Projects We Support

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Alumni Venture Fund Campaign Letter for BYFI Alumni
from Shimon Felix & Elijah Dornstreich ‘92

Dear Alumni,

Since June 2001, BYFI has distributed over $115,000 to our alumni, in support of over 75 projects and programs that Fellows have initiated, supported and participated in. These projects range from Margie Klein's (BYFI '96) Kavod House, a center for social action and creative Jewish life in Boston, in which many BYFI alumni participate, to Taylor Krauss's ('97) Voices of Rwanda, which records the testimonies of victims of the genocide there, and the Jerusalem Bayit, in which, for the third year running, BYFI alumni just out of high school live together and engage in a combination of Jewish study and intensive volunteer work in one of Jerusalem's poorest neighborhoods. Many of these projects, which impact on a wide range of people, Jews and non-Jews alike, would not exist without BYFI's funding.

As a Rwandan wrote in a recent response to CNN’s internet article on Voices of Rwanda,

"I am a genocide survivor from Rwanda. I cannot stress enough how important Voices
of Rwanda is to me and other survivors. Hopefully, this will help to fight those who have
already begun to claim that the genocide never happened. This project is special, please
support Taylor if you can."

Our Alumni Advisory Board, along with BYFI's professional staff, continues to encourage our alumni to make a difference, by creating and participating in projects which impact profoundly on our world. On a quarterly basis, grants are awarded to applicants who are involved in projects that reflect the BYFI Mission values of pluralism, Jewish study, engagement with Israel, and social justice. For the past three years, all of the funds that have been distributed have come from you, our alumni. It is your generosity that has enabled us to empower you and your peers to continue to make a real difference, with the kinds of creative and cutting-edge projects we have supported in the past, and which we hope to continue to support in the future.

As 2007 draws to a close, we would like to invite all of our alumni who have not yet made a donation to this year's campaign to do so. All of the money raised goes to supporting your fellow BYFI alumni in the wonderful and varied work they do. Historically, some 46% of all Bronfmanim participated in giving; this year, we would like to better that figure - we are aiming for 100% participation. We ask you to give what you can: we suggest that those of you in high school and college make an annual gift of $18; before your 10th reunion at least $36; and thereafter, whatever you are comfortable with. Over the past few years we have disbursed some $25,000 annually. This year, we would like to meet that goal, and better it if we can. If you have not yet done so, please make a tax-deductible donation today by going to our website, www.bronfman.org and clicking on Enter Website and then on Contribute to BYFI. Alternatively, you can mail a check, made out to The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel, in the provided envelope. We thank you in advance for supporting your alumni community.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shimon Felix
Executive Director

Elijah Dornstreich ‘92
President, Alumni Advisory Board
campaign@byfi.org