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Fact Sheet
Tikvat Yisrael is...
Is a grassroots organization founded in 2004 by a group of young professionals and graduate students to create a stronger sense of Jewish community on Manhattan's diverse Upper West Side.
Operates simultaneous yet autonomous prayer services (liberal, orthodox, traditional egalitarian, and others on a rotating basis) in the same building at the same time, followed by a communal Shabbat dinner - an innovative approach to bringing together Jews from across the religious spectrum: celebrating commitment to prayer as a powerful and fundamental tie that binds Jews to one another.
Has held four Friday night events since its March 2004 kick-off event that have served a cumulative total of more than 1265 people for services and more than 780 for dinners. Our High Holiday learning program - "Practical Repentance," featuring the Honorable Joel Blumenfeld from the Queens County Supreme Court - was a great success, drawing over 40 people at the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, and our Community Oneg programs drew over 500 people from across the Jewish community and its parts.
Is a driving force in the community, spearheading and cospsonsoring collaborative events including Tsunami disaster fundraisers, Yom Hashoah programs, cross-community onegs (social events), events with UJA Young Leadership, a Jewish Learning event to raise funds for the humanitarian disaster in Darfur, and the JCC Shavuot program.
Meets a critical need by creating a space where people from across the Jewish world can see firsthand the commitment that they share to celebrating Shabbat and leading Jewish lives. We also work with community leaders to discuss common challenges and strategies for unifying the community from the top down, as well as from the bottom up.
Has a steering committee comprised of individuals inspired by their leadership experiences at various campus Hillels, including the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, and Duke. They are involved in fields such as law, medicine, consulting, finance, academia, non-profit administration and public relations.
Raised over $10,250 from private donors to cover the non-food costs of our events. Tikvat Yisrael is working to expand its base of support by developing new relationships with private donors, Jewish organizations, and charitable foundations.
Has been featured in the March 26 edition of New York's Jewish Week, and the May 2004 issue of The Blueprint, and will be featured in the December 2004 issue of Jewish Week's magazine Directions.
Looks forward to building on the success of its first year and a half, and to expanding its efforts to build a more unified Jewish community.
