Date Your Donors for Jewish Education

Jonah Halper sits down with Erik Kessler, Executive Director of The Moriah School in NJ, to unpack a decade-long experiment many schools quietly hint at but rarely discuss openly: what really happens when you don’t have a professional development director. They talk about the “event-only” model, the strengths and limits of relying on talented lay solicitors, and the biggest invisible loss that sho...

Capital campaigns do not fail because the mission is weak. They fail when the project is under-scoped, over-designed, or sold to donors before the team has real clarity on what they are building, what it will cost, and how it will actually function. In this episode, Jonah Halper sits down with owner’s rep and capital project strategist Yossi Fischler to unpack the “design and development” side of...

Sponsored Content: This episode is presented in partnership with JEY Furniture. This episode was recorded live at the EDN Conference in Stamford, CT and features a deep look at how the right furniture partner can influence the success of a school capital campaign. Jonah speaks with Heshy Kovalenko of JEY Furniture and Rabbi Dovid Mandel of Yeshiva Day School of Las Vegas to reveal why furniture is...

Recorded live at the Executive Directors Share (EDS) Conference 2025, this episode of Date Your Donors features a candid conversation between Jonah Halper and Michelle Dayan, Executive Director and founding board member of the SAM School in Manhattan. Michelle shares the story behind the school’s founding, its growth from a small preschool into a rapidly expanding elementary program, and what it t...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, Jonah Halper interviews Willie Hochman, who leads the Joel Paul Group division within The Merraine Group, a search firm focused specifically on executive and development talent in the Jewish nonprofit sector. The conversation centers on a core hiring problem in Jewish nonprofits (especially day schools): development is mission-critical, but “can this person act...

Jonah reconnects with his high-school friend Rabbi Avigdor Goldberger, now a leader, mentor, and community builder in Minneapolis. The discussion journeys from nostalgic beginnings to profound reflections on identity, individuality, and the challenges facing those transitioning from full-time Torah learning into the workforce. Rabbi Goldberger shares how his own path—from Kollel learner to nonprof...

In this insightful live episode recorded at the EDN 2025 Conference, Jonah Halper sits down with Rabbi Binyomin Septon, Executive Director of Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah in Toronto, to explore the art of raising money in the off-season. Rabbi Septon shares candid reflections from his 11 years leading a $10.5 million institution revealing how meaningful donor relationships aren’t built in campaign seas...

In this week’s episode of Date Your Donors, Jonah Halper sits down with Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz, Executive Director of Bnos Bais Yaakov of Far Rockaway, to unpack what it truly means to put relationships first in fundraising. Together they explore how to move beyond transactional giving, embrace vulnerability, and build authentic partnerships with donors that last a lifetime. Rabbi Blumenkrantz...

Welcome to Season 2 of Date Your Donors, the podcast that helps you find your charitable soulmates, make them fall in love with your mission, and say “I do” when you ask for their time and support. In this live-recorded EDN 2025 keynote session from the Armon Hotel in Stamford, CT, host Jonah Halper sits down with powerhouse voices in donor engagement to explore what fundraising is really about: r...

In this season finale of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Heidi Greenbaum, Director of Development at SAR Academy & High School, to reflect on two decades of transformative fundraising. In a conversation that weaves together strategy, purpose, and personal conviction, Heidi shares the lesson she wishes she could tell herself 20 years ago: “Think big. Operate from abundance. Belie...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, Jonah Halper sits down with Deena Fuchs, Executive Director of Micah Philanthropies, for a rich conversation on what makes philanthropic partnerships thrive. With over two decades in Jewish philanthropy—spanning The AVI CHAI Foundation, Jewish Funders Network, and now Micah—Deena shares hard-earned wisdom on funder-grantee relationships, the importance of authe...

In this episode, Jonah sits down with Matt Walzer, a seasoned Jewish communal professional and major gifts coach, to unpack what it really means to shift a Jewish institution from a transactional dues-based model to a values-driven philanthropic culture. Drawing on his unique journey—from sales to Federation work to returning as Managing Director of his childhood synagogue—Matt shares how Beth El...

Todd Sukol, Executive Director of the Mayberg Foundation, sits down with host Jonah Halper to reflect on his unplanned journey from journalism to philanthropy, his years leading the Koby Mandell Foundation, and how personal tragedy and spiritual growth shaped his leadership philosophy. Todd opens up about what it really means to “date your donors” by showing up first and foremost as a human being,...

In this powerful episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper is joined by Rabbi Yossie Charner and Rabbi Avi Schnall of Agudath Israel to break down one of the most transformative educational policy efforts in recent history—the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). Together, they explore how this $10 billion federal tax credit scholarship initiative could drastically reduce tuition burde...

In this heartfelt and illuminating episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Jason Zwang, Senior Director of Development at Georgia Institute of Technology and also a key architect of ALTRUICITY's major gift coaching and pipeline service, to reflect on their shared journey—from a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert in 2005 to redefining major gift fundraising across the Jewish ph...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Lindsay Kopecky, CFRE, CAP®, Chief Advancement Officer at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. The conversation dives into the importance of legacy and endowment giving in philanthropy, particularly in the Jewish education space. Lindsay explains the key differences between legacy giving an...

In this episode, we sit down with Lev Stark, Executive Director and CFO of a thriving Jewish school in Boca Raton, Florida. Lev shares his unexpected career journey—from aspiring lawyer to leading one of the largest automotive editorial teams at Edmunds.com, to transitioning into the world of Jewish education. We dive into the transferable skills from the for-profit world that he brought to school...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Rabbi Yehuda Schepansky, Head of School at Orlando Torah Academy, to discuss the remarkable growth of the Jewish community in Orlando, Florida. Rabbi Schepansky shares his journey of co-founding the academy with Rabbi Wachsman 15 years ago, starting with just 12 students and growing to over 215 today. They explore how Orlando tr...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Scott Goldberg, a seasoned expert in strategic planning, executive coaching, and nonprofit leadership. They discuss the core challenges facing Jewish educational institutions and nonprofits, particularly in the areas of board governance, executive recruitment, and organizational culture. Scott shares insights on why organization...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Rabbi Josh Zisook at the EDS Conference to explore the power of alumni engagement and how it can transform the future of Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Rabbi Josh shares the story of Hebrew Theological College (HTC), which faced a 15-year gap in alumni outreach before realizing the crucial role former students play in sustaini...

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Yocheved Belsky, an expert in helping Jewish and private schools access government funding through equitable services. Yocheved explains how many schools are unaware of the resources available to them and how her company, M Square Learning, assists institutions in maximizing their funding opportunities. From understanding Title I-IV funds to breaking do...

In this insightful episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper sits down with Rabbi Yaacov Cohen, Executive Vice President of Talmudical Academy of Baltimore and an expert in peer-to-peer fundraising. Rabbi Cohen shares his journey from aspiring rabbi to a visionary in donor development, detailing how he transformed traditional fundraising practices into a relationship-driven approach. Rabbi Co...

In this episode of "Date Your Donors," recorded live at the Executive Directors Share (EDS) Conference in Orlando, Florida, host Jonah Halper interviews Rabbi Yaakov (Jake) Goldstein from the Aleph Institute's Project 432. Rabbi Goldstein discusses his work on ethics and financial integrity in nonprofit organizations, focusing particularly on Jewish day schools. Key Highlights: Financial Integrity...

In this episode of "Date Your Donors," host Jonah Halper interviews Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah, the network for Jewish day schools and yeshivas in North America. The conversation explores Prizmah’s role in uniting diverse Jewish educational institutions, fostering innovation, and addressing challenges such as affordability, enrollment growth, and community sustainability. Paul highlights the i...

In this episode of Date Your Donors, host Jonah Halper interviews Rabbi Binyomin Mermelstein, the Executive Director of Torah Academy of Boston. The conversation delves into the challenges and successes of leading a Jewish day school, focusing on strategies for financial stability, donor engagement, and community growth. Rabbi Mermelstein shares his journey into fundraising and leadership, emphasi...