A profile on BYFI alumni Randi Cairns ('87) & her Alumni Venture Fund backed project: Homefront Hearts was printed in yesterday's New Jersey Star Ledger.  READ MORE »

We want to congratulate the 14 alumni projects that were recently awarded grants through the BYFI Alumni Venture Fund, supported through your donations to the annual BYFI alumni fundraising campaign. Mazel Tov!

1. The Bayit is an informal continuation of the BYFI summer's values of pluralism, Jewish learning, engagement with Israel, and social responsibility. Elyssa Kaplan (07) and Eliana Golding (07) will live in Israel for the year, volunteering at the Hand in Hand School in Jerusalem, where all classes are taught in Hebrew and Arabic and the student body is comprised of both Jews and Arabs. Eliana and Elyssa will attend Ulpan classes to improve their Hebrew, and engage in text study with Rabbi Shimon Felix and as students at Pardes.  READ MORE »

On June 4th 2008 in New York City, twenty BYFI alums and over forty additional guests joined BYFI to learn more about the Rwandan Genocide and Voices of Rwanda (VOR), a video testimony archive. The dialogue between VOR founder Taylor Krauss (BYFI '97) and Eugenie Mukeshimana a survivor of the Genocide was skillfully moderated by Dan Kurtz-Phelan (BYFI '98), Senior Editor of Foreign Affairs.

The audience learned about Rwandan history, the Genocide and its legacy, and how VOR is recording the cultural history of Rwandan families along with their harrowing stories of loss and survival. The panel included a 20 minute video compilation of Rwandan Genocide survivors' testimonies and a highly engaging Q&A session. Attendees left inspired to educate society about the divisive and destructive power of hate and the importance of speaking out against atrocities. See photos from the event and learn more about the valuable work of Voices of Rwanda.

links

• Photos of the event
• Voices of Rwanda

Dear Bronfmanim,

It is with great pride and excitement that I announce our hiring of a Director of Alumni Engagement of The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel. After an intensive process, we have selected BYFI alum Becky (Paley) Voorwinde '97. Becky has accepted, and is set to begin in her new role on May 14th.

It would be hard to overstate my enthusiasm about this development, at this time in our history. An excellent example of vision and leadership, this position was conceived of and developed as a collaboration between BYFI and The Samuel Bronfman Foundation and is the culmination of many months of thought and discussion.Since then, Ariel Groveman Weiner '96 of The Samuel Bronfman Foundation, Executive Director Rabbi Shimon Felix, and I have reviewed 27 applications, conducted 10 phone interviews, and 7 in-person interviews at The Samuel Bronfman Foundation offices in New York. We were blessed not only with a high number of applicants but also a field of phenomenal quality, including professionals at the top of their fields in Jewish organizations and philanthropies, Jewish and non-Jewish entrepreneurship, and the business world.  READ MORE »