Raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Adam Soclof graduated from the University of Michigan in 2007 with a degree in Judaic Studies. He was extremely active in Hillel on University of Michigan’s campus and has been an avid reader of Jewish blogs since high school. He first heard about PresenTense through a post on Jewschool.

Now working as Editorial Assistant at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, filming and editing video reports, Adam has been active in the PT community for years. He was a member of the first Fellowship in 2007 and has contributed writing to the magazine. Recently, he was accepted as a Fellow to the NYC Fellowship to develop a product called GeltRush, an online aggregator for Jewish funding opportunities, and is training in the PT SocialStart Program to teach PresenTense methodology in communities across the US.

I ran into the PT founders in Israel a few times and sensed a sincere passion to empower young people to push the Jewish community to be more efficient and forward-thinking,” Adam said.

He continues to stay involved because the PT community “comprises an extraordinary network of collaborators who are willing and able to help one another in creative Jewish pursuits. His favorite example of this was producing a Purim video, “Haman Song,” with PT Fellows Mat Bar and Ori Salzberg of Bible Raps.

“When production wrapped up, several more PT friends helped organize a ‘viral launch party’ just before the Purim holiday,” Adam said. “The good will shown by people at all levels of this network is something that I hope to emulate at work and in my personal life, as well."

PresenTense community member Farrah Green stopped by the Jerusalem Hub recently to talk about how she got involved, why PresenTense speaks to her and what the latest is with PT13: Social Action.

Although she can’t pin point exactly where or when, Farrah remembers first seeing PresenTense via the magazine at a Hillel. Which Hillel, exactly, is the question. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in Judaic Studies, Business and Politcal Science, Farrah began working at different universities around the US. First, as a Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow at Kansas University Hillel and then through AIPAC’s leadership development program as National Field Director.

After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a Masters in Social Work this past May, Farrah is now in Jerusalem at Pardes focusing on Jewish Studies and thought it was time to get involved hands on with PT.

“I did research into different organizations,” Farrah said. “But with my background in mentoring student groups and community, PresenTense was the perfect fit.”

Admitting that she doesn’t particularly enjoy writing and originally wanted to be a Coach for the Jerusalem CEP (but doesn’t speak Hebrew), Farrah is now on the PT13- Social Action Steering Committee. She is looking forward to, “meeting other people who are excited about Jewish social entrepreneurship and helping to produce a magazine that will share this with others.”

“I am also excited for the opportunity to help shape the social action issue,” Farrah said. "It's something I care a lot about.”

Right now the Steering Committee is working on reading through some 41 story proposals and selecting those that will be in the magazine.

After first hearing about PresenTense from his mother, Suellen Kadis, a member of the Cleveland CEP Steering Committee, Justin Kadis was curious to learn more about new and innovative opportunities for young Jewish entrepreneurs. He met with Ariel Beery, CEO of PresenTense, and Shelby Zitelman, Venture Resources Coordinator & NYC Steering Committee Coordinator, and was offered a spot on the NYC CEP executive committee.

A New Type of Jewish Sports Hero

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – July 5, 2010 –David Lasday, a Maplewood, New Jersey native and Fellow at the PresenTense 2010 Global Summer Institute, is bringing the excitement back into Jewish learning with Bring It In Israel, an Israel-based program that empowers Jewish leaders to use sports to impart Jewish values, life skills, and a connection to Israel onto Jewish children.

As a Summer Fellow at the prestigious six-week Institute, Lasday joins fifteen other budding Jewish social entrepreneurs from America, Israel, Australia, and the UK to gain the skills and connections necessary to launch their ventures to benefit the Jewish world at large.

"The 2010 Fellows represent some of the most innovative Jewish minds today.  They are embarking on projects that have the potential to transform Jewish life here in Jerusalem and around the world," commented Flo Low, Chair of the Institute Steering Committee. Sponsoring Lasday’s venture is the iCenter, reputed for its dedication to Israel education.

What really separates a non-profit from a for-profit besides a legal classification and mission statement?  

What is the difference between a social enterprise from an enterprise that is socially responsible?   

There are so many buzz-words thrown around these days, and the distinctions between their definitions is not so clear.  At least to me...

I'm not curious about classifications or metrics, like the ones B Corporation (www.bcorporation.net) is establishing.  Although I am incredibly impressed with the change this organization is effecting, I'm particularly interested to identify the overlap between these business to determine whether collaboration and mind-sharing opportunities exist.

Specifically - how do we tap into the culture of innovation and start-up experience of our Israeli and Jewish communities, and allocate this collective knowledge towards the "social-entrepreneurs" among us?  How do we prove that the relationship is mutually beneficial, and that just because a non-profit professional is not expressly working to expand the "bottom line" he or she may know a thing or two about development, sales and bringing in hard cash?  

There is an amazing concept emerging in Philadelphia called Missioneurs which hits the nail on the head.  Check out www.missioneurs.com.  

Founded by Blake Jennelle, a peer of mine from Philadelphia (and all around action-oriented change maker) Missioneurs is "a community of mission entrepreneurs separated for decades by the types of organizations we lead. Now we're coming together around our common sense of mission and hard-nosed entrepreneurial approach. We're why people. Together we can solve any how."