By: Deena Fuchs
The AVI CHAI staff is hard at work preparing for our upcoming Board of Trustees meeting and therefore not as prolific as usual, with respect to this blog. We will be sure to report back here about any new developments that arise from the meeting, which is slotted for early February.
In the meantime, my Google Alert for “AVI CHAI” just sent me a link to Gary Rosenblatt’s January 3rd editorial on Why Funders Need to Embrace Failure. I was gratified to see that he includes AVI CHAI as a foundation that is transparent about its “failures” and is ready and willing to admit when things don’t play out the way we plan. I put quotes around “failures” since I think it is important to make a distinction between failing to meet objectives and failing to learn. We have definitely failed to succeed at times, but from each and every experience we learn something. In fact, nearly three years ago I was asked to write a case study for the Journal of Jewish Communal Service, where I make that exact point. It is an oldie, but I hope a goodie, and still has lessons that should resonate today. Take a look
Deena K. Fuchs is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at The AVI CHAI Foundation
AVI CHAI concluded its general grant making on December 31, 2019.