Welcome!
My name is Maya Norton.
Welcome to The New Jew: Blogging Jewish Philanthropy.
Philanthropy, especially Jewish philanthropy, is my passion. I work in the nonprofit/philanthropy field in Israel and with Jewish communities abroad. Blogging helps me to refine my practice and think about issues in my direct field and beyond.
Please note that this is a individual blog, but in an effort to involve the community and address important issues in Jewish philanthropy, I frequently feature guest authors who are experts in their fields. The best example of this can be seen with the Big Idea Series in which 10 authors thus far have shared with us their proposals for ideas in Jewish social innovation.
What I Write About
Some of my primary topics are: best practice models in philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, donor decision-making, the nonprofit workplace, social responsibility, recommendations for improving fundraising methods, opportunities for partnership in the Middle East, and of course Israel and the Jewish community.
My readers are federation executives and staff members, philanthropy professionals, people interested in learning more about Jewish giving and giving to Israel, and many others in between.
At present, the four primary issues of this blog revolve around Jewish philanthropy and innovation. They are:
- Jewish Philanthropy: What we can learn from giving in the Jewish world
- Israel Advocacy: Expanding the paradigms for supporting Israel in the Jewish community
- Jewish Communal Innovation: Ideas on how we can further advance and develop as a nation
- Jewish Service: Opportunities for pursuing mitzvot throughout the world by volunteering and other forms of service
Subscribe to The New Jew
You can subscribe by e-mail or in a feed reader by clicking the sidebar icons. —>
Read My Most Popular Posts
Please click here to read featured posts from the community and here to read more about my other writing projects.
Learn more about this blog by clicking on my most popular posts:*
- Gaza Giving: Surfing for Peace with Dr. Dorian Paskowitz
- The Nonprofit Employee’s Top 5 List of Must Haves in the Workplace
- Trends in Philanthropy: Predicting the Future of Nonprofit Fundraising
- Cause-Based Viral Marketing: How Your Nonprofit Can Maximize Social Networking Tools
- Top 5 Must Haves for International Fundraising: Shamoon College Provides Best Practice Model
- Top Jewish Foundations and Their Philanthropic Giving
- Know Your Jewish Philanthropy: the Federations, the Joint, and the Jewish Agency
- Charity vs Philanthropy: Avoiding Relationships of Dependency
- Slingshot Releases “Resource Guide to American Jewish Innovation, 2007- 2008″
- “Words of Advice for Beginning Bloggers”
And the wildly popular: “Mel Brooks Starts New Foundation: Schmucks for Schmuck.”
[* This section will be updated shortly.]
Connecting With Me
As a lifelong learner, I am constantly reading, writing, and studying ways to improve my craft. Your feedback and suggestions about how I can enhance my content and writing to best fit your interests and priorities is most welcome.
Contact Me
Please don’t hesitate to contact me by leaving a comment or e-mailing: mayan80 [at] yahoo.com.
Additionally, as a professional freelance writer and editor specializing in Jewish fundraising, I would be happy to talk with you about freelancing opportunities.
I am blogging from Israel.
== Please be aware that I am on semi-sabbatical while taking care of my son at home. The current state of The New Jew reflects these limitations. ==
September 25, 2007 at 5:18 pm |
Maya,
You’ve got a great website/blog. I look forward to your continued success.
Pamela Dubin Beaty
October 11, 2007 at 12:16 am |
Thanks for your kind words, Pamela. They are especially appreciated coming from someone with so much experience and knowledge in the field.
Best wishes,
Maya
October 31, 2007 at 4:10 pm |
Hi Maya,
We interviewed Tzvi Bisk on his most recent book. Would love to get placed on your Israeli Blog section. We will list your web site under links.
Please check us out. Our web site is a labor of love and is a very busy site. We also encourage other Israeli’s with something to say to share their thoughts on our guest blog section.
Be Well and Mazel Tov on the site.
Steve Ornstein
November 1, 2007 at 8:52 am |
Hi Steve (and Yoram),
Consider it done. I am always glad to meet Israeli bloggers who I can learn from and partner with. Thanks for introducing yourself and your blog.
I read Israelseen and enjoyed it- sure do hear you on that “labor of love.” I am wondering whether there is a difference between Israelseen.com and Israelseen.blogspot.com? Are you posting at both simultaneously and their appearance and organization is the only thing that differs?
I am interested in talking to you about guest blogging for Israelseen. Drop me an e-mail at MNorton [at] TheNewJew.org if you are interested or just say hellok.
Shabbat Shalom,
Maya
November 10, 2007 at 2:00 am |
Thanks for commenting on my blog! I think that its interesting that we are the only ones on wordpress talking about viral fundraising!
I have a ton of other ideas I have yet to publish! I am curious to hear yours!
Thanks!
November 12, 2007 at 12:38 pm |
Hi Aaron,
Very interesting! One possibility is that we are calling it “viral fundraising” and others might be using different names like “viral marketing.” I know that the viral conversation is on the tip of many tongues.
I look forward to reading more from your interesting blog as it seems we have many interests in common. (Look me up on Facebook if you want to be further connected.)
Warm regards,
Maya
December 3, 2007 at 2:37 pm |
Thanks for your support for the union. We are making progress in organizing and should be up and running in the New Year. No one is expecting freelancers to strike but there is strength in numbers. The first step is learning our rights. I am amazed at how many freelancers do not know the basics. We would like to stop the bad habit of 90 plus shotef payment terms. 30 days plus shotef seems more reasonable.
December 3, 2007 at 2:45 pm |
Best of luck, Laura. I look forward to hearing about your progress.
Reference: “Israeli Freelancers Starting Union: Valuing the Written Word,”
http://thenewjew.wordpress.com/2007/11/16/israeli-freelancers-starting-union/
Maya
December 19, 2007 at 6:41 pm |
You are living in a fools’ paradise.
Israel became what it is through the theft of property and businesses and personal belongings from innocent people.
The whole world knows the truth and is watching. Do you feel no shame?
December 19, 2007 at 6:59 pm |
Anslov,
I feel nothing but pride for the Jewish nation and Jewish people.
Maya
December 27, 2007 at 1:34 am |
HI Maya,
Thank you for the kind words about my article. Hope to see your comments on my blog more often.
Roi
Your work on this blog is really impressive.
March 9, 2008 at 5:45 pm |
Hi Maya,
I am a list manager at Negev Direct Marketing, we are a direct marketing comapny specializing in Jewish non-profit direct mail campaigns.
Around two months ago I started a blog for our compnay called the Jewish Donor Blog.
I read your blog often and I was wondering if you would be interested in putting a link to our blog on your blog under the Israeli and Jewish blogs area?
I would be happy to add a link to your blog on our blog if you agree to add our link.
Anyway, I hope you give the Jewishdonorblog.com a look and let us know what you think.
Thanks
Yoav Kaufman
List Manager
Negev Direct Marketing
March 9, 2008 at 6:10 pm |
Dear Yoav,
Thanks for your comment. I’ve added your blog to the blogroll under Jewish and Israeli blogs. I’d be appreciative if you would do the same.
I’m glad you like my blog and believe we have much to learn from each other.
Are you physically located in Be’er Sheva as your mailing address indicates?
Please feel free to e-mail me at mayan80 [at] yahoo.com.
Best wishes,
Maya
May 11, 2008 at 5:05 pm |
Dear Maya and other readers
I was wondering if you know about any foundations that might listen to an appeal to help the suffering of Israel’s street cat population by helping to pay for street cats to be trapped and neutered?
Also, in Israel there is a desperate need to educate people in israel about animal welfare and we need funding for educational programs that woudl inform people about what is happening and encourage greater responsibility among pet owners. Hundreds of thousands of animals are abandoned and killed by vets each year because people decide they want a pet and then at some point discard them. Animal shelters are overflowing and conditions are often dire. Thousands of sweet, loving animals are left to live lonely desperate lives before being cruely killed due to overcrowding.
People don’t understand the importance of neutering their pets to prevent the population explosion of unwanted cats and dogs that often end up lonely, abused and finally exterminated.
Money is urgently needed to fund education programs that will raise awareness among Israel’s children of the misery and suffering of thousands and thousands of animals each year.
This situation is immorral and unworthy of the Jewish state and could be contained, prevented, and alleviated if funds were available for educational programs and trapping and neutering schemes.
if you have any ideas…
please reply to my email: ruthfree@bezeqint.net
many thanks
Ruth
August 12, 2008 at 11:32 pm |
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
December 1, 2008 at 2:23 am |
Thank you, Alex. Glad to have you here.
December 25, 2008 at 4:29 am |
Very interesting blog. Great stuff on it. I’m definitely following along in the future. Happy Chanukah.
April 15, 2009 at 5:23 pm |
Thanks for your blog and all that you are offering. While I’m not formally affiliated in Judaism, I came across an article in which some Jewish Philanthropic organization were offering “Grant’s” to new businesses.
I’m an Inspirational Speaker and author and I was very impressed with this organizations mission statement or creed. While I can’t recall the organizations name I thought you might? I was exceedingly impressed as I remember that the gifts were transforming lives and that many of the recipients later became members to offers others the same special lift or assistance that they had personally received.
Would you by chance be able to assist me in properly accrediting these supreme acts of love? As I remember the grants were primarily targeted to the Jewish community but not always which made the offer of unconditional love even more apparent.
Thanks for anything that you might contribute.
In honor and love,
Weston Joly
April 15, 2009 at 6:23 pm |
Hi Weston,
Thanks for reading. I’m glad to help, but I would need a bit more information first. Is there anything else about this organization that you can remember?
~ Maya
June 11, 2009 at 5:22 am |
Hi Maya,
Your blog is very enlightening. I was wondering if you had any thoughts regarding Obama’s speech at Cairo University and extrapolated any possible implications (good, neutral or negative) for Israel and the Jewish people, either due to the speech itself or to his approach towards the Middle East in general.
July 5, 2009 at 3:45 am |
Maya,
I started a blog talk radio show, Jewish Shmooz Network, and I wanted to know if you would be interested in talking about what you do on the show?
Hatzlacha in all you do!!