Bolt of inspiration...back from the Holy Land!

I am back from Israel and I am happy to report that the trip was a success! It was an amazing trip filled with insights, exploration, meetings and profound awareness of the power of the Holy City. I discovered a Segway tour at the Haas Promenade, I shot an M-16 and woke up at 4:30am to see the sunrise over the Kotel...gevalt! It is always important for me to go beyond my comfort zone and push myself. It clears my brain and allows new insights to arise.

Just a few days before I left for Israel, I had the extraordinary pleasure of producing the Ma'aleh event I had been sharing with you in my previous entries. It was well attended, and very successful. The films presented were professional and of exceptionally high grade. The event took place at the Music Hall Theatre and it was hosted by Tom Barad and his committee. Michal Borkaw (producer of "Friends") moderated the Q&A which was very enlightening. Here's is some of the feedback we received after the event:

"We were privileged to be there..knowing about Maale changed us...invigorated is a way and gave us so much to think about!"
Lollie Seidenfeld - Attendee

"Maale is a one of a kind film school. It is a place with a passion for storytelling, a place with an advanced understanding of the complexity and power behind film-making. The moral and ethical boundaries that infuse the films only make them more dense and important."
Mia Goldman - Film Editor and  Producer "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"

Now that I am back in town I am moving forward at lightening speed on the production of the Aish Los Angeles Banquet which will be held on May 11, 2110. Stay tuned as this powerful program develops. This will be a banquet not to be missed!

Here are a few pictures from my trip to Israel and the Ma'aleh Film Festival.

 

 

 

I'M ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

I'm stopping in New York to see my grandchildren. Then I'm off to the holy city of Jerusalem where I will be spending time with my beautiful daughter Lauren. I'll be there for 9 days meeting with key players at the Aish Headquarters in the old city as preparation for the upcoming banquet.

As producer of the Aish HaTorah Gala Banquet, I will also be going on a journey behind the scenes of the new 50,000 square foot Aish building on Western Wall Plaza. This landmark building is at the epicenter of the Jewish world and it will be a source of Jewish education and spirituality for future generations of Jews from all walks of life. 

Mark your calendars: The Aish HaTorah Gala Banquet will be May 11th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (This is 3 days before my youngest daughter's Bat Mitzvah...HELP!!).

BRANDING - the Name Game

What is Branding? Branding is a consistent, recognizable and clear, unified voice or personality that conveys your message.

Focus, credibility and unique contributions are key. As the non-profit landscape gets increasingly complex, money and attention are tighter than ever. It is critical that your unique impact/value is focused and succinctly articulated. That's what it takes.

Do you have what takes to get your message across? Let me help you! You may have a good idea. Let's get get people excited and involved.

Part of what I do is bring a fresh pair of eyes to your event or program. Include me in your brainstorming session and you won't get the same old results!

If you are naming your business or program event, make the name meaningful. Here are 3 tips to keep in mind when choosing a name:

1)It should be easy to understand and pronounce - easily passed along by word-of-mouth.
2)Choose a name that you can live with and grow with. Be forward thinking in your choice so it can expand as you do.
3)See if it works in print - experiment with how it looks in different sizes and type fonts.

This is just one of the many services I provide. I'm the coach who wants to see you win!

The Dawn of a New Decade

I'm happy to report the Merkaz Ha'Torah Kollel banquet was an outstanding success!  The honoree videos were deeply moving and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.  Many attendees approached me after seeing the presentation and asked, "How did you do it? Where did you find the material?  It was so beautifully edited."  When was the last time you heard that people felt honored to be in attendance?  They're usually running for the door!  Thank g-d this was not the case.  I will be posting the videos on my website in the next few weeks.  Please make sure to check them out.

The Ma'aleh Film School of Jerusalem premier fund-raising event is fast approaching!  I'm executive producing this event at the Music Hall Theater with Tom Barad.  This week, you will be receiving an online invitation to this extraordinary event.  Mark your calendars.  This is not to be missed! (See invitation on my post "Moving Forward with Joy").

In planning this event, I felt I should share with you how important it is to be consistent with your message.  Don't assume that people understand the purpose of your event.   In this case, I know the general public is not that familiar with Ma'aleh.  Basically, you have to make it easy for people to understand and avoid confusion.  To generate interest and showcase your efforts, you must use eye-catching visuals (graphics, photography) with well-written copy.  See my last blog entry for an example of how we're spreading the word about Ma'aleh.

 

 

 

Moving forward with Joy!

I’m excited about a couple of upcoming events. I am producing the Merkaz Ha’Torah Kollel banquet on January 6, 2010, and the premier L.A. introduction of Ma’aleh Film School of Jerusalem.

First, I’m in the final stages of producing a video for the Kollel event. Sunday is our final day of shooting. I hope to capture the extraordinary excitement and energy generated by profound Torah study.

Next, I’m working with the principles of Ma’aleh Film School of Jerusalem to introduce this unique institution to Los Angeles. They are dedicated to debating 21st century issues of Jewish and Israeli identity on screen. This premier fund-raising event will take place on February 11, 2010. Please contact me for more information regarding either event. 

Brainstorming

A client came to me and said he had a theme for an event, but no honoree. A theme is flat. For example, “An Evening of Inspiration and Innovation”. What do you do with that? How do make that exciting? How do you spin that to make it compelling? You begin brainstorming.

There is an important concept regarding brainstorming that I picked up in my advertising days: no idea is off the table. There could be a gem hidden in an off-handed comment that might seems totally unrelated, but don’t discount it.

So, my client thought he had very clear idea about what he wanted to accomplish before our brainstorming session. However, after our exchange of ideas, he realized that his ideas would not accomplish his goals.

Look at what is going on in the world in general and what is happening in your specific community. How does it relate to your cause? That’s how your find your message.

I’m back!

I had a wonderful experience at the Aish Partners Conference.  It was inspirational and a lot of fun.  I loved being surrounded by those who are motivated to take responsibility for the world and want to make a difference for the Jewish people.  No matter who you are or where you live, you were able to gain from the wisdom and experience of the presenters.   The theme of the conference was “Light unto the Nations: Fulfilling Our Mission.”  Each one of us taking personal responsibility for our own corners of the world and being a Kiddush Hashem.

I felt very good about my small contribution to the conference.  My session “Taking your (fund-raising) events from OK to Awesome” was very well received and seemed to empower and inspire those who attended.

Press arrow to play an mp3 from my session

Here are a few of my photos: