While a lethargic economy takes a toll on the membership rolls and financial stability of Jewish organizations, a group of investors is providing $1.5 million to a website development and hosting startup committed to helping these groups survive and thrive by strategically embracing web technology.
Jvillage Network, a mission-driven, for-profit company in Burlington, VT, engages and grows the membership communities of synagogues and Jewish community organizations by designing, building and hosting customized websites with content and features enabling member outreach and encouraging member interactivity. The company creates long-term relationships with clients to build community through a robust, sustainable web presence. It employs a dozen in Burlington.
‘We see a critical need in this arena and have been able to quickly convert our vision for a solution into an important asset for the Jewish community,’ said Yoram Samets, Jvillage Network founder, who, along with his wife Linda Kelliher Samets, is one of the company’s principal investors. ‘There is a need for grassroots Jewish organizations ‘ synagogues, JCCs, day schools, camps and others most often the first entry point for Jewish involvement ‘ to be more fully equipped to reach and engage existing and potential members through 21st century means. Their survival, and that of the broader community, demands this.’
Samets, managing director of a prominent marketing and branding firm (Kelliher Samets Volk) based in New York, Boston and Burlington, VT, a blogger on Jewish community building through technology, and an activist in Jewish and Israeli causes locally and nationally, created Jvillage Network last year to enhance Jewish organizations’ websites and strengthen capacity to leverage technology.
Four additional prominent Jewish investors share Samets’ passion for the vibrancy and continuity of grassroots Jewish organizations. They have joined him to fund Jvillage Network, its new state-of-the-art website platform and a team of technology experts working to meet the needs of synagogues, day schools, camps, and other local Jewish organizations.
Additional investors: Behrman House Publishers, the Jewish educational publishing firm based in Springfield, NJ, whose president, David Behrman, has joined the Jvillage Network board; Paul Growald, executive producer at Netsaco, LLC in Burlington, VT; Evan Hackel, president of Ingage Consulting in Woburn, MA; and Mitch Knisbacher, founder of 800response in Burlington, VT.
‘For too long, congregations have relied on old, early-stage digital technology,’ said Behrman. ‘Now they can use the latest technology to strengthen the bonds of community and to attract and build membership.
‘Congregations can avoid the expensive trap of having to bolt on new technology to old, legacy systems and instead move to a fully digital platform that is laser-focused on congregational and Jewish life. I am thrilled to be able to participate in bringing 21st century technology to the task of building and enhancing Jewish community.’
To measure the technological expertise of one of their primary targets ‘ synagogues - Jvillage Network commissioned an independent online survey of 2,500 synagogue website administrators to learn about their online goals, communications, digital transactional needs and level of online performance.
The survey, conducted this past summer by Flint Springs Associates, revealed that while most synagogues are actively using the Internet through websites and social media, more than half believe their synagogues are not making full strategic use of the web to engage members.
As of Oct. 1, Jvillage Network has grown its membership, or client, base to include 58 Jewish organizations and is on track to meet its year-end goal of 90.
‘Our website design is about a decade old, exists on an outdated platform, is difficult to maintain, and is generally just not helping us to meet the information-rich challenges and demands of the present,’ said David Bernstein, a member of the marketing committee at Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, CA, which has engaged Jvillage Network for a new website that will go live this month. ‘Our community is excited about the fresh, relevant content that will be present on our new site, and a much-enhanced functionality that will allow for active engagement. I expect this will be of great benefit to the cohesiveness and growth of our community.’
In addition to providing current, compelling and personalized Jewish content, Jvillage Network offers member organizations features to help them engage and inform their online communities. These include easy content management, search engine optimization capabilities, interactive calendars, personalized member profiles, internal social networking, blog platforms and the ability to RSVP and make payments and donations online.
‘It is energizing when a new Jvillage Network synagogue site goes live and can offer online visitors a calendar of current events and programs, information about how to celebrate the Jewish new year and other holidays, how to interact with synagogue officials, Jewish-focused content and the latest news from Israel,’ Samets said.
‘That is community, and today it has to happen online and virtually, as well as in the synagogue. If our websites are engaging, timely and heavy with information and resources and interactivity, members and potential members will see the value of not only the site, but the institution and the community.’
Jvillage Network’s professional staff understands and has a passion for both the Jewish communal and technology worlds and works with Jvillage members to create customized websites.
‘We all live in a digital world that provides a breakthrough opening for synagogues and other Jewish organizations to expand beyond bricks and mortar to create community and belonging,’ said Mike Kanarick, Jvillage Network president, who is a former synagogue executive director and lay leader. ‘We must meet the members of our Jewish organizations where they are spending time ‘ in the online space ‘ by expanding to a much larger footprint for engaging our members and growing our communities.’
Jvillage Network is helping community-based Jewish institutions attain an online sophistication and effect on par with the largest national and international organizations ‘ a necessity for their survival and Jewish continuity, and a solid, passion-driven business model, officials and investors said.
‘In a period where investment dollars are scarce, we are discovering that investors will step forward when a compelling community need meets up with visionary leaders, smart and passionate professionals and a desire to make community building the viable mission of a business,’ Samets said. ‘Jewish community is that important.’
Source: Jvillage Network. 10.04.2010 ‘ Burlington, VT
Investors fuel new Web company to help Jewish organizations' online presence
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