Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 92

July 16, 2020

I Remember When: I went Scuba Diving!


I remember when I went diving and traveling before COVID-19 and #SafeAtHome. I hope that we can all travel safely again soon.



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I learned to scuba dive in 1990 and it changed my life. I love exploring underwater. I have traveled all around our planet to visit the creatures of the ocean. I have so many more places I hope to see in the sea!





Enjoy my stories and videos about amazing underwater adventures!



[image error]Lisa diving in Sipidan



TODAY.com





Saving our Seas: One Staghorn Coral at a TimeGrowing Up Diving: A Childhood Passion Becomes A Career



[image error]We are close to the shark but we are not touching!



ScubaDiverLife: 





Diving with BullSharks at SharkSchoolSwimming with Jellyfish in Palau and Indonesia



Jewish JournalEarth Day: Saving our Reefs from invasive Lionfish





ScubaNationTVDancing Underwater with Gus at Beaches Turks and Caicos











Dive Videos:











Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Montego Bay: Video Playlist from my divesIn May and June 2019, I was recognized by FOHR as the top influencer for Sandals Resorts in Social Media. I wrote about Jamaica for USA Today 10bestin the water and out of the water. I also wrote about Sandals for Jewish Journal: What will you love? and What will you DO? It is the 10th anniversary of the Sandals Foundation and I wrote about 10 of their projects to help the Caribbean. See my article at TODAY.com to learn about my divemaster from Beaches.In Jan 2020, I was included in Dive-in with PADI LIV+ Event at Beaches Turks and Caicos.Dive-in with PADI is a Luxury Included Vacation + Events (LIV+) with five days of exhilarating aquatic adventures in turquoise waters. Watch us underwater! Also read: Tell Me More About Beaches Turks and Caicos!





PADI Dive-in LIV+ Beaches Turks and Caicos 2020



PADI Dive-in LIV+ Beaches Turks and Caicos 2020





Is Bonaire Bucket List Worthy for Diving?Lisa Niver diving at Salt Pier in Bonaire. Photo by Aalia Udawala



Bonaire Stories





Luxury Magazine about Bonaire: Scuba Dive in Bonaire my print story in the Spring 2017 issue.Delta Sky Magazine: my print story about Fabien Cousteau in the April 2017Is Scuba Diving in Bonaire Bucket-List Worthy?
We Said Go Travel: https://wesaidgotravel.com/bonaire/ with 11 videosJewish Journal : Is Scuba Diving in Bonaire Bucket-List Worthy



Are you ready to Dive at Gardens of the Queen?Lisa scuba diving in Cuba at Gardens of the Queen



Cuba:





Tell Me More About Diving with Sharkshttps://wesaidgotravel.com/cuba/https://wesaidgotravel.com/cuba-diving/



Why was the Battle of Guadalcanal Important? Solomon islandsLisa learning about shell money is the Solomon Islands



Solomon Islands:





Smithsonian: Commemorating WWII History in the Solomon IslandsSaturday Evening PostA World War II Hero Remembers GuadalcanalWhere to Go in Gizo, Solomon Islands?What Famous History Happened in Honiara, Solomon Islands?Discovering Marvelous Munda in the Solomon IslandsMy segment for The Jet Set TV on the Solomon Islands.Solomon Islands Vlog with Lisa: 31 videos from March 2017



[image error]Palau’s UNESCO Rock Islands



[image error]Lisa Niver at Jellyfish Lake



Palau





MIC: 6 vacation destinations to add to your scuba diving bucket list: Blue Corner, Palau was my pick.DEPARTURES: Top Scuba Diving Sites Around the World: I picked slide #5:“Sipadan, Malaysia and#9, Blue Corner, Palaumore of my Palau stories on Dave’s Travel Corner



Fantastic Activities in Las VegasLisa Niver at Shark Reef Aquarium




Shark Reef in Las Vegas: I sang myself happy birthday underwater at Shark Reef, Mandalay Bay with the sharks in chain mail! Watch all of my Five Star Luxury Vegas adventures in this video.











Scuba Show 2019:  What happens at the Scuba Show in Long Beach?





video: 2019









DEMA Show 2018https://wesaidgotravel.com/what-will-you-love-at-dema/





video: What happens at DEMA show?









Scuba Show 2018https://wesaidgotravel.com/underwater-world-scuba-show-2018/





video https://youtu.be/p4BsKWQ2FKI social:  Instagram











Scuba Show 2017https://wesaidgotravel.com/the-underwater-world-is-waiting-for-you-ready/





Scuba Show 2016https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/scuba-show/





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Published on July 16, 2020 09:00

July 15, 2020

Driving Across a Socially Distanced America


During COVID-19, what can you do to highlight the changes and needs in our country and communities? Brian Bowen Smith got into his car to drive across America and document this unique time.





Reese Witherspoon was an early supporter of Brian Bowen Smith‘s series of socially-distanced portraits of diverse people across America during the COVID-19 quarantine. He has been traveling throughout our country in his 1958 Ford f100 taking thought-provoking and awe-inspiring photographs. Not only are these photos an incredible snapshot of this moment in our history but he is also donating all proceeds of the book he has created, Drivebys, to Feeding America!











From Brian Bowen Smith: “We have traveled over 11,000 miles documenting the “sign of our times” raising funds for @feedingamerica 





“The Book” is available for presale NOW: “It is a coffee table book that captures the soul of American culture through the windows of my 1958 Ford F100.”



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“What started out as taking a drive to snap a few photos, in my old girl “Pearl…” a classic 1958 Ford F100, has grown into a multi-faceted cross-country project of a lifetime. The journey implements the new-normal of Social Distancing while documenting the soul of American culture during the Covid-19 World Pandemic. At a time when a mandated quarantine plagues our beautiful country, this project encompasses the raw essence of the human condition, our sentimental traditions…and at its core, the heart of our people…from sea to shining sea.”





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“Emotions are high, as everyone I have met throughout this journey has touched my heart. We have traveled 11,000  miles and documenting the “sign of our times” while doubling as a vehicle to raise funds for Feeding America.”





“Everyone I spoke to seemed to be in the same boat. They are scared and frustrated,” Smith said. “Most just want to get back to their normal life.”





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“It definitely changed the way that I look at life now,” Smith said. “Who knows, maybe the world can be a better place when this is all over. Then again…maybe not. But I sure hope so.”






Instagram Photo





Instagram Photo




Read: A Country in Quarantine: Photographs From a COVID Road Trip in Vanity Fair



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Instagram Photo




#bbsdrivebys “The Book” is available for presale NOW




Instagram Photo

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Published on July 15, 2020 09:00

July 13, 2020


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Published on July 13, 2020 20:42

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Published on July 13, 2020 19:44

I Remember When: Traveling and Writing Stories for TODAY.com


I remember when we went traveling before COVID-19 and #SafeAtHome. Please enjoy these articles I wrote from trips for TODAY.com





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Tips for an out-of-this-world family experience at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge



Is your family excited to visit Black Spire Outpost at Disneyland? I wanted to share a few insights so you don’t miss out on anything!





Fortunately for me, the night before I went to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, I was able to interview a seventh grader. Zev’s tips greatly enhanced my visit which was only the 3rd day that Black Spire Outpost on Batuu was even open. I was honestly impressed with his knowledge and so was my group. Because of him, we discovered more features of this new land!





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Growing Up Diving: A Childhood Passion Becomes A Career” for Father’s Day”



Parents often wonder what is the greatest gift they can give their child. In my case, I gave a great gift to my father! So for Father’s Day I wanted to share this idea with you!





My friend, Rainer Jenss, is a PADI Open Water Diver, president and founder of Family Travel Association and took his family of four traveling for a year. He believes, “sharing the world with your children is one of the best gifts you can give them.” PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) cultivates its own path for families to explore the world through adventure and travel, inviting children as young as eight years of age to begin their scuba journey.





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Ready for a SuperHero Summer? Capes Included



Does your family wish for super skills?





Would you like to go to Superhero Academy?





I grew up watching Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman. I always wanted special powers. If only I had Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth or Superman’s cape to fly away from danger, my life would have been so different.





This summer I stayed at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and received a cape! I wore it on my hike two miles nearly straight up at McDowell Sonoran Conservancy to Tom’s Thumb and also while kayaking at Lower Salt River. If you want to feel smarter than any superhero go to ItsThatHot.com and find a luxury hotel room for 50 to 70% off! You will need to plan your day to beat the heat by doing your active adventures early in the morning and enjoying the phenomenal spa and many pools in the afternoon.





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Saving our Seas: One Staghorn Coral at a Time



Does your family want to play in the ocean while also participating in saving our seas?



The team at Kimpton Angler’s Hotel in South Beach invites you to rescue a reef. They have adopted a section of the reef in collaboration with the University of Miami and you and your family can visit the coral garden.





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Make History Come to Life



Where can you travel with your family and learn about our great nation? I went to college at the University of Pennsylvania and for four years Philadelphia was my home. I made the best friends and want to share my favorite things about this incredible city, the City of Brotherly Love.





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We All Need to Unplug



When things do not work around my house, I try to remember that I should power down and try again. Whether it is my phone, my laptop or even my car, this has helped me solve so many issues. I love this quote from Anne Lammott, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”





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Looking for Authentic Family Adventure? Answer the Call in Vanuatu.



Making lifetime memories is the hope of many family vacations. But where to go and what to do that brings you together and makes all your senses come alive? I found thrilling adventures in Vanuatu that included walking along an active volcano, scuba diving to deep depths while surrounded by American history, flying through the jungle and meeting local people who shared their way of life which is so different from my own.





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Cultivating Curiosity in the Galapagos Islands:



How can you increase curiosity in your family? While it is an human innate trait, we can inspire more of it. We wonder, we ask questions and we explore our surroundings. Taking your family to the place which was designated as the first World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1978 is definitely on the right path.





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Enjoy all of my articles on TODAY!

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Published on July 13, 2020 09:00

July 12, 2020


Congratulations to longtime Ms. Contributor @wesaidgotra...


Congratulations to longtime Ms. Contributor @wesaidgotravel, a 5 time finalist for @LAPressClub's #SoCalJournalismAwards! Read her work at Ms. here: https://t.co/Q7SJjmyAA9


— Ms. Magazine (@MsMagazine) July 11, 2020



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Published on July 12, 2020 15:37

Will You to Swim Bridge to Bridge to Change the World?


Sydney is swimming from Bridge to Bridge to raise money for Glide Church! How can you help change the world?



[image error]Swimmers at the Golden Gate Bridge race – Picture of Water World Swim, San Francisco
Sydney’s swim will be similar to this!



My name is Sydney and I have been training for a 10k swim across the Bay, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, for months. I will be doing my swim on the 18th to raise money for Glide Memorial Church and the incredible work they do, which is becoming increasingly important for our city.  CLICK HERE TO DONATE!





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Glide is a church and social justice organization serving the Tenderloin in San Francisco, with a legacy of unconditional love and a mission to break cycles of poverty and marginalization. They provide 3 meals a day, church service, housing, health clinic testing, legal help, and many more vital community resources. During COVID-19, Glide has increased meal distribution, online classes, and added Coronavirus screenings to their integrated services, working to meet the growing needs of San Francisco residents in this challenging time. This is an organization at which I have been volunteering for years and really makes an impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable populations in SF. 





Sydney Roberts is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Board of Trustees of the Glide Foundation.  Donations are 100% tax deductible. Any contribution you can make would be hugely beneficial to our community and greatly appreciated. Thank you!





Click here to donate through the GoFundme campaign! Are you willing to swim to raise money? Are you willing to donate to someone else’s swim? Help Sydney change the world by making a difference in her own city!









GLIDE is a leading social service organization, a social justice movement and a spiritual community that has served those most vulnerable for the past 57 years in San Francisco. GLIDE offers individual and collective services and transformation through compassionate, sustained, comprehensive care to all in need. We meet basic needs, stabilize lives, create pathways out of poverty, and work for systemic change. Our work is grounded in our values of radical inclusivity, unconditional love, truth telling, and celebration. We work on the front lines of poverty, look everyone in the eye, turn no one away, and transform lives.





Learn more about GLIDE’s Vision.





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[image error]Learn more at WaterWorld Swim

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Published on July 12, 2020 09:20

July 9, 2020

Five Time Finalist for Southern California Journalism Awards! Thank you!


Thank you! I am honored to be a finalist for FIVE Southern California Journalism Awards, including and especially for Online Journalist of the Year. WOW!





Thank you to everyone who has supported me and to all of the outlets who published my work. Please see below for my print, digital and broadcast content which is nominated. Thank you to the Los Angeles Press Club for this opportunity to be recognized!





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A5. ONLINE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR



Lisa Niver, We Said Go TravelSpencer Custodio, Voice of OCDamien Newton, Streetsblog LAJoe Rubin, Capital & MainSahra Sulaiman, Streetsblog LA



[image error]Lisa Niver dancing underwater at 70 feet



B4a. ACTIVISM JOURNALISM



Lisa Niver, Ms. Magazine, “What Growing up X Taught Ilyasah Shabazz about Feminism”Patrick Range McDonald, Housing Is A Human Right, “Garcetti-fication: A Gentrification Cautionary Tale”Patrick Shanley, The Hollywood Reporter, “’Damn It, That’s Huge:’ Actors With Down Syndrome Are Finding More Work in Hollywood”Angelika Albaladejo, Capital & Main, “Child Law Penalizes Moms for Abusive Partners”Vic Gerami, The Blunt Post, “LGBTQ Armenians Face Resign of Terror”



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B13. EDUCATIONAL REPORTING



Lisa Niver, Wharton Magazine, Treat Your Business Rival as Inspiration, Not Competition”Larry Buhl, Capital & Main, “When Charter Schools Fail, Parents Are Left Scrambling”Andrew J. Campa, Glendale News-Press, “Glendale Community College to return fees for student IDs it likely shouldn’t have collected”Sonali Kohli, Iris Lee, Priya Krishnakumar, Marcus Yam and Jerome Campbell, Los Angeles Times, “Surrounded: Homicides near schools, and the students left behind”Theresa Marie Moreau, American Greatness, “Juilliard Goes to China”



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G6. PRINT MAGAZINE FEATURE, Under 1,000 Words: Any feature. 



 Lisa Niver, Hemispheres Magazine for United Airlines, “Painter by the Numbers, Rembrandt”Tim Gray, Variety, “Jay Roach Wants to Start a Conversation With ‘Bombshell’” Peter Savodnik, The Journal of Alta, “The Lost Galleon of the California Desert”Celine Teo-Blockey, Peter Flax and Nora O’Donnell, The Red Bulletin, “Heart And Soul”Blaise Zerega, The Journal of Alta,  “COLD CASE: Like ‘a Falling Star’ from Outer Space”



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I10. BROADCAST LIFESTYLE FEATURE



Lisa Niver, KTLA 5 News, “Star Treatment Package Giveaway” Artifact Nonfiction and KCET, KCET, “Nightshift”Dignicraft, Juan Devis, Matthew Crotty and Jacqueline Reyno, KCET, “Artbound: Día de Los Muertos”KCET, Tastemade and Roy Choi, KCET, “Broken Bread: Future of Food”



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CONGRATULATIONS to all of the FINALISTS! I am honored to be recognized in this esteemed group!



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My past nominations and winning content:



2019 WinnerNAEJ Award for KTLA TV segment





2019 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in three categories





Category H2a. Soft News: Ms. Magazine: Polar Bears Can’t Vote So You Have ToCategory F6a. Soft News Feature – Under 5 Minutes—Film/TVKTLA TV Oscars Countdown to Gold with Lisa NiverCategory C1b. Business, Music/Tech/Art: My Wharton Magazine article: Four Female Founders Share Their Origin Stories



[image error]Lisa Niver at 2019 NAEJ Awards



2019 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Broadcast Television Lifestyle Segment: Ogden Ski Getaway





2018 Finalist for three categories of Southern California Journalism Awards:



SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY REPORTING: Smithsonian TRAVEL REPORTING: Popsugar FitnessPERSONALITY PROFILE: Saturday Evening Post



Lisa Niver at 2017 Southern California Journalism Awards



2017 2nd place winner for Southern California Journalism Award Print Column and finalist for Travel Reporting.



[image error]Lisa Niver at Los Angeles Press Club Awards 2019, Photo by Liz H. Kelly

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Published on July 09, 2020 09:00

July 6, 2020

I Remember When: We Went Cruising

Lisa Niver traveling on Ecoventura's Theory in the Galapagos Islands
“Humans cannot discover new oceans unless they have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide



[image error]Lisa Niver working for Princess Cruises



I have sailed on the ocean for years in big cruise ships and small yachts. I have worked for Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Renaissance Cruises. I have traveled on the inaugural of NCL Bliss with the artist, Wyland, on Fathom Adonia to see the philanthropy projects in the DR, on Viking Cruises to visit the Christmas markets, on Avalon to scuba dive in Cuba and on Ecoventura’s Theory in the Galapagos to see the blue footed booby.





I have always loved to be on the sea and during this time of COVID19, I miss sailing, I miss traveling and I miss people. I wanted to share the stories and videos from some of my past adventures. I hope we can cruise again someday.





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NCL Bliss




Want to meet Wyland? The Brand New Norwegian Bliss

















[image error]Lisa Niver traveling on Ecoventura’s Theory in the Galapagos Islands



Galapagos on Ecoventura’s THEORY




TELL ME MORE ABOUT: The Galapagos Islands











[image error]Sunset at Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos, Photo by Lisa Niver



Viking Atla in Europe to see the Christmas Markets










Travelocity: Taking Christmas To A Whole New Level






Continuing along the romantic Danube with Viking River Cruises





[image error]On the Fathom Adonia even my dessert was happy!



Fathom Adonia to the Dominican Republic




My First Visit to Dominican Republic with Fathom Adonia











[image error]Lisa Niver with Sam I Am on Carnival Breeze: Are we having fun yet?



Carnival Breeze to sail with my roommate, Jennifer!




Did I love sailing on the Carnival Breeze?











[image error]I loved my sailing on Carnival Breeze! Did you see the videos?



Do you want to dive with me in Cuba?Do you want to dive with me in Cuba?



My bucket list birthday trip: Scuba diving in Cuba!




Video from my Great First visit to Cuba






Do you Dream of Diving in Cuba?











Read about Lisa’s predictions for the future of cruising in MSN/Reader’s Digest






MSN: 13 Ways Cruises Could Change Forever After Coronavirus





Lisa Niver was interviewed as a Cruise Ship Expert for Yahoo Travel article: “Confessions of Cruise Ship Insiders: Secret Parties, Crew Bars, and More.” 






Yahoo Travel: Lisa is a cruise expert!


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Published on July 06, 2020 09:00

July 3, 2020

Creating Community during COVID19: JewItAtHome


Thank you to Rabbi Adam Lutz whose leadership has created “JewItAtHome” through his synagogue, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. He knew that “Social Distancing Does Not Mean Social Isolation” and even though “COVID-19 continues to disrupt every single aspect of normal life…and community doesn’t exist in person” we can create a Jewish community online. “We are “jewing” it so that Judaism continues to bring light into a world that too often appears full of darkness and we invite you to join as at Jew It At Home to “Jew it” with us.





This article by Rabbi Adam Lutz was published first on cliforum.org on July 1 and then on ejewishphilanthropy.com on July 2, 2020.





It all started with a simple conversation that would frighten many in the world of Jewish institutional life. In early March 2020, my colleague, Rabbi Dara Frimmer, and I discussed the imminent closure of our synagogues due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We shared how we planned to offer digital worship, online religious school, and distance preschool programming. In our conversation, I posed a seemingly innocuous but somewhat provocative suggestion for Jewish institutions to date: “Why don’t we share resources? Share material? Share online classes? That way, while people are stuck at home, they will have plenty of opportunities to remain connected. And by sharing, we don’t have to shoulder the entire load ourselves.” And thus, JewItAtHome.com was born.





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We launched JewItAtHome.com as a spiritual, Jewish farmer’s market of sorts. It is currently a world-wide partnership of over thirty Jewish institutions that share resources to provide high quality spiritual nourishment during this challenging time. But we have discovered a need in the Jewish world that will persist in the post-COVID-19 world. Our users can access a multitude of diverse, cost-free programing 24/7 – from Jewish yoga to text study and Tot Shabbat services to challah baking and more. Similar to a farmer’s market, JewItAtHome’s business model centers around partnership and sharing virtual space for the benefit of everyone, Jews-in-the-pews and Jewish institutions alike. Our model revolves around “free-samples” of Jewish content. Like at a farmer’s market where fromageries offer free cheese samples to entice would-be buyers, JewItAtHome partners offer a high-quality sampling of what their institution offers on a regular basis.





[image error]Rabbi Adam Lutz



Despite the current success of the platform, our model challenges many preconceived notions and fears surrounding the sharing of synagogue resources. Recently, a potential partner told me that they were afraid of losing members to those with whom they might collaborate. Although I completely understand this fear of losing members and, potentially, dues revenue to other Jewish institutions, this fear is rooted in a scarcity mentality that there is not enough of the pie to go around and we must protect our slice. But, are we really so naïve to think, in the small Jewish institutional world, that if our “product” is not quality then our members won’t leave anyway?





Another potential partner shared concerns about providing content for free, wondering how his institution would support itself if there was no income. I also understand this perspective – of course without a revenue stream Jewish institutional life cannot exist. However, JewItAtHome does not require that institutions offer everything they do for free. Additionally, synagogues have been offering this type of free service forever – it is called Shabbat worship. JewItAtHome makes it possible to offer additional entry points for potential Jewish patrons.





Like farmer’s market shoppers, JewItAtHome users can, of course, satiate themselves by taking samples from here and there. But such sampling makes a wide cross-section of Jews aware of teachers and of approaches to Judaism that were previously, not on the wider radar screen of Jews in the community. For too long, we have only lived within the walls of our own Jewish institutions.





One anecdote: JewItAtHome attracted an active user from Tennessee, who attends our “Hebrew Bootcamp” weekly. During his first class he explained that he has always wanted to learn Hebrew, but there are no synagogues close enough to his home to justify weekly classes. JewItAtHome has finally provided him meaningful Jewish practice through a synagogue affiliate. The hope is that he will join this affiliate as a “remote member” because he loves the “free sample” and wants more.



The key to the success of JewItAtHome has been the willingness of partners to place the needs of Jewish people over the needs of Jewish institutions. We’ve framed our decisions around three core values:





1) Integrity – all the content provided should increase the Jewish community’s trust in our platform;





2) Usefulness – everything that we offer must increase our usefulness to the Jewish world;





3) Freedom of Expression – there is not only one way to express Judaism, therefore our partners provide content for the entire breadth of Jewish expression.





Since our launch in March, over seven thousand unique users have accessed our site and viewed approximately twenty-five thousand pages. Jews from across the world have logged into classes from locations as far away as Israel and Amsterdam. Instead of letting fear drive the decisions made for JewItAtHome, we have embraced the plethora of possibilities that a diverse and dedicated partnership of shared resources provides. Just recently, we engaged all of our partners at JewItAtHome to host a Global Tikkun for Shavuot. We offered eighty classes throughout the evening, saw fifteen-hundred unique users accessing content and over two-hundred households attend our opening plenary.





At this point you might be wondering, “If this is all free, who pays for JewItAtHome?” The entire JewItAtHome enterprise is funded by my synagogue, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills (TEBH). TEBH holds to its core mission of always leading the world in Jewish expression, Jewish communal involvement, and Jewish social justice. The synagogue leadership empowered me to continue to grow JewItAtHome from the first few partners into the world-wide partnership that exists today. Of course, as JewItAtHome continues to grow, costs will increase, so we are currently exploring options to offset anticipated expenses.





Just like a farmer’s market forces purveyors to select what offerings are free and exciting enough to entice a customer to make a purchase, JewItAtHome is forcing Jewish institutions to do the same. Partner offerings must be high quality so that users will return again and again with the hope that, at some point, they will make a deeper financial commitment. I recently asked a user of JewItAtHome how her experience with the platform has affected her Jewish identity and impacted her relationship with her home congregation. She told me that she loves having access to so many high-quality Jewish programs, allowing her to better engage and develop her Jewish identity. And it has not lessened her connection to her own congregation. She continues to plug into her own congregation’s programs and worship services, each time bringing her the pleasure of returning to a familiar set of faces, customs and clergy. Most users have similar experiences.





When synagogues collaborate and partner with one another on a common platform like JewItAtHome provides, we can cultivate a more engaged Jewish community. Noted concerns notwithstanding, my experience with JewItAtHome shows that by supporting one another we can create avenues of access for Jews who are disengaged, unaffiliated and otherwise, uninterested. We can help them discover the riches of our tradition known to us, but which are often hidden from the average lay-person. But first, we have to change by letting go of our fears and collaborating.





We live in a world of physical distance, but our work–now more than ever–is to demonstrate that physical distance does not prevent us from joining hearts, minds, and souls.





An aerospace engineer turned rabbi, Adam Lutz works to design meaningful Jewish life for the 21 st  century. He is the Assistant Rabbi/Director of Education at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, the creator of JewItAtHome.com, and a proud first-time parent with his wife, Cantor Emma Lutz, to 5 month old, Ruby Mira.





Read this article on both ejewishphilanthropy.com and cliforum.org



This article is part of the partnership between eJP and the Clergy Leadership Incubator program (CLI). CLI is a two-year program to support and encourage congregational rabbis and rabbinic entrepreneurs in the areas of innovative thinking, change management and institutional transformation.






“Jewing” It At Home by Rabbi Adam Lutz, https://t.co/hJyx1DrePW

— Jew It At Home (@jewitathome) April 8, 2020






No Shul, No Problem: Synagogues Navigate Coronavirus


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Published on July 03, 2020 08:08

We Said Go Travel

Lisa Niver
Lisa Niver is the founder of We Said Go Travel and author of the memoir, Traveling in Sin. She writes for USA Today, Wharton Business Magazine, the Jewish Journal and many other on and offline publica ...more
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