Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston

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Resources for Partner Organizations


*Updated Friday, June 5

Resources from the Bridgespan Group 
The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit organization in Boston that provides management consulting to nonprofits and philanthropists, maintains a number of resources on their webpage to help organizations manage issues that have developed due to COVID-19. We encourage you to take a look at the site and utilize the resources provided. On Wednesday, June 17 at 12:00 p.m., they are hosting a webinar called “Using Innovation to Accelerate Impact.” To participate, please register here. 

Resources from Nutter  
Nutter regularly releases guidance on business practices related to the COVID-19 crisis. You can find their latest notifications on their website. 

Summer interns for Boston-area nonprofits 
Beacon Academy is launching an internship program to support college students who had summer positions that fell through and need money for the tuition gap in their financial aid packages. They are concerned their alumni will not be able to find employment this summer to help pay for school next year, and therefore created a fund to help students get meaningful experiences in Boston area nonprofits. Timing, hours, responsibilities, and other details are all up to individual organizations. Beacon Academy provides to each intern a stipend and grant towards tuition and expenses, while individual nonprofit organizations do not need to pay for their services. Alumni must apply for this program and will be selectively matched with the best fit jobs. Regular check-ins with interns and organizations will take place over the course of the summer.  

If you are interested in creating at least one opportunity, please email Eli Ward, coordinator of the intern program, to discuss. 

Massachusetts Issues Guidance for Houses of Worship 
On Monday, May 18, Governor Baker and his administration released guidance for Phase 1 of reopening Massachusetts, which addresses houses of worship. Specific details for houses of worship, along with resources and checklists, can be found here. Additional details are on the Reopening Massachusetts webpage and CJP’s Communal Security Initiative page. There are also Reentry Resources on this webpage. 

Federal Paycheck Protection Program Funding Update

The Federal Government is issuing new guidance and rules regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans. Below are resources, updates, and other resources to help you manage your PPP loan. 

Endowment Spending Policies 

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing many nonprofit leaders to rethink their endowment spending policies. If you would like us to offer a webinar on this topic, please contact Dara so we can gauge interest. 

Nonprofit Governance Bylaws and COVID-19 
Massachusetts has issued new guidance to help nonprofit organizations manage their boards of directors and governance processes during COVID-19. Among other guidelines that provide flexibility, new legislation allows boards to meet virtually, even if an organization’s bylaws require in-person meetings. The new provisions will be in place until 60 days after Governor Baker ends the State of Emergency in Massachusetts. More information can be found here. 

JewishBoston.com Resources Find Wider Audience 
JewishBoston.com is an important resource for community organizations and members, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. In April 2020, the site had 72% more visitors than April 2019, and 64% more page views. In the last week of April alone, the Coronavirus Community Resources page was viewed 519 times, up 18% from the previous week. Please continue to use JewishBoston.com to find resources for your organization and the people you serve, and to post events and updates. 

Grants for Synagogues


CJP Communal Security Infrastructure Grants for Synagogues
The CJP Communal Security Initiative (CSI) has evolved to provide life-safety support to congregations, clergy, staff, and volunteers in partnership with the institutions we serve.    

CJP now offers a $5,000 physical security infrastructure grant to synagogues and Chabads in the CJP catchment area. To learn more about eligibility and application procedures please contact us at CommunalSecurity@cjp.org.  

For further information about the Communal Security Initiative, please visit our website. 

Virtual Development Convenings


Hosted by Jennifer Weinstock,
Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at CJP
Mondays, June 15 and June 29 
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://cjp.zoom.us/j/98686171794 
Meeting ID: 986 8617 1794 

After attending Jennifer Weinstock’s development webinar in March, many people requested follow-up opportunities for open conversations about fundraising issues that are arising during this time. Please join Jennifer on these open Zoom video calls to ask questions and discuss how we are fundraising during these unpredictable and challenging times. 

Past Webinars


Institutional Resilience: Fundraising in an Unpredictable Time
Tuesday, March 17 | 3:00 pm
Join Jennifer Weinstock, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at CJP, and Andrea Wasserman, President, Social Profit Ventures, for an interactive conversation about what we can do to ensure our organizations meet fundraising goals at this challenging time. Without the usual tools of events and other in-person cultivation opportunities, how can we creatively connect with donors and demonstrate the impact of our work? 

WATCH     DOWNLOAD DECK

Creating Virtual Community
Wednesday, March 18 | 9:00 a.m.
Join CJP, the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis to learn how we can forge spiritual and educational connection while maintaining social distancing. We’ll hear from David Bernat, Executive Director of the Synagogue Council and Rabbi Neal Gold, President of Massachusetts Board of Rabbis. We'll also hear from Rabbi Andy Vogel of Temple Sinai, Brookline and Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen, Congregation Kehillath Israel’s Assistant Rabbi and Director of Outreach & Innovation, and the Director and Rabbi of Base in Boston.

WATCH 

Running Effective Virtual Board Meetings
Thursday, March 19 | 1:30 p.m.
Join Cindy Janower, CJP’s Board President, and Marni Allen, Associate Vice President of Board and Volunteer Leadership Engagement to learn best practices and tips for running effective virtual board meetings. Are you partnering with your board effectively as you are faced with daily decisions for your community? Have you thought about ways to run effective virtual meetings with your board?

WATCH     DOWNLOAD DECK

Synagogue Fundraising in an Uncertain Time
Monday, March 23 | 3:00 p.m.
CJP, the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis will co-host a virtual discussion on synagogue fundraising during this time of crisis. We will ask questions and brainstorm creative ideas for ensuring our organizations meet fundraising needs to serve our communities. We’ll hear from Jennifer Weinstock, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at CJP, and Judith Kaye, Chair, CJP Committee on Development. We will also be joined by David Bernat, Executive Director, Synagogue Council of Massachusetts and Rabbi Neal Gold, President, Massachusetts Board of Rabbis.

WATCH

Crisis Communications During Coronavirus
Wednesday, March 25 │1:00 p.m.
CJP’s Vice President of Marketing, Julie Somers will kick off this webinar designed for CEOs and their communications directors. She’ll be joined by Alex Goldstein, CEO of 90 West and former spokesman for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who will discuss communications best practices for organizations during times of crisis. He’ll provide recommendations on how best to engage with journalists and how to manage social media and internal communications during this unprecedented moment. Alex will also cover the do's and don'ts of effective crisis communications and give an overview of the current media landscape as we seek to balance essential messages about COVID-19 with our broader communications strategies.

WATCH     DOWNLOAD DECK

Maintaining and Securing Business Operations in a Remote Environment
Thursday, March 26 │2:00 p.m.
CJP’s Chief Financial Officer, David Strong, and Carmela Caplain, CJP’s Vice President of Finance, will discuss helpful finance practices while working remotely.

WATCH     DOWNLOAD DECK    ADP & FMLA

Clearing and Coaching for Agency Executives in the Time of Coronavirus
Tuesday, March 31 | 2:30 p.m.
Kimberlee Schumacher, CJP's Vice President of Partnerships and Services, will kick off this webinar designed for agency executives with guest presenter Deb Elbaum, MD, PCC. The increase of stress, uncertainty, and anxiety is affecting all of us. As a leader, it's critical to manage your stress so that you can be effective and help others in your organization and community. In this interactive session, Leadership Coach Deb Elbaum will share a five-step stress management tool and equip you with ways to coach yourself and others to clear out mental stress and make room for more positive, focused, productive thinking.

COACHING QUESTIONS     STRESS MANAGEMENT

Engaging Teams Remotely
Thursday, April 2 | 1:00 p.m.
Join Beth Tauro, CJP’s Senior Director of Partnership Relations and Regional Strategy, and guest presenter and consultant, Lisa Hills. Our work world as we know it has dramatically changed. In addition to our overflowing in-boxes, we now have to balance babies on our laps, kids who need to be fed, sub-optimal office set-ups, dogs barking during Zoom meetings, and constant interruptions and distractions.

How do we engage our co-workers during these challenging times? How can we continue to keep our teams on track in the midst of overwhelming uncertainty? Learn helpful strategies, tips, and tools to engage your team and enable them to be productive and effective despite this disruption.

A workplace expert and career strategist, Lisa Hills, is a management consultant with more than two decades of experience across sectors, focusing on organizational strategy and talent development. Lisa is committed to helping clients tackle workplace issues, guiding them as they navigate everyday challenges and providing them with the requisite tools and practical solutions for success.

WATCH     DOWNLOAD DECK

Cyber Concerns in the Time of Covid-19 
Friday, April 3 | 11:00 am  
Times of crisis are particularly daunting in terms of cyber security.  Hackers, scam artists, and others with malicious intent use the turmoil during these times to their advantage.  Join this webinar to see some of the common threats and learn about the steps you can take to protect your organization and improve your cyber security. 

Featuring: 
Ted Penfield, Associate Vice President, Information Technology, CJP 
Nancy Viner, Vice President of Enterprise Cybersecurity Services, Fidelity Investments 

Moderator: Jeremy Yamin, Associate Vice President, Director of Security and Operations, CJP 

DOWNLOAD DECK

Learning from Pandemics Past: Jewish History and Coronavirus CJP Live Event and JewishBoston Vibe of the Tribe Podcast 
Monday, April 13 | 2:00 p.m. 

Join Rabbi Marc Baker, CEO and President of CJP, and Dr. Jonathan Sarna, the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University, for this fascinating conversation touching on past, present, and future. They will offer the unique perspectives from their work; Marc, as the leader of a large Jewish organization in a time of rapid, profound change, and critical communal need, and Jonathan, a renowned scholar of Jewish history who is also an active member of the community he studies.  

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has triggered an unprecedented wave of changes to day-to-day life around the world. Existing in a state of crisis is nothing new to the Jewish people, however. History can be our guide during difficult times. What does the past tell us about how we will emerge from the era of COVID-19? How might Jewish life change after this extended period of radical social distancing and economic turmoil?  

The event will also be an episode of JewishBoston.com’s The Vibe of the Tribe podcast. You can find it after the event at this link.  

WATCH

Access Code: x0*bv9.3

Federal Funding Assistance for COVID-19 Response and Recovery 
Monday, April 13 | 2:00 p.m. 
Jeremy Yamin, CJP’s Associate Vice President, Director of Security and Operations, and Mark O’Mara, Director of Recovery, Hagerty Consulting, present a webinar on federal funding for disaster relief programs.  

Federal funding programs may provide an opportunity for some organizations to better respond to and recover from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, but they are complex and often lack clarity. Proactive, strategic, and expert management of eligible activities, costs, and documentation requirements may help promote successful short-term response and long-term financial recovery.This webinar will introduce you to tools that can help your team determine institutional eligibility and navigate these complex programs.

WATCH


Psychological Support In Crisis: Building Community Resilience During Covid-19 
Thursday, April 30, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. 

Join Dr. Stephanie Leite for a webinar on recognizing and responding to the psychological impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on individuals, institutions, and communities.

As we navigate the current Covid-19 crisis we face many challenges, including maintaining a sense of community as we take steps to protect the physical health of ourselves, our families, and the people we serve. Crises have a direct impact on our mental health and well-being, as well as our daily lives and relationships with others, including critical safety and security concerns relating to behavioral threat assessment and management, domestic violence, and other similar issues . We hope you will join us for this important conversation with Dr. Stephanie Leite, who will address common issues that arise for community organizations, individuals, and families when dealing with the fear and anxiety that accompany a disaster and how to recognize common signs of psychological distress. She will also suggest resources and coping mechanisms that individuals and organizations can use to lessen the mental and emotional strain during times of crisis.  

The webinar will be moderated by Daniel Levenson, Deputy Director, Communal Security, CJP. Time will be allotted for Q&A. 

WATCH 


Building Inclusive Virtual Communities: Strategies to Help Your Synagogue Meet Congregants’ Needs in the Age of Social Distancing 
Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. 

How do we make sure that our synagogue’s virtual community gatherings and events are inclusive and accessible? What strategies can we put in place to make those who may feel especially isolated to instead feel deeply welcomed? Join Gateways and CJP’s Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project for a facilitated conversation as we explore this new challenge facing our communities. 

Facilitated by Sandy Gold, Director, Gateways Jewish Education Programs

WATCH


The Psychological and Emotional Impact of COVID-19 with David H. Rosmarin, PhD, ABPP and Shelly Christensen, MA 
Wednesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m.

Join David H. Rosmarin, PhD, ABPP, Director of the Spirituality and Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital to hear how we can help ourselves cope with the current crisis. Dr. Rosmarin will draw upon cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal strategies, as well as spiritual approaches such as practicing gratitude, acts of kindness, finding meaning in suffering, radical acceptance, and embracing uncertainty. We will also hear from Shelly Christensen, MA, renowned author, founder of Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month, and leader in the faith community disability and mental health inclusion field; Sharon Shapiro, Trustee, Ruderman Family Foundation; and Sarah Abramson, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Impact at CJP. We'll have time for Q&A. 

WATCH Password: RSIP51320!


What COVID-19 Teaches Us About Inclusion, Resilience, Belonging, and Hope with Rabbi Menachem Penner and Shelly Christensen, MA 
Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 p.m.

This pandemic poses new obstacles to belonging and inclusion, especially in terms of our spiritual life. Shelly Christensen and Rabbi Menachem Penner, Dean of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University, will offer us strategies to guide, support, and inspire us. Rabbi Penner will speak from experience about how Jewish values may offer solace and help us find meaning in these difficult times. We'll also be joined by Sharon Shapiro, Trustee, Ruderman Family Foundation; and Jennifer Weinstock, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy, CJP. We'll have time for Q&A. 

WATCH Password: RSIP51920!


Together in Harmony: An Evening of Celebration 
Featuring Neshama Carlebach and Rabbi Menachem Creditor 
Wednesday, May 27 | 7:30–8:30 p.m. 

During this unprecedented time of social isolation, coming together as a community is more important than ever. Join us for an evening of healing, song, and reflection with Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Scholar in Residence at the UJA-Federation of New York, and his wife, internationally renowned singer and songwriter Neshama Carlebach. We will also hear from Rabbi Marc Baker, CJP’s President and CEO, and Ruderman Family Foundation leadership.

WATCH Password: RSIP52720!


Marketing in the New Normal, featuring Drew Levy  
Thursday, June 4, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.  
RSVP today! On Thursday, June 4, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., join marketing expert Drew Levy for a webinar on outreach in the new normal. Topics will include: positive ways of connecting, tone, marketing, and messaging. This is a fantastic opportunity to get answers to some of your most pressing marketing and communications challenges.  

Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any organization that attends the webinar will have access to at least one individualized follow-up session with Drew in the immediate weeks after the webinar. Please RSVP to Nina with your name, email address, organization’s name, and your title.  

Drew Levy got his start during the digital boom and spent close to a decade planning and managing campaigns for clients, across a variety of industries. Wanting to expand his skill set, he then shifted his focus into developing more of a holistic integrated marketing and strategy approach. He currently runs his own marketing consultancy in Boston where he seeks out like minded passionate brands, to solve their biggest challenges and ultimately help guide them on their path to success.   

More information can be found here.  
View our previously recorded webinars from this series.

CJP Staff Contact Information and Focus Areas


Basic needs, social services, and support for the vulnerable:
Amanda Hadad, amandah@cjp.org

Day schools: Ariella Hellman, ariellah@cjp.org

Support for Jewish learning, including virtual/remote options:
Rabbi Elyse Winick, elysew@cjp.org 

Other services: Dara Freedman-Weiss, darafw@cjp.org

Support from your relationship director:


Financial assistance:
If you or someone you know in our community needs financial assistance during these difficult days, please visit the CJP Warmline or call the Warmline at 1-800-CJP-9500. 

Jewish Community Resources

 


Legal, Accounting, and Business Resources

 


Reentry Resources

 


Additional Resources