The OU Impact Accelerator identifies and advances the top Jewish nonprofits. Through education, mentorship, and collaboration, we aim to accelerate great leaders who are addressing our communal challenges.
What: GrowTorah develops educational Torah garden programs for Jewish schools and communal organizations, incubating emunah, environmental stewardship, compassion for creatures, and Tzedakah.
Founder: Yosef Gillers
Launch: September 2015
Get Involved: Individuals who are interested in working with us should visit www.Growtorah.org/apply. For new schools that would like to partner with us, we are currently planning program launches for March 2019, visit ww.GrowTorah.org/partners.
Website: https://www.growtorah.org/
What: imadi is an organization that empowers individuals and families facing mental health difficulties through providing support, guidance, and education. The focus of imadi is to establish functionality in homes that are suffering due to mental illness.
Founders: Chana Esther Schechter, Zeldy Oppen, and Goldy Jaroslawicz
Launch: 2018
Get Involved: imadi is recruiting volunteer family advocates who will provide support, guidance, advocacy, and linkage to community resources in a warm handover manner. They will be professionally trained by imadi to address and supervise a family’s specific needs with utmost confidentiality, sensitivity and respect. To volunteer as a family advocate, or to donate, please feel free to call or email our team
Website: https://www.imadi-withme.org/
What: NechamaComfort supports families who have suffered miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. Services include immediate help at the time of the loss and ongoing individual, family and group support. Training programs for medical personnel, therapists and clergy help them better address the needs of their clients and congregants. Awareness programs for communities and workplaces provide guidance on being supportive of friends, neighbors and co-workers.
Founder: Reva Judas
Team: Aimee Baron, M.D., Esther Levie, R.N., and Ellen Krischer
Launch: 2016
Get Involved: Email nechamcomfort@gmail.com or call 1-833-NECHAMA
Website: http://nechamacomfort.com/
What: Torah Anytime records Torah lectures given around the world and uploads the footage to our website for the whole world to watch, free of charge. Since our founding, we have received more and more requests for lectures of Torah videos conducted by Jewish speakers and Rabbis, with the website growing steadily ever since.
Founders: Shimon Kolyakov, Rubin Kolyakov, and Yosef Davis
Launch: 2006
Get Involved: Listen to shiurim online, anytime at TorahAnytime.com or on our phone app
Website: https://www.torahanytime.com
What: Yedei Moshe is a program that seeks out and helps businesses hire at risk youth. It matches at risk youth and employers and provides personal mentoring and support for both to help facilitate success.
Founders: Yael Wedeck, MSW and Rivka Ariel
Launch: May 2018
Get Involved: We are constantly looking for appropriate businesses to partner with and welcomes each business to fill out a form on our website or contact us directly here. In addition, we are looking for volunteer graphic artists, social media and website volunteers, and mental health volunteers.
Website: YedeiMoshe.org