Meet Global Fellow Madeline Bleiweiss

Age: 23

Hometown: Cleveland Ohio, baby, and never anywhere else!

Project:  JCLE, an initiative through the Cleveland Hillel Foundation, strives to create a trendy, exciting, vibrant, and engaging Jewish Cleveland for twenty-somethings through large-scale events and resources, marketing, and public relations. JCLE hopes to inspire the Jewish community and to retain Jewish twenty-somethings in Cleveland.

In one sentence, tell us who you are. 
I am a creative, deep, passionate, and fun-loving person who was born, raised, and currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio. I currently work as the Coordinator of Graduate Student Programs at the Cleveland Hillel Foundation.

What inspired you to embark on the path of an innovator?
I wanted to do something meaningful for my community, and while I did previous work in Washington, DC, it just wasn't my niche. When the job opportunity came up at Cleveland Hillel, I realized I needed to take it. Coming up with ideas, and getting super enthusiastic, I was only hired part-time at CHF until this January, when I became a full-time employee, making a huge difference in the young Jewish community.

What challenges do you foresee in your field?
I am nervous that my events will become redundant. JCLE needs to, at a constant, be the number one event organization for young Jewish graduate students and young professionals with creative, exploding events that are unforgettable and mini-New York, without being superficial. I also see a challenge in matchmaking—I hope that once JCLE makes it big, not all of the good boys will be taken, considering many people have already asked me to be set up on dates!

Who can you relate to in Jewish history (or in your field of interest)?
Rabbi Silver from Cleveland, who built my Temple of 1,000 members from scratch. Somehow, he motivated an entire community, and I feel fortunate that I am part of the Temple—Tifereth Israel—that he helped build. I am looking to grow the JCLE community in full force with my unique enthusiasm and willingness to bring people together.

What is the most valuable thing you have learned from the PresenTense community?
I learned how to think differently and logically in the business mind-set, which can then lead to a higher sense of importance.

Who have you met at PresenTense that has made the most impact on your project?
Staff: Aharon, who provides me with lots of support, and also Brachie, who seems to understand my project unlike other people. In terms of speakers: SIT from Tel Aviv, Pamela Deutsch, and Aliza from New York Federation, and Phil Cohen from Cleveland (morning breakfast—I loved this opportunity; it was crucial for my adrenaline to start rushing!).

What big question are you struggling with right now? 
Do the Jewish graduate students and young professionals in Cleveland WANT this, because Jewish graduate students and young professionals in Cleveland know we NEED this?

If all goes as planned, where will your project be one year from now?
Thriving, energetic, and promising. Every Jewish twenty-something in Cleveland will not only have heard of JCLE, but also have attended one of our events. It will be something the Jewish adult community is also thankful to have. One year from now, JCLE will be branded and organized such that it can carry on for years to come, even without me as the Director.

What do you hope to see change / to help change in your field in the next ten years?
I hope JCLE can heat up some fire in the Jewish community. In years to come, I hope more people will re-invent the wheel and compete with JCLE in different ways, for different people, personalities, interests, and for—hopefully—a much larger population of graduate students and young professional twenty-somethings in Cleveland!

What is your vision for the future of PresenTense?
I think PresenTense will build a larger network and move towards a mix of for-profit and non-profit ventures. I believe that as more ventures succeed and as Ariel, Aharon, and Brachie gain experience, they will become even better spokespeople, and their brand will last and inspire others. 

Madeline is just one of 16 fellows from the PresenTense Global Fellowship's Class of 2010. Read and learn about the others here.