What Gives? The Jewish Philanthropy Podcast

Episode 74 of What Gives?—the Jewish Philanthropy Podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, Andrés speaks with Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation and author of the book Find Your Fight: Make Your Voice Heard for the Causes that Matter. Jay has spent years pushing institutions, media, and communities to think more seriously about representation, access, and belonging for people with disabilities.

Drawing on Jay's decades of advocacy and the ideas at the heart of his book, he reflects on how leaders and institutions can move from good intentions to meaningful action. Together, Jay and Andrés explore why authentic representation matters, how philanthropy can drive systemic change, and what it really takes to build a more inclusive Jewish and civic life.

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Episode 73 of What Gives?—the Jewish Philanthropy Podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, Andrés speaks with Ronen Koehler, a former submarine commander and a leader of Brothers and Sisters in Arms.

We recorded this conversation during Israel’s war with Iran, with Ronen joining us from inside a public shelter in Tel Aviv. He reflects on the urgent, grassroots work of transforming neglected public shelters into safe and humane spaces, the evolution of Brothers and Sisters in Arms since October 7th, and the leadership lessons he carries from military service to civil society. It’s a conversation about resilience, responsibility, and the power of citizens to step up when systems falter.

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Episode 72 of What Gives?—the Jewish Philanthropy Podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, Andrés speaks with Dr. Keren Fraiman, Dean and Chief Academic Officer of Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, and Dr. Sivan Zakai, Professor of Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and director of the Children’s Learning About Israel Project. Both are leading researchers in Jewish education whose work examines how young people form their understanding of Israel, identity, and Jewish life. And both are recent recipients of the Ilia Salita Excellence in Research Award for the work they’ve done in this field.

In this conversation, we explore their latest findings, what Jewish children are really learning and feeling, and how funders and educators can better support honest, nuanced approaches to Israel education in today’s climate.

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Episode 71 of What Gives?—the Jewish Philanthropy Podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, our guest is Sarah Hurwitz, former speechwriter for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and the author of two widely discussed books about Jewish life and identity. Her newest book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us, challenges us to rethink how centuries of prejudice have shaped Jewish self-understanding, and why now is the time for a more confident and substantive embrace of Jewish tradition and peoplehood.

Sarah spoke about what it means to live as a Jew “without apology,” why shallow or self-deprecating Jewish identities aren’t enough in this moment, and how young Jews especially can ground themselves in real content and community.

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Episode 70 of What Gives?—the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, we speak with Elias Saratovsky, President and CEO of the Birthright Israel Foundation. As Birthright turns 25, we reflect not just on the nearly 900,000 young Jews who’ve visited Israel through this transformative program, but on how immersive travel, identity, and belonging are being reimagined for a new generation.

Elias shares his personal story, from growing up in a family of Soviet Jewish immigrants with little Jewish identity, to going on the very first Birthright trip in 1999, to now stewarding the future of the most ambitious Jewish educational initiative of our time. Elias and Andrés explore how Birthright adapted through a pandemic and a war, why pride and not propaganda is its most powerful product, and how a second trip to Israel might be even more important than the first.

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