sports fans and then berate them with some healthy trash talk. Though fantasy mostly happens online, Tribe 12 hosts a few group game watches over the course of the season open to both our fantasy football players and their friends. Both leagues include a live draft, which is a must if you want to join the league!

The price to join the league is $36 which include league fees and money that goes towards the prize!

Prizes are:
*ALL PAYOUTS MADE AFTER THE SEASON ENDS*
Regular season 1st place: $40
Regular season 2nd place: $20
Playoffs winner: $100
Playoffs runner-up: $50
High Points Through 16 Weeks: $40

We’re currently running our 2018 fantasy football leagues. Fill out the form below if you’re interested in joining our 2019 league!

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Filed Under: Tribes

“Compromise Is Key” & Other Takeaways from our Fellowship Alumni Giving Circle

March 1, 2018 by Polly Edelstein

Our inaugural Fellowship Alumni Giving Circle met in the fall of 2017. Each member of the group – all alumni of the Tribe 12 Fellowship – put money into a pot and together they decide where to allocate the funds. We used Amplifier‘s Giving Circle curriculum to lead 15 past Fellows through four weeks of group discussions about shared values and Jewish learning. The 2017 Tribe 12 Fellowship Alumni Giving Circle gift was given to The People’s Paper Co-Op! 

Having recently been a part of the Tribe 12 Giving Circle, Fellowship Alumni Polly Edelstein reflects on what she learned.

 

1. There are so many Jewish folks in their 20s and 30s who are deeply passionate about philanthropy.

 

Now this wasn’t necessarily a huge surprise to me because people in the so often maligned millennial generation are philanthropic, giving, charitable people who believe deeply in justice and equality. They just don’t have a good way to give or feel that they cannot give enough due to other constraints so why bother. There is also the issue of trust when it comes to people in this age range and the money they donate. Where are you spending my hard earned dollars I’m donating? Is it going towards providing clean water to people in developing countries or to your CEO’s annual raise? With a giving circle you have these philanthropic people who work together to harness their passion and collectively do the research to figure out what will make the most sense for the group’s philanthropic interests.

 

2. Compromise is key!

 

Our group had over a dozen people in it, all of who knew EXACTLY whom the money should go to. We worked as a group to figure out what values we wanted to guide our giving, what areas we wanted our chosen organization to impact, where we wanted the organization to be, what demographic we wanted it to be, and the financial impact and transparency. Once we narrowed down these things it was easier to bring suggested organizations to the table and choose one that fit all of the above chosen categories.

 

3. Impact is important.

 

Going back to the difference in philanthropy between this generation and generations past, millennials (both historically and this group in particular) want to know that their money is going to mean something for someone. Often larger organizations aren’t able to specifically say what kind of impact a gift will have unless it is a major gift. I remember in my fundraising class my professor said to us “90% of your time will be spent on 10% of your donors”. But what if a group in the “90%” gets together to have collective power and ends up looking a bit more like the 10%? Then we have the impact we want to have.

 

4. The model works.

 

I believe giving circles are the way of the future when it comes to philanthropy. It provides not only an avenue of how to give with impact but a sense of community to give with. I will forever be part of the 2017 Tribe 12 Giving Circle. So many people won’t have a clue what that means, but I will. Even if we only met a few times over a few weeks, we were a micro-community brought together by a common goal to do good. If that isn’t the model that a kajillion organizations out there aren’t trying to replicate, I don’t know what is.

 

5. This is a transferable model.

 

Coming together as a group, collectively deciding what you want, and then working towards a common goal can be done with any small community group or organization! I’m personally looking forward to trying to replicate the model with my new Theater Tribe through Tribe 12 (Please come! February 26, 6pm! It will be fun AND there will be snacks AND we’ll be going over how to create and mount a production for the 2018 Philly Fringe Fest) and you all will be the first to know if it works. In the meantime, I highly suggest starting or joining a giving circle or seeing how this model can work for whatever community group or organization you are part of!

 

 

 

Throughout the month of March we’re telling stories about our Tribe 12 Fellowship alumni. Follow along by searching the hashtag #tribe12fellowship on Facebook!

Interested in being part of our next Fellowship Alumni Giving Circle? Thinking about how you can make a contribution to Tribe 12? Message our CEO, Ross! 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Adulting, Cool Stuff, Culture, Fellows, Tribes

What’s Your #TribeVibe ?

November 13, 2017 by Rachel Abramowitz

Looking for a home in Philly’s Jewish community? Our name, Tribe 12, is an homage to the twelve unique tribes who inhabited the land of ancient Israel, and by the same token we created Tribe 12 Tribes — volunteer-run communities bonded by a common interest or identity.

At Tribe 12 we truly believe there is a Jewish community for everyone. No matter the interest or affinity group, Tribe 12 Tribes provide a ton of different outlets for getting involved — and if we don’t have the community you’re seeking, we’ll help you build it! 

Take Lauren, an active member of our new Women’s Tribe. She said that she’s “been seeking a community where members can learn, exchange ideas, and support each other in a relaxing setting.” She was excited to find that at our events: “that’s exactly what I get from my Tribe!”

Right now, Tribe 12 has about a half dozen active Tribes, including an A Capella Group, Fantasy Football, Kickball, 30-Somethings, and a Women’s Tribe. These Tribes are constantly changing so there are always new events and groups popping up! Looking forward, we have volunteers ready to expand our Tribes collection to include a health-focused subgroup for our Women’s Tribe, a new 20-somethings Tribe, and a new Theater Tribe. We hope to get to 12 soon! #TribeGoals

Dave adds a sticker to the football draft board at a sports bar
Dave running the draft board at one our Fantasy Football drafts this year

Tribe 12 Tribes host events throughout the year – sometimes on a regular basis (monthly, for example) and sometimes with a bit more random scheduling. Be sure to check our community calendar, gobejewish.com, for all upcoming events, including Tribe events. Plus, you can browse our Tribes, sign up, or contact individual Tribes on our Tribes page. 

Our LGBTQ Tribe is currently our biggest and most active Tribe, with a bunch of different affinity groups popping up inside it! Right now, this includes a social community, a trans-rights community, and an education & volunteering community. Info about these communities and our LGBTQ Tribe in general can be found at tribe12.org/lgbtq. In fact, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s newsletter recently ran a feature on our LGBTQ Tribe!

Two young men leaning over a table with a rainbow flag on it. One is chatting and the other is adding his email to a list.
Ryan welcomes new LGBTQ Tribe members at Tribe 12’s table at Outfest earlier this month

Start Your Own Tribe!

Don’t see the perfect fit? The volunteers who run our Tribes are all graduates of the Tribe 12 Fellowship, an elite cohort of passion-driven people launching socially responsible business and projects. Through their four months in our Fellowship, some Fellows build businesses, non-profits, art installations, innovative projects… and sometimes they start Tribes!

Take Maryana and Igor, Tribe 12 regulars who didn’t feel like the happy hour scene was for them when they had a baby. They created the New Parent Tribe, a place to share Jewish experiences with other young parents.

Applications for the Tribe 12 Fellowship are open NOW through November 19th! Consider applying for the chance to build something you’re passionate about. You can learn more at tribe12.org/apply-today, and Tribe 12 staffers Rachel and Adam are always down for coffee or an after-work drink to discuss!

2017 Fellows candid laughing before their Pitch Night
Our 2017 Tribe 12 Fellows at their Pitch Night. Bring your idea to the next level and apply for our Fellowship today!

 

Filed Under: Cool Stuff, Culture, LGBTQ, Philly, Social, Tribes

Book Club

July 26, 2017 by Rachel Waxman

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Staff Leader: Rae Abramowitz

Email our Engagement Associate to get involved with our Book Club!

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Filed Under: Tribes

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