Writing, Editing & Creative Media Consulting
Kvell
Going Long with TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
05 years ago
Getting started at #TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
I arrived at Sonoma State University for the Limmud Bay Area Festival, excited about presenting three sessions to the attendees. But there was one lurking worry: that my first presentation was too long.
I had 70 minutes to cover “TV Gone Jewy” – the exploration of various scenes from contemporary television that mentions Jewish things or talks extensively about Jewish identity. But I definitely had more than 70 minutes of material. I went through the presentation and trimmed – starting clips when the Jewy things happened instead of at their start to provide context, cutting slides here and there. I had also built in about ten minutes at the end for conversation. I could do it in 70 minutes, I thought.
As we met that Friday afternoon as the Jewish conference/festival, gathering several hundred community learners interested in unfiltered or unaffiliated Jewish learning, began, I looked out at the room, about 40 attendees of all ages, Jewish identities and backgrounds and breathed. Here we go.
I spoke quickly, in tribute to my east coast roots, and before I knew it we were at 60 minutes.
“How are we doing on time?” I asked the crowd. “Have a few more minutes?”
Audience members enjoying #TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
“Keep going!” the crowd urged.
“OK,” I said, “but if you need to leave to go to another session, or for whatever reason, we can officially end the session and if people want to stay, you’re welcome but not required. I’ll keep going for whoever stays!”
About five people walked out, waving, smiling and saying thank you. The rest of us continued…for another hour. About 25 people stayed to the very end.
That was just the beginning.
2011 Conference Schedule (So Far…)
113 years ago
It’s becoming clear that this is going to be a very “conferencey” year.
January
Today, it begins with representing the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles at the Jewish Leadership Initiative Conference in Santa Monica, CA. I’ll be tabling at this conference of mostly graduate students, many of whom are looking for jobs – business or law, possibly a few interested in applying their MBAs or legal skills to serving the Jewish community.
February
February at least eases me into Conferenceness with a series of local conferences – it kicks off with the North American Jewish Day Schools Conference, March 6-8; I’ve been invited because many friends and colleagues from the world of Jewish education will be attending.
On February 16th, I’ve been invited by BBYO to present to their pre-Convention executive meeting for regional presidents and top leaders – they are planning to do a session inspired by this article.
After ending last year with a brief stint at Limmud in the UK (and missing LimmudNY), I’m thrilled to be preparing for LimmudLA – the local version of the international sensation that has never been snowed out takes place February 18-21. I’ll be presenting a number of sessions on things ranging from Jewish communal engagement and innovation to Jewish improv – stay tuned to this space for a full list of my sessions when they go up.
Then, a week later will be the Jewlicious Festival (my 7th), held in Long Beach, CA, and which will again, probably not be snowed out.
March
March brings two (confirmed) conferences that are pretty different from one another. March 6-8 is Tribefest, a gathering of Jews ages 22-45 in Las Vegas sponsored by the Jewish Federations of North America and designed to appeal to young Jews who connect to Jewish life in multiple and diverse ways. I’ll be wearing several hats while I’m there – from my role in NextGen Engagement at Federation to representing ROI Community.
Then, March 17-19 is the Nonprofit Technology Conference in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), where I’m hoping to learn lots about how nonprofits inside and outside the Jewish world relate to the world of technology and social media.
There may yet be other additions to the conference schedule, but they’re all leading up to the 6th ROI Community Summit, this year moving back to Jerusalem in June. More information to come!
New Jewish Year, New Work Opportunities
10113 degrees Monday in Los Angeles. I tell you, I’ve had it with this heat. Today, I’m working from an air conditioned office building where I’ll likely have to wear a sweater.
So I’m heading to that office building on Wilshire Boulevard. And I’ll be there four days a week.
I’ve been a freelancer for eight years, enjoying a flexible schedule and not-always enjoying the instability of the work structure (or lack of health benefits). Being a freelancer has enabled me to become and stay involved in multiple initiatives and innovative projects run by some of the most creative people I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. I’ve been a writer, an editor, a communicator, a relationship-builder, a collaborative spirit, a networker, a consultant, an advisor, and an instructor. I’ve worked with established Jewish organizations, media outlets and startups. And today, I’m taking that experience with me to the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.
Effective today, I will be taking on the position of Program Coordinator for the Federation’s NextGen Engagement Initiative. This initiative, supported by a Cutting Edge Grant from the Jewish Community Foundation, aims to strengthen, maintain and invigorate LA’s network of NextGen service providers, provide consultation and training to leaders of NextGen organizations, and improve communication about NextGen Jewish life in Los Angeles to that demographic, as well. And as 2011 marks the hundredth birthday of the Federation, I’ll also be providing input into the Federation’s Centennial Initiatives – a tremendous opportunity for me to make a creative impact on my (not-so-) new community of Los Angeles.
Both of these projects fall under Partnerships and Innovation, so I’m looking forward to working with the department team, and mobilizing my networks and experience to highlight Los Angeles-based creative and innovative programming for the benefit of all who consider themselves “NextGen” – in body, mind, heart and spirit.
In addition to my time with the Federation, I will be spending a good portion of my “off-time” (nights and the remaining 2 non-Shabbat days per week) continuing my work on behalf of the ROI Community (I’m off to Tulsa next week to meet with my ROI team) and finishing up some separate-but-related outstanding projects (including work on a fun event at the JFNA GA in New Orleans in November – details to come).
This is my first close-to-full-time job in a while, but one that values my experience and honors the opportunities (like presenting at this December’s Limmud in the UK, or returning to Israel this summer for ROI’s 6th Global Summit of Young Jewish Innovators) that come my way. The first few months will be an adjustment as I try to do it all, but I’m looking forward to what promises to be a period full of creativity, innovation and growth.
So I’m going into a new office, with new co-workers, and hoping to make a palpable impact. So point me toward the coffee machine and the water cooler, and let’s get to work.
(Said work may also include making more films that look like this one, a result of an NEI iMovie workshop several months ago).
“Disconnect to Connect” – Unplugging for the Sabbath
014 years ago
The Jewish Standard recently asked for my comments about whether people are too technology-reliant these days, and how it can impact Jewish connections and community.
People first used e-mail, for example, to keep in touch with others they wouldn’t otherwise reach, Kustanowitz said.
“It was a way to mass-produce these kinds of communications that were still about continuing a relationship and adding value to a relationship,” she said.
Such developments have led to what Kustanowitz called an over-reliance on technology, without a sense of deliberation or thought. Just as Jews are supposed to have a certain amount of kavanah, intent, when they pray, she said, so, too, should people have a sense of kavanah when sending out e-mail and posting to social networking Websites.
To read the entire article, visit the Jewish Standard online.
Thanks, Google: Long-Lost Radio Transcript (Israel Radio)
014 years ago
In 2008, I attended the First International Jewish Bloggers Convention in Israel, sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organizations that assists people who are making aliyah (moving to Israel). I was interviewed several times on the radio and in print, and one of those radio transcripts is available online. It’s kind of interesting to read it more than a year later (although the transcript is missing a few words – maybe I have to enunciate more next time, so Israeli transcriptions can be more accurate).
EstherK on the TV (a.k.a. “the YouTube”)
115 years ago
I’m a writer by training, but I have other skills too. Check out my online video clips, with more to come shortly:
Comedy, Community & Comfort (ELI Talks, June 2014)
Leadership in the Digital Age (workshop at LEAD, London, UK, May 2013)
ROI Community (Jewish innovation project) and the Jewish Future (IBA News, June 2012)
Rosh Hashanah, Explained on Good Day NY (September 2004)
High Resolutions: Facebook Guy
Blink and you’ll miss me, but I do a dance cameo in the famous “Rosh Hashanah Girl” video.
Esther Gets a Makeover on Life & Style
Let My Parents Go!, featuring my finest overacting skills
Esther interviewed on ParadeTownUSA about the Salute to Israel Parade
If you’ve liked these clips, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, or even better, sponsor my yet-to-be-titled upcoming video show, coming soon in 5770! Got an idea for a show? Wanna be a sponsor? Contact me anytime via the contact form on this site or by email: jdatersanonymous at gmail.com.
In Jerusalem Again and in the Press…
216 years ago
Since Tuesday I’ve been here in Jerusalem, thanks to the Nefesh B’Nefesh flight which imported me in order to introduce me to their work in bringing Jews to Israel for aliyah, and on occasion of the first international Jewish blogger convention. Coverage of that has been all over the web, including at MyUrbanKvetch and Jewlicious, and in several print publications as well, including Ynet (in which I’m quoted) and Haaretz (in which I’m not quoted, but CK from Jewlicious and Friend of Esther Benji Lovitt–of WhatWarZone.com–are).
I also did three radio interviews, for Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) and Reshet Bet (Channel 2) in Hebrew and for IsraelRadio in English. (Links to come when I have them.) The Hebrew interviews were difficult, but hopefully I didn’t sound too insane. You’ll be the judge of that when the links go up, I’m sure…
Here are some links to press coverage which contain quotes from me:
Jewish Journal (Los Angeles)
Ynet (Hebrew)
Ynet (English)
Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem.
PresenTense Magazine: Issue 4 available now!
016 years ago
The new issue of PresenTense Magazine is out! See below for a sample of the laid-out magazine, or check here for a link to the TOC, to access individual articles, including my latest, “Jew’s Line Is It Anyway? Why The Chosen People Choose Improv.”
We’re churning out another issue for Israel’s 60th, so if you’re interested in advertising in that issue, or distributing either Issue 4 or the upcoming 5, let us know!
General Assembly Retrospective
16 years ago
There’s been lots of press about this year’s GA, which devoted a plenary to Next Generation issues. I was honored to serve as a speaker for that plenary.
If you missed it, here’s a link to the video.
Full text of the delivered speech available at MyUrbanKvetch.com; click and let the link lead you…
EDK Triple Play
117 years ago
Today was quite a day in the life of a nearly-broke writer. First, my Beliefnet post about the Oscar nominations was featured on the homepage of the website. Secondly, my latest Jewish Week singles article, Single Mom Seeking (about author Rachel Sarah), appeared online. And thirdly, The Huffington Post’s Eat the Press columnist mentioned me in a blog post about last night’s conversation between New Yorker writers Patricia Marx and Adam Gopnik at the 92nd Street Y. (I was at a blogger reception held before the event, and the first several rows at the lecture were reserved for bloggers.)
I guess by all accounts that’s a pretty good, pretty high-profile day.