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The third in a series
showcasing young Jewish
Detroiters making their mark on
communities across the country.

ADAM FINKEL I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

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ne of the most influential business minds
paraphrased his simplistic and humorous
view of the challenges that face the Jewish
community: "The Jews, until recently,
obsessed about making our kids just a little more
religious than their parents, AND making them feel really
guilty if they didn't marry inside the faith AND have a lot
of kids, who would, of course, visit their grandparents in
Florida. Do the math. It works, at least until the last few
pieces start to break down."
On Oct. 7, a major new Pew Research Center survey
of American Jews was released revealing growing rates
of assimilation. One of its most alarming conclusions
showed that "those of Jewish affinity are far less
involved with Jewish institutions. Relatively few live in a
household where someone belongs to a synagogue (4
percent) or another Jewish organization (7 percent)."
While these trends are not surprising to those that have
followed changes in Jewish identity, they continue to paint
a picture of a community facing rising levels of apathy.
A few years ago, the PresenTense Institute was
developed to empower the most creative members of
the Jewish community. Back in 2007, it enrolled its
first class of "social entrepreneurs" — some with full-
time jobs — who would incubate an idea that they
had to change the Jewish world for the better. Ideas
range from new organizations and books to mobile
applications and events. The Institute is located in 11
cities, including Moscow, New York City and Tel Aviv.
While there isn't a base in Michigan yet, at least a
half-dozen of its first 450 participants attended either
Michigan State University or the University of Michigan.
This past year, the New York City division of the
PresenTense Institute selected Bloomfield Hills native
Danny Matz to develop the Sababa Project, a way
to build bridges over social media between youth in
Israel and the United States. (Sababa is Hebrew for
"everything's cool.")

Danny Matz

College/year:

New York, N.Y.

Michigan 2006, NYU,
2008

Age: 29

Home Synagogue:

Current Profession:

real estate finance
professional

Congregation Shaarey
Zedek

Parents: Sandi and

High School/year:
Andover, 2002

Steve Matz

Siblings: Jared and

Rachel Matz

38 October 17 • 2013

S t

Danny Matz

How would you describe PresenTense?
Matz: PresenTense is an incubator for young Jewish social
entrepreneurs. Through its fellowships across the globe,
PresenTense creates a space to launch community-focused
social ventures by bringing together individuals who have
a strong commitment to contributing to the Jewish people
and the Jewish community.
The unpaid fellowship is made up of seven
interconnected modules that include professional
mentorship, personal coaching, and a curriculum based
in advanced business and entrepreneurship theory.
Participants also meet with successful social entrepreneurs
who reflect on their own business and social journeys.

What is the Sababa Project?
The Sababa Project is a pen-pal program that connects
Jewish youth from the U.S. and Israel through social
media tools. The Sababa Project seeks to enhance and
sustain Jewish peer networks. The project gives kids
the chance to connect with new friends that live in a
different country, speak a different language, but with
whom they have so much in common. Although they live
oceans apart, their shared past and collective future bind
these kids together.
Through the emotional connections developed through
the Sababa Project, Jewish identity is strengthened and
Israel engagement and affiliation are enhanced, while the
participants are infused with a strong sense of Zionism.
Additionally, the program provides a unique opportunity
for Israeli children to learn about Diaspora Jewish life.

Why did you choose to apply to PresenTense?
I applied to PresenTense in order to become a better agent
for social change. I wanted to be part of a community that
encourages non-traditional thinking and that created a
learning environment that challenged my own thinking. I
was hopeful that the fellowship would provide a unique
opportunity to be surrounded by intelligent, innovative and
creative people who are as passionate about Jewish life as
I am. Being part of the Jewish community is so important
to me, so I was very excited to be part of new ideas and
initiatives to improve Jewish life.

What personal value did you receive from your
involvement in PresenTense this past year?
I learned a tremendous amount from PresenTense. I
learned how to take an idea and put it into action, one
step at a time. The Sababa Project went from an idea
that I had first thought of at a concert back in 2011 to a
real social venture. I created a logo, a website, business
cards, Facebook and Twitter accounts — an entire brand
— without ever starting something before and with
basic digital media skills. Most important, I gained the
confidence to believe in my idea and myself.

What did your experience with the Sababa
Project show you about the importance of
grassroots projects in the Jewish community?
The existing structure of organizations within the Jewish
community can be daunting and intimidating if you think
you have a new idea. These organizations are so big with
so many resources; how can I create something to add
value or to change ways people are engaged?
My work at PresenTense in creating the Sababa Project
showed me that it's OK to challenge the conventional
wisdom of engagement and to believe in my project and

in myself. Powerful ideas
happen all the time from
the bottom up, and it's
great to start small and roll
one accomplishment into
another and into another.

Did you come across any other particularly
inspiring or interesting projects at
PresenTense?
The fellows in my cohort that I had the pleasure of
working with over the six-month fellowship were inspiring
and are on their way to creating very interesting ventures.
One venture in particular is called Impact Year, which
encourages emerging leaders to pursue nonprofit work
for two years after graduating from college and before
starting a career, or going to law school, medical school or
other post-graduate programs.

In what ways did your upbringing influence
your interest in Israel and the Jewish
community?
I learned from an early age that it is very important to be
actively involved in the Jewish community. My parents and
grandparents were my role models. They held leadership
positions at our synagogue, served on the boards of local
Jewish charities and other organizations, and always gave
their time for community events. So, it seemed natural
to me to give my time, energy and financial resources to
Jewish organizations as I got older.
This connection that I felt toward the Detroit Jewish
community naturally led to my connection to the global
Jewish community. This passion for the Jewish community
evolved into a deep connection to Israel and inspired me
to become active in pro-Israel advocacy. I feel so lucky
and fortunate to be alive during this period of Jewish
sovereignty in Israel, and I feel a responsibility to help
Americans develop connections with Israel and Israelis.

How do you maintain a connection to the
Jewish Detroit community?
I like to keep up with the current events in Detroit and do
this by reading the news and speaking with family and
friends who are in Detroit. A lot of my friends in New York
are also from Detroit, so we often talk about Detroit, and
get together when Detroit sports teams are in town.
I take pride in the accomplishments of the Detroit
Jewish community and like to think of myself as still part
of that community although I currently live in New York.
In addition, while attending the AIPAC policy conference
in Washington, D.C., each year, I attend lobby sessions
with Michigan congressman, as I still feel like Detroit is
my home.

Based on your experiences in New York City,
how can the Detroit Jewish community make
itself more appealing to young entrepreneurs?
I think it would be a great idea to recruit kids while still
in college. By targeting future leaders early, Detroit can
help develop them into entrepreneurs who will create
ventures to help the Detroit Jewish community. Give them
resources like startup grants, pair them with mentors and
help them develop the skills necessary to become future
leaders. I believe if they experience success in Detroit at
an early age, they are more likely to stay in Detroit to
build on that success.

❑

