Good People Talk: Recent Episodes
The Good People Fund
Welcome to Good People Talk, a Podcast where social entrepreneurs and visionaries –those who are changing and uplifting lives and communities in the U.S., Israel, and elsewhere around the world – describe what it is that drives and motivates them to tackle seemingly intractable challenges and generate deep impact. Their stories frame how change-makers, often informed by their Jewish values and in partnership with philanthropy, can change the narrative. To learn more, go to goodpeoplefund.org.
Guest: Gavi Welbel, Co-Founder of Zumwalt Acres
About Zumwalt Acres: Zumwalt Acres is an ecological farm in Sheldon, Illinois, founded by twin sisters Gavi and Remi Welbel in 2020. As sixth-generation stewards of their family’s land, they’ve transformed a conventional farm into a regenerative agriculture hub rooted in Jewish values and climate-forward practices. The farm grows food regeneratively for farmers’ markets and local food pantries, hosts an annual apprenticeship program for young people aged 18-27, and conducts climate research on carbon sequestration methods. They also cultivate specialty mushrooms, bridge conventional and regenerative farming communities in rural Illinois, and honor Jewish agricultural traditions.
Learn More: Visit Zumwalt Acres online to learn about their work, apprenticeship opportunities, and research initiatives.
Zumwalt Acres is supported by the Good People Fund, which invests in innovative grassroots organizations making a difference in their communities.
Evie Litwok walked out of federal prison in 2014 with $30 and a Greyhound ticket. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Evie founded Witness to Mass Incarceration to help formerly incarcerated people rebuild their lives with dignity and support. Her work is deeply informed by her family’s experience of survival and her commitment to bearing witness to injustice. Witness to Mass Incarceration provides practical reentry support like laptops and phones for newly released individuals, offers vocational training, documents the stories of incarcerated people, connects formerly incarcerated business owners to build economic empowerment, and advocates to change conditions inside prisons, particularly around sexual violence and abuse. The Good People Fund gave Evie her very first grant, making this transformative work possible.
Witness to Mass Incarceration is supported by the Good People Fund, which invests in innovative grassroots organizations making a difference in their communities.
In this final episode of our Building Bridges series on Good People Talk, Naomi Eisenberger, The Good People Fund’s Founder and Executive Director, speaks with Jon Adam Ross, founder of Inheritance Theater Project, a Good People Fund grantee that uses performance art to build bridges between community members in cities across the country. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Jon’s family considered civic engagement and belief in a civil society to be of paramount importance in one’s life. Going on to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jon was exposed to a wide range of performance art, eventually building his life’s work which combines those talents with his early lessons in creating and maintaining a civil society. Today, Inheritance Theater Project has created programs in more than 20 states, as well as for prestigious programs at Harvard Divinity School, the Obama Foundation and other entities. Jon shares stories of hope that have sprung up in the cities where ITP has appeared and believes that we, as a country, can go beyond the current unrest shaking the core beliefs of our shared society.
The Good People Fund relies on the generosity of supporters like you to continue this work. Visit goodpeoplefund.org/donate to make a gift today.
In this episode of Good People Talk, Julie Fisher, associate executive director of The Good People Fund, speaks with Matt Fieldman and Charmaine Rice, co-founders of Rekindle, a Good People Fund grantee bringing Black and Jewish leaders together for dialogue, friendship, and shared action. Matt and Charmaine share what inspired them to create Rekindle and how they’ve built brave spaces for difficult conversations about race, identity, and history. They trace Rekindle’s remarkable growth from a single Cleveland cohort to a national movement spanning 20 cities, exploring what it means to rekindle the historic Black-Jewish alliance forged during the Civil Rights Movement. The conversation delves into how Rekindle fellows are bringing this work back to their own communities, how Matt and Charmaine navigate polarization and division with hope and courage, and ultimately, what gives them hope for the future.
The Good People Fund relies on the generosity of supporters like you to continue this work. Visit goodpeoplefund.org/donate to make a gift today.
In this moving episode of Good People Talk, Julie Fisher, associate executive director of The Good People Fund sits down with Mo Al Samawi, Founder of Abrahamic House and author of The Fox Hunt, to explore a life shaped by hardship, faith, and extraordinary moral courage. Born and raised in Yemen, Mo grew up navigating disability, social isolation, and the deep impacts of conflict. His worldview began to shift through unlikely encounters — books, social media, and relationships with people from different faiths — ultimately transforming hatred into compassion. That personal transformation became the foundation for Abrahamic House, a groundbreaking interfaith fellowship where young adults of different religions live together, build friendships, and create community through shared experiences and courageous dialogue.
Explore The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
Read The Good People Fund’s “2025 Journal of Good” for more stories of inspiration and impact:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/journal-of-good/
Rabbi Elhanan Miller is the Israel-based Founder of People of the Book, a Good People Fund grantee harnessing the power of original video and social media to advance coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East … and beyond.
With hundreds of thousands of followers, and a reach into unlikely spaces, he is using creativity and vision to build new narratives and understandings … and change realities. He speaks with Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
This episode is the first of Good People Talk’s “Bridge Building” series, focusing on Good People Fund grantees creating and elevating dialogue, common purpose and hope.
Explore The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
Read The Good People Fund’s “2025 Journal of Good” for more stories of inspiration and impact:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/journal-of-good/
Everyday Boston is a Good People Fund grantee that is weaving shared storytelling into the civic fabric of Boston.
The intention is to elevate empathy, dismantle barriers, forge connections and build stronger community within and among neighborhoods in a multicultural city with its own history of fracture.
“Stories can link us when almost nothing else can,” says Cara Solomon, Everyday Boston’s Founder and Creative Director. “Stories are our connective tissue.”
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator, Jordan Rich of Chart Productions.
Almog was 20 when he embraced his gender identity, nearly 13 years ago. Public consciousness of transgender issues — and support for individuals and families — was far from present.
For Merav Livni Keish — Almog’s mother — silence was no option. She began talking to people, uncovering others’ experiences. She dug deep into the medical world, accumulating facts and realities.
Eventually, she founded Brit Ha’Leviot, a Good People Fund grantee promoting the rights and wellbeing of transgender individuals and their families … and educating Israeli society about gender diversity.
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator: Stephanie Garry
It was five years ago that three mothers of college-bound students founded TribeTalk, a Good People Fund grantee.
Their mission … to empower Jewish students with tools, information and resources to evaluate college environments … and also to address antisemitism and anti-Israel bias on campus and beyond.
“We are providing a shield for Jewish students to move through their spaces,” says Jude Sydney, one of the founders, along with Michelle Black and Robin Friedman. “They will be street smart, informed, tactical and practical.”
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator, Jordan Rich of Chart Productions, and our voice artist Ari Sapers-Sydney
MyChild’sCancer — founded by Oded Grinstein in 2010 and a Good People Fund grantee — is a result of his family’s arduous and ultimately successful journey through pediatric cancer.
It is a growing, grassroots ecosystem of emotional, logistical and informed support for parents navigating pediatric cancer. It empowers and equips them as advocates for their child’s care, survival and recovery.
Oded refers to MyChild’sCancer as a basement start-up, connecting disparate dots for parents when questions come faster than answers. “These are game changers,” he says.
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator: Stephanie Garry
He was 16 and on a well-worn path of societal isolation, educational stagnation, and other barriers to promise. One of 14 children in an Arab-Bedouin family in Israel’s Negev region, Ahamad was immersed in a cycle of inertia common to his generation.
A New Dawn in the Negev — a Good People Fund grantee — is embracing possibility and elevation … not constriction and stagnation.
“The invisible students, the invisible youth, they have to know someone is looking at them … I have the responsibility to the next generation to bring them the light of tomorrow,” says Founder and CEO Jamal Alkirnawi, an Arab-Bedouin social worker.
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator: Jordan Rich of Chart Productions
The graffiti was vile, sprayed on buildings in Tur’an, a mainly Arabic village in Israel’s Galilee region. Soon after, a delegation from Tag Meir went to meet council members and residents as an act of solidarity and compassion.
Gadi Gvaryahu, founder of Tag Meir, was there. “It starts with graffiti … if it is ignored, it ends with much worse … and it has.”
As a Good People Fund grantee — Tag Meir trains educators, engages in public campaigns, advocates in policy-making spheres, and sometimes offers legal and financial help to victims of racist acts.
— “Stories of Hope” is a special series of Good People Talk!, where audio storytelling brings the impact of our Good People Fund grantees alive.
— Read The Good People Fund 2025 Journal of Good for more stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
— Thank you to our narrator, Stephanie Garry, and voice artist Glenn Rosenkrantz
Dr. Rutie Pilz-Burstein is the Founder and CEO of Sport – Bridge to Education, a nonprofit organization using sports to empower Israeli children and young adults in risk situations … enabling them to break cycles of failure and take alternate paths toward responsibility and success. She describes how a vision became a reality and the lives being uplifted and changed. Rutie speaks with GPF Co-Founder and Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
Read The Good People Fund Journal of Good for stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
Dr. Mark Fenig — Founder and Executive Director of Medical Justice Alliance, a Good People Fund grantee — describes alarming inequities and injustices in medical care afforded incarcerated individuals in the US … and how he was moved by ethics and conscience to change that reality, advocating for compassionate or medical care releases on a case by case basis. He speaks with GPF Associate Executive Director Julie Fisher.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
Read The Good People Fund 2024 Journal of Good for stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
Refugees, asylees and immigrants — and grassroots organizations providing them with critical services and community — are challenged as never before as xenophobia and official policies create an increasingly oppressive environment.
Shoshana Barzel of New Neighbors Partnership, Kristen Bloom of Refugee Assistance Alliance, and Kari Miller of International Neighbors lead Good People Fund-supported organizations navigating this evolving reality. The three social visionaries speak with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about what they are seeing, how they are pivoting … and why we all must pay attention.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
Read The Good People Fund 2024 Journal of Good for stories of inspiration, hope and impact:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/
As a Latina woman, Yurani Sandoval knows well the cultural, familial and personal challenges to work-life balance and achievement. She founded Women Palante — a Good People Fund grantee — to empower other Latinas to find their voices and entrepreneurial success by building skills, networking, and importantly … practicing self-care, awareness and purpose. Good People … Continue reading “Women Belong in Every Room”
At Kaima Hukuk — a non-profit organic farm in Israel’s Galilee region — teens and young adults seeking alternative educational and social frameworks are finding connection, purpose and promise. Founder Asaf Zaiden speaks to Good People Fund Associate Executive Director Julie Fisher about the vision and impact of Kaima Hukuk and how lives are being … Continue reading At an Organic Farm in Israel, Changing Young Lives
Considering societal trends and schisms threatening the robust functioning of American democracy, Civic Spirit — a Good People Fund grantee — works with educators and students in faith-based schools across the country to bolster civic fluency, skills and engagement. Civic Spirit’s Executive Director, Rabbi Charles Savenor, speaks with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about the … Continue reading In Challenging Times, Advancing Civic Engagement
Jamal Alkirnawi is a leader in the Bedouin community in Israel and the Founder and Executive Director of A New Dawn in the Negev, a Good People Fund grantee. The organization uplifts Bedouin youth facing socio-economic challenges in the region, and with a Bedouin-Jewish core, promotes equality, co-existence and peace. “I have the responsibility for … Continue reading In Israel’s Negev, A Passion to Uplift Bedouin Youth and Advance Co-Existence
Shoshana Barzel founded New Neighbors Partnership in 2020, establishing clothing partnerships for newly resettled families in New York City. The clothing partnerships are the foundation of long-term community support networks, an invaluable anchor for refugee, asylee and asylum-seeking families. Shoshana speaks with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger. The Good People Fund: www.goodpeoplefund.org Read The Good … Continue reading For Newly Resettled Families in NYC, Threads of Connection and Support
Esty Shushan is a Haredi woman who founded Nivcharot — a Good People Fund grantee — to promote the status and rights of ultra-Orthodox women in Israel through education, advocacy and cultivation of women leaders. In conversation with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger, Esty describes her personal journey finding her voice as a social visionary, … Continue reading For Haredi Women in Israel, Gaining a Voice
Individual and collective trauma affects our potential to do good in the world as social visionaries, especially now in a broken landscape. So, how we seek awareness, perspective and healing is critical. Rabbi Igal Harmelin — who is active in the trauma field and spoke at The Good People Fund (un)conference last fall — talks … Continue reading Healing as Activism
The first-ever Good People Fund (un)conference brought nearly 70 GPF grantees from throughout the US and Israel to New York in November — for two intensely rewarding days sharing experiences, origin stories, professional development and more … and shattering the isolation inherent in visionary leadership. In this post-(un)conference episode of Good People Talk, GPF Executive … Continue reading In Their Own Words: Reflections from The Good People Fund 2024 (un)conference
Merav filled her tote bag with fresh fruits and vegetables, a typical scene at a farmer’s market anywhere. But this one in West Jerusalem is different: food is rescued, prices are non-existent, and individuals and families facing food insecurity — like Merav’s — are welcomed and respected. The whole environment, created by JLM Food Rescuers … Continue reading Stories of Hope: JLM Food Rescuers
Often their life experience includes being ostracized from family … being homeless … being a sex worker … being abused … being shunned. So at Trans House in Tel Aviv, trans women are embraced for who they are without judgment or whispers. Linor Abergel is CEO of the Israeli Transgender Association — a Good People … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Israeli Transgender Association
Beth Weinstock walked into that classroom carrying grief … but also a driving purpose. In 2021, her college-aged son Eli accidentally ingested fentanyl and died. Yet six months later, Beth and her daughter, Olivia, co-founded BirdieLight — a Good People Fund grantee — to honor Eli by spreading awareness about fentanyl in drugs to students, … Continue reading Stories of Hope: BirdieLight
At an oasis of calm and healing called Ruca’s Farm — a Good People Fund grantee — IDF veterans like Gideon are finding relief from trauma and a path toward light. Here, social visionary Nir Lahav, who grew up on a kibbutz in northern Israel, is combining his own love for the land with a … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Ruca’s Farm
Samara, incarcerated and suffering from advanced lymphoma, received a compassionate release from prison, a move that arguably saved her life due to the intervention of Medical Justice Alliance — a Good People Fund grantee. MJA mobilizes volunteer clinicians as expert medical witnesses for advocates seeking care or outright release for clients facing often life-threatening illnesses, … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Medical Justice Alliance
Jereme is a Black pastor and salvage company manager. Aaron is a white, Orthodox Jewish human resources executive. A friendship seems unlikely … but a tight one formed from their participation in Rekindle — a Good People Fund grantee joining members of the Black and Jewish communities to rebuild their historic relationship and accelerate positive … Continue reading Stories of Hope: Rekindle
Besides heading The Israel Lemonade Fund — a Good People Fund grantee — Shari Mendes serves on an Israel Defense Forces reserve unit dedicated to caring for the bodies of female IDF soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. In this episode — presented as we mark one year since October 7 — Shari describes her … Continue reading Voices from Israel: Marking a Year Since October 7
Shari Mendes is a breast cancer survivor — who during her journey of treatment and recovery, met patients facing severe financial struggle exacerbated by loss of work and other factors. Responding, she founded Israel Lemonade Fund — a Good People Fund grantee — to help breast cancer patients in financial crisis, offering one-time grants covering basic living costs and alleviating distress. Marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, she speaks with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
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The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
www.komen.org/about-komen/our-impact/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-awareness-month
Good People Fund (un)conference keynote speaker Ruth Messinger is a prominent social change advocate, and former President and current Global Ambassador of the American Jewish World Service. In this special pre-(un)conference episode, Ruth speaks about the Jewish and moral imperative to repair the world … the challenges facing visionary leaders … and what she’s planning to impart in her keynote address at the (un)conference in November in New York City.
Share to your social media and subscribe to Good People Talk!
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
More about Ruth Messinger:
https://ajws.org/stories/ruth-messingers-story
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Tag Meir (“Light Tag”) — a Good People Fund grantee — was founded in 2011 by Gadi Gvaryahu to counter racism in Israel, and has grown to lead a coalition of more than 50 organizations across political, religious and cultural spheres to mobilize voices for coexistence, support victims of hate crimes, and more. Since October 7, the work of Tag Meir is especially crucial as tensions rise in the country and region. “We don’t have the privilege to give up,” says Gadi, in this timely conversation with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
Share to your social media and elsewhere to raise awareness of the critical work of Tag Meir and how GPF support makes it possible.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Come November, at The Good People Fund’s (un)conference in New York, singer-songwriter John Beltzer will bring us into his unique zone of good … leading attendees as we give our voices to a song personalized for a child facing a serious medical challenge.
Since 1996, John’s Songs of Love Foundation has touched the lives of tens of thousands of children and teens in this way. By crafting free, original and customized songs for them — written and recorded by a network of talented singer–songwriters — the Foundation is providing solace, relief and escape, and expanding a community of care and compassion.
In this episode of Good People Talk, John speaks with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about the vision, the growth, and the impact … and what he has planned when he presents at GPF’s (un)conference this fall.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
With antisemitism rising exponentially and perniciously on cyber platforms, Fighting Online Antisemitism — a Good People Fund grantee based in Israel — uses its corps of 3,000 trained volunteers around the world and AI to monitor online spaces, report antisemitic content, and move to eliminate it. In this very timely episode of Good People Talk, Fighting Online Antisemitism Founder and Executive Director Tomer Aldubi describes the challenge and how FOA is making a measurable difference.
Share to your social media and elsewhere to raise awareness of the critical work of FOA and how GPF support makes it possible.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Since Oct 7, colleges are flashpoints of antisemitism and anti-Zionism. TribeTalk, a Good People Fund grantee, is equipping Jewish college students with knowledge, resources and confidence to navigate through this challenging reality … and giving college-bound students information on what to expect when they arrive on campus.
Jude Sydney and Robin Friedman are co-founders of TribeTalk. In this episode they speak with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about how TribeTalk is meeting the moment with urgency and impact.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
Journal of Good (Annual Reports)
In our severely challenged world — as we look to define and grasp hope — Rabbi Debra Orenstein sat with Good People Fund Director of Engagement Julie Fisher to talk about her own journey to hope … the value of hope to our mental and physical well beings … practical tips for all of us to embrace and elevate hope … and much more.
Rabbi Debra is spiritual leader at Congregation B’nai Israel in Emerson, NJ, and a nationally known Jewish educator and commentator on the theory and practice of hope, and the Jewish wisdom surrounding it. She recently taught a six-part online workshop, “Real Hope” — the inaugural series in GPF’s Good People Learn educational program.
“Real Hope” Session 5 — “Meeting Hope Heroes”
https://youtu.be/K-KLU1CPNbk
More about Rabbi Debra Orenstein
www.rabbidebra.com/bio
The Good People Fund
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Good People Learn: Real Hope
www.goodpeoplefund.org/good-people-learn/
Amy Ever, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, is the Founder and CEO of A Courageous Voice — educating and equipping children, parents, teachers and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to end the scourge of child abuse, neglect and exploitation rooted in both on- and offline spaces. Amy talks about her journey from trauma to impact with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Three of our visionary grantees in Israel vividly describe how they’re meeting new challenges since the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, and staying true to their passions and missions elevating good and hope — and uplifting the communities they serve with renewed resolve.
While in Israel in March, GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger and GPF Director of Engagement Julie Fisher sat with Avraham Hayon of S.A.H.I., Yael Noy of Road to Recovery, and Shlomit Somech-Lehmann of Al-Baqour for a live Zoom event (link below), here presented in audio-only podcast format.
Live from Israel Zoom Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzf1zqx7FEI
The Good People Fund: www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good: www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
We’re at our 50th episode of Good People Talk! Marking this milestone moment, we’ve handed the microphone over to special guest host — Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief of the Forward and former Jerusalem Bureau Chief of The New York Times — as she discovers The Good People Fund’s secret sauce for building and sustaining a community of Good People creating positive change in a challenged and conflicted world. Jodi sits with GPF Co-Founder and Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger, and GPF Director of Engagement Julie Fisher.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
More About Guest Host Jodi Rudoren:
https://forward.com/authors/jodi-rudoren/
Blyth Taylor Lord founded Courageous Parents Network in 2014 — some years after her daughter, Cameron, and her nephew, Hayden, both died from infantile Tay-Sachs. Blyth turned her grief into purpose. CPN — a GPF alum grantee — uses education, advocacy and community to equip and empower parents of children with serious medical conditions. She speaks with GPF Exec. Director Naomi Eisenberger.
This is Good People Talk, where Good People Fund grantees describe how their vision, passion and mission are making impact in communities in the US, Israel and elsewhere around the world.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
For youth across the spectrum of developmental, physical and learning abilities, the war presents unique challenges. Beth Steinberg and Miriam Avraham — both mothers of children with Down syndrome — are the Founding Directors of Shutaf (“partner” in Hebrew) — practicing an inclusionary model of informal programming for kids, teens, and young adults across abilities. In this conversation with Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger, Beth and Miriam talk about the war’s effect on their work and impact.
The Good People Fund: www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good: www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Kavod v’Nichum (“Honor and Comfort”) — a GPF grantee — brings Jewish end-of-life discussions and practices into the light by elevating and advancing Chevrot Kadisha — holy societies that support individuals, families and communities during a sacred life cycle event. Sarit Wishnevski, Kavod v’Nichum’s Executive Director, joins Naomi Eisenberger, GPF Co-Founder and Executive Director, to discuss the work and its impact on us and our communities.
This is Good People Talk, where Good People Fund grantees describe how they are filling societal voids … and uplifting individuals and communities in the US, Israel and elsewhere around the world.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Since its founding, Road to Recovery has driven thousands of Palestinians — mostly children — from crossing points to Israeli hospitals for critical medical care … and back again. Road to Recovery Chair Yael Noy joins GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger to discuss how the organization and its volunteers are adjusting to new realities on the ground … and committing to hope.
This is Voices from Israel … a companion podcast of Good People Talk! … where Good People Fund grantees in Israel share how they are pivoting to meet urgent and evolving needs since the country was attacked and war began.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Shlomit Somech-Lehmann is CEO of Al Baqour, a Good People Fund grantee using innovative approaches to early childhood education to empower Israel’s challenged Bedouin community in Israel’s Negev. In this very personal conversation with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger, Shlomit shares stories of loss and hope from October 7 and the weeks since.
This is Voices from Israel … a companion podcast of Good People Talk! … where Good People Fund grantees in Israel share how they are pivoting to meet urgent and evolving needs since the country was attacked and war began.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Brit Ha’Leviot — a Good People Fund grantee in Israel — works to protect and promote the rights and well-being of trans and gender diverse youth and their families, and educate institutions like schools, and greater Israeli society. Co-Founder Merav Livni Keish speaks to GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about how the organization is adjusting to meet unprecedented needs since Oct. 7, and keeping its community intact.
This is Voices from Israel … a companion podcast of Good People Talk! … where Good People Fund grantees in Israel share how they are pivoting to meet urgent and evolving needs since the country was attacked and war began.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
In this second episode of Voices From Israel, Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger welcomes and introduces Julie Fisher as GPF’s new Director of Engagement. Julie was the Founder and Director of the Consortium for Israel and the Asylum Seekers, and describes challenges to the asylee population in Israel before and since Oct. 7, and how the nonprofit sector is helping this vulnerable community.
This is Voices From Israel, a special podcast series of The Good People Fund where GPF grantees and partners describe their work responding to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the resulting war.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund 2023 Journal of Good:
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Sahar — a Good People Fund grantee — has for more than two decades offered volunteer-based online support to Israelis experiencing mental and emotional distress. Since the horrific attack on Israel on October 7, the organization has geared up to meet unprecedented need for its services. In this first episode of Voices from Israel, GPF … Continue reading Voices from Israel: Addressing Trauma in Israel
As The Good People Fund (un)conference approaches, our guest is featured speaker Jon Adam Ross — a New York-based artist, activist and educator, and co-founding artist and Executive Director of the In(HEIR)itance Project. In this dynamic episode, Jon describes the power of harnessing our stories and narratives to fuel and deepen our work and advance … Continue reading The Good People Fund (un)conference: Artist, Activist and Educator Jon Adam Ross on the Power of our Stories
After Irwin Rosenstein (z”l) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and later dementia, his wife Carol discovered that music making eased his condition and uplifted his spirits. So the two founded Music Mends Minds — a Good People Fund grantee based in Los Angeles — to create musical support groups benefiting individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia and … Continue reading Music as Medicine →
As The Good People Fund’s (un)conference approaches in November, our guest is Rabbi Joel Mosbacher of Temple Shaaray Tefila in NYC, host of the two-day event. Rabbi Mosbacher — who will be a keynote speaker at the (un)conference — describes its significance to the Shaaray Tefila community, and shares his compelling social action journey, one … Continue reading The Good People Fund (un)conference: A Conversation with Keynote Speaker Rabbi Joel Mosbacher →
MARVA — a Good People Fund grantee — was founded in 2015 by Israeli attorneys and social welfare experts who wanted to assist and empower Israelis facing difficulties caring for their personal welfare, well-being and legal rights. GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger speaks with Dr. Mickey Schindler and Dr. Michal Wosner of MARVA. The Good … Continue reading In Israel, Preserving Dignity and Autonomy for the Vulnerable →
EAT — formerly known as Pesia’s Kitchen — is an Israeli non profit and Good People Fund grantee — combating food waste while elevating food justice for under-resourced populations and communities. EAT Co-Founder and President Gideon Ben Ami and EAT Executive Director Yoni Ben Ami are a father and son team inspired to make impact … Continue reading In Israel, Combating Food Waste and Elevating Food Justice →
In underserved communities in Israel, English proficiency can mean the difference between economic and social success, and stagnation. English B’Yachad — English Together — is a Good People Fund grantee making online pairings between Israeli young adults and North American volunteers to advance English language skills, create positive futures … and form friendships in the process. Founder Marla Gamoran describes the program’s remarkable trajectory and impact with GPF Exec. Dir. Naomi Eisenberger.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund Journal of Good 2022:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
In Israel’s Negev, the Bedouin community is mired in a generational cycle of economic and educational stagnation. Al Baqour — a Good People Fund grantee — is using innovative approaches to early childhood education and family empowerment to break it … while respecting the traditional groundings of the community. GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger speaks with Shlomit Somech-Lehmann, CEO of Al Baqour, and Dr. Foad El Sana, its executive director.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund Journal of Good 2022:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
Eli Weinstock was a college student in 2021, when he died from unintentional exposure to Fentanyl. Dr. Beth Weinstock, Eli’s mother, and Olivia Weinstock, his sister, began BirdieLight — a Good People Fund grantee organization — to educate youth about Fentanyl and its lethality, and to save lives and honor Eli’s memory. They speak with GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.
The Good People Fund:
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund Journal of Good 2022:
www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
As founder of MyChild’sCancer — a GPF grantee — Oded Grinstein gives parents of children with cancer the medical knowledge and social support they need to be strong advocates for effective treatments and positive outcomes. The journey began when Oded’s infant daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that she effectively beat back. Oded speaks with GPF Co-Founder and Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.The Good People Fund:www.goodpeoplefund.orgThe Good People Fund Journal of Good 2022:https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/news-and-publications/annual-reports/#
In Israel, Shana Aaronson is the CEO of Magen for Jewish Communities, a GPF grantee organization addressing sexual abuse and exploitation in the Orthodox Jewish community. Under her leadership, the organization is making huge impact by helping and supporting survivors, raising awareness and educating in the community and beyond, and advocating for survivors in investigatory and legal channels.
www.goodpeoplefund.org
The art of deriving and telling life stories can be the great connector — empowering individuals on the edges of society, bridging divides in communities, and advancing social justice. Cara Solomon is a former journalist establishing and practicing this approach as Founder and Executive Director of Everyday Boston, a GPF grantee. She describes the impact … Continue reading Storytelling as the Great Connector →
For individuals in emotional distress — including those with suicidal tendencies — an empathetic advocate trained to gauge the severeness of need can be a bridge to a positive outcome. SAHAR — a GPF grantee — is a volunteer-driven Israeli non-profit organization using a unique tech model as a form of intervention. GPF Co-Founder and … Continue reading In Israel, A Unique Model to Help Individuals in Emotional Distress →
For individuals in emotional distress — including those with suicidal tendencies — an empathetic advocate trained to gauge the severeness of need can be a bridge to a positive outcome. SAHAR — a GPF grantee — is a volunteer-driven Israeli non-profit organization using a unique tech model as a form of intervention. GPF Co-Founder and … Continue reading In Israel, A Unique Model to Help Individuals in Emotional Distress →
For underserved and vulnerable youth and families involved in the juvenile court or child welfare systems in Massachusetts, resources as varied as a bus fare, a laptop, even a bed, can tilt the balance toward improved systemic and personal outcomes. Anne Bader-Martin is a juvenile court attorney who founded One Can Help — a Good … Continue reading For Vulnerable Youth and Families, Filling Voids and Changing Outcomes →
Barry Hoffner was on a personal trip to Mali in 2010, when he was struck by the lack of educational opportunities for young people in rural villages around Timbuktu. So he decided to build a school. Now, a dozen years and 16 schools later, his organization, Caravan to Class — a Good People Fund grantee … Continue reading In Rural Mali, Planting Futures Through Education →
Barry Hoffner was on a personal trip to Mali in 2010, when he was struck by the lack of educational opportunities for young people in rural villages around Timbuktu. So he decided to build a school. Now, a dozen years and 16 schools later, his organization, Caravan to Class — a Good People Fund grantee … Continue reading In Rural Mali, Planting Futures Through Education →
Beth Steinberg and Miriam Avraham both have children with Down syndrome, both moved to Israel, and both found a lack of informal education programming for those with developmental challenges. So, they started a program themselves. Shutaf, which means “partner” in Hebrew, is a Jerusalem based organization — and a Good People Fund grantee — practicing … Continue reading Shutaf: Filling a Void with Inclusion →
Dana Marlowe was a working mom in metro Washington, DC who was driven by a personal experience to start I Support the Girls, a Good People Fund grantee. The organization gives bras, menstrual products and other personal care items to people around the world who need them desperately — due to homelessness, natural and human-made … Continue reading “Homeless Women Need Bras” — Giving Dignity to Those in Need →
Asher Lovy grew up in the insular Haredi community of Borough Park, Brooklyn and was sexually, physically and mentally abused by his mother. The silence within his community — where discussion of such aggressions was neither acknowledged nor welcome — propelled Asher to make some noise as head of ZA’AKAH (Hebrew for “outcry”), advocating for … Continue reading Advocating for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in the Orthodox Jewish Community →
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, The Survivor Mitzvah Project has been operating in overdrive, navigating turmoil and destruction in Ukraine to maintain contact with Holocaust survivors, deliver them more critical aid, and in some cases provide them safe passage out of the country. Good People Fund Exec. Dir. Naomi Eisenberger speaks with The Survivor … Continue reading Aiding Holocaust Survivors in Ukraine, as Humanitarian Crisis Continues →
At The Warehouse NJ, individuals and families emerging from homelessness and displacement are finding new beginnings with dignity. Here, they choose donated furnishings and home goods for their new apartments and living spaces, as they begin an upward trajectory in their lives. Kim Sleeman founded The Warehouse NJ — a Good People Fund grantee — … Continue reading Creating a New Beginning, Starting at Home →
Elysa Rapoport gave birth to a stillborn daughter in 2016, and soon discovered a lack of emotional and practical support systems in Israel for those facing pregnancy and infant loss. So she determined to make change and co-founded Candles of Hope, a GPF grantee. Her organization is building and providing resources and channels of support, … Continue reading Moving Pregnancy and Infant Loss Out of the Darkness →
On her family’s land in Israel’s Hefar Valley, Rani Erez was part of multi-generational effort to establish Kaima Beerotayim — a non-profit educational farm that is empowering youth on the cusp of dropping out of school or who are otherwise at risk. At the same time, the farm — a GPF grantee — is encouraging … Continue reading Alternative Learning and Socialization, on the Farm →
One quarter of pregnancies end in loss. For Reva Judas — whose son, Pesach, tragically died hours after birth — grief fueled a determination and vision to help individuals, couples and families facing the unimaginable. NechamaComfort, a GPF grantee organization, emerged to offer support groups, counseling, logistical guidance and more for those in the Jewish … Continue reading Turning Grief into Impact →
In Western Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh, Gisele Fetterman and Kristen Michaels are bringing vision and commitment to uplift lives and communities. The founders of For Good PGH are creating a culture of care, compassion, inclusivity and empowerment to residents of once-thriving — but now under-resourced and struggling — Braddock and surrounding areas. GPF Executive Director … Continue reading Creating Hope and Beauty In a Once Thriving Steel Town →
A healthy snack business? A clothing line? A pop-up restaurant? For street-connected youth in inner city Baltimore, social enterprise projects — and community service jobs — break the cycle of poverty, develop skills for positive futures, and transform a community. Driving this impact is The Food Project of UEmpower of Maryland, a Good People Fund … Continue reading In Inner City Baltimore, Empowering Street-Connected Youth →
There are an estimated 30,000 asylum seekers in Israel today … men, women and children, mostly from Africa, who’ve risked their lives to escape adverse conditions and now await legal status in Israel or elsewhere — anywhere that will welcome them. But for now, they live in substandard conditions, invisible to many Israelis while the … Continue reading In Israel, Uplifting the Lives and Futures of Asylum Seekers →
For youth at risk – specifically teens and young adults with past or current contact with the child welfare or juvenile justice systems – having a mentor can be a tipping point toward positive self-worth and a promising future. That’s what Connections – a Good People Fund grantee – makes possible in NYC and Westchester … Continue reading Mentoring Youth at Risk and Building Positive Futures →
Flip through the online pages of jGirls Magazine for a deep dive into compelling issues – from self-identity to social pressures to protest – created by self-identifying Jewish girls aged 13 to 19. jGirls – a Good People Fund grantee – is the brainchild of Elizabeth Mandel, a New York-based documentarian, writer, and community activist … Continue reading Giving Jewish Teenage Girls Their Voice →
Jacob Sztokman was on a business trip to Mumbai when he came across abject need and horrendous conditions in the city’s slums. The exposure shook him up to a point of no return. He gave up his career in high-tech to establish Gabriel Project Mumbai – a Good People Fund grantee – to improve lives … Continue reading Uplifting Lives in India’s Urban Slums and Rural Villages →
There’s a fitness club in Maryland that stands apart from your usual corner gym. At SPIRIT Club, individuals with physical and developmental disabilities are lifting weights, doing aerobics, and working with personal trainers in an environment that prizes diversity, respect and inclusion. SPIRIT (Social-Physical-Interactive-Respectful-Integrated-Teamwork) Club Founder Jared Ciner talks about how his work as a … Continue reading Workout Time! Building Confidence and Strength for Individuals with Special Needs →
The Good People Fund in partnership with its grantees, helps to improve the lives and trajectories of Aspiring Americans – refugees, victims of human trafficking, and others – seeking safety, community, and opportunity despite enormous challenges. In this episode, Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger speaks with four change makers in this realm, who … Continue reading Good People, Helping Aspiring Americans Succeed →
The Good People Fund visits with three of our change makers in Detroit. Each draws on intense personal journeys as they work to uplift and give hope to youth at risk – in a city once written off, but now benefiting from the creative visions of social entrepreneurs. Join Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger … Continue reading Live from Detroit! Good People Empowering Youth at Risk →
Walk through the inner city and other challenged areas and you’ll see a different food landscape than across town: fewer grocery stores, more fast-food places, and unhealthy choices. FEAST (Food – Education – Access – Support – Together), an LA-based organization supported by The Good People Fund, is changing that reality. FEAST Executive Director Dana … Continue reading Changing Food Stories to Uplift Families and Communities →
Ten Gav (Hebrew, “covering someone’s back”) uses a crowd-funding model and web platform to match donors with Israeli individuals and families facing hardship. Ten Gav is a Good People Fund grantee and its two founders, Naomi Brounstein and Vivi Mann, describe how technology and human connection can uplift lives and promote the Jewish practice of Tzedakah. … Continue reading Crowd-funding to Help Israelis Facing Hardship →
College campuses are unpredictable environments for Jewish students, with rising levels of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. TribeTalk – a Good People Fund grantee – prepares and empowers students to navigate through it. We’re with TribeTalk Co-Founders Michelle Black, Robin Friedman, and Jude Sydney … along with Emmet Klein, a college student and TribeTalk Fellow. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
Terrorists killed his brother, yet Yuval Roth turned his grief into hope. Road to Recovery has a corps of Israeli volunteers driving Palestinians from border crossings to Israeli hospitals for critical care. On the way, friendships form and mistrust falls away. We speak with Yuval and a colleague, Eli Sahar, to discuss the origins of … Continue reading Turning Grief into Hope for Israelis and Palestinians →
David Baskin is CEO/Founder of Ani Shlishi, a Good People Fund grantee in Israel working with at-risk youth and instilling in them confidence, self-esteem, purpose, and community, by putting them to work in two used clothing stores. David describes how his personal journey brought him to a place of giving back and helping to uplift … Continue reading I Am Third! →
In a cafe in Be’er Sheva, Israel, The Good People Fund visited friends from Inbar, a grantee empowering Israelis with physical and/or developmental challenges to achieve. At our table is Shoshi Margolin, Inbar’s passionate executive director, and Braha Cohen, one of Inbar’s inspiring community members. Their stories shout strength, determination and evolution. Grab a beverage, join us! … Continue reading Empowering Israelis with Challenges to Conquer the World →
We speak with Good People Fund Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger about the impact of the pandemic on GPF and its community of grantees, and how GPF is responding with new initiatives to help those on the frontlines, and families and individuals struggling with illness, economic insecurity, and more. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
We’re at Kaima Nahalal, an organic farm in Israel where teenage girls – who have dropped out of school or are otherwise at risk – gain confidence by learning, working, and creating. Merav Carmi describes how her vision for her family farm evolved and how it’s changing lives for those finding purpose there. Kaima Nahalal … Continue reading In Israel, Empowering Teenage Girls At-Risk →
We’re in Tel Aviv speaking with Pamela Becker, Co-Founder of Jeremy’s Circle, a Good People Fund grantee serving Israeli kids with cancer in their families by creating opportunities for them to have fun and community. Pamela’s own family history was the impetus for Jeremy’s Circle, and she describes her transformation from wife and mom, to … Continue reading Supporting Israeli Kids Living with Cancer in the Family →
The Good People Fund is helping residents of Puerto Rico recover from recent waves of crippling earthquakes and the resulting destruction and displacement. We’re talking with Erika Vélez, Founder of Puerto Rico Lit and GPF’s eyes and ears on the island. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
We’re at Emma’s Torch restaurant in Brooklyn, where refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking learn culinary arts so they can find futures of economic security and community. We speak with Kerry Brodie, Founder of Emma’s Torch – a Good People Fund grantee. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
Into our studio comes Max Levitt, Founder/CEO of Leveling the Playing Field, a Good People Fund grantee rescuing used sports equipment so that youth in underprivileged communities can fully participate in sports programs. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
We’re visiting José Valenzuela, Founder of Boston Youth Wrestling – a Good People Fund grantee organization – about how his experience with the sport as a youth fueled his passion to bring it to those in under-resourced communities in and around Boston. BYW’s Executive Director, Bior Guigni, joins the talk. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
We’re at Metuchen High School in New Jersey, where students are working to end child slavery in Ghana under the leadership of their social studies teacher, Evan Robbins, Founder/CEO of Breaking the Chain Through Education, a Good People Fund grantee organization. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
The Good People Fund is sending essentials to migrant individuals and families detained in indescribable conditions along the US southern border. GPF Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger speaks with human aid partners about the Jewish imperative to act. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
We talk with Fran Held, Founder of Mitzvah Circle Foundation, a Pennsylvania non-profit organization and Good People Fund grantee that provides donated and purchased goods like clothing, children’s books, toiletries, housewares and more to individuals and families in crisis. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
While in DC, we stopped in to talk with change maker Abby Sondak, Founder of Just Imagine. With support from The Good People Fund, her organization is giving summer overnight camping experiences to disadvantaged inner-city youth and leveraging the moment to prepare them for success in college. To Learn more go to: goodpeoplefund.org
Welcome to Good People Talk, the podcast of The Good People Fund. Here, social entrepreneurs and visionaries –those who are changing and uplifting lives and communities in the U.S., Israel, and elsewhere around the world –describe what it is that drives and motivates them to tackle seemingly intractable challenges and generate deep impact. Their stories … Continue reading Good People Talk -Trailer →