PROJECT KESHER
2660 Broadway 16, New York, NY 10025 www.projectkesher.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: MissionProject Keshers mission is to build Jewish community and advance civil society by developing and empowering women leaders. VisionProject Kesher will expand and deepen a sustainable, global network of women leaders who are steeped in Jewish values and work to improve the quality of their lives and their societies. ValuesThe values that drive Project Kesher today and into the future are based on: Judaisma deep commitment to tzedek, the pursuit of social justice; gemilut chasadim, loving kindness; the truth that all people are BtzelemElohim, created in the image of G-d; an embrace of Klal Yisroel, Jewish peoplehood; and a belief that Jewish education and learning should inform all of our activities.Feminisma deep commitment to gender equality; a recognition of womens unique ability to nurture and educate one another and empower ourselves; a recognition that womens philanthropy can address the issues women prioritize. Pluralisma deep commitment to foster religious and ethnic underst

Project Keshers mission is to build Jewish community and advance civil society by developing and empowering women leaders.

Project Kesher (PK) supports a grassroots to grasstops network of trained leaders in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Israel who share feminist, pluralist, and Jewish values. Whether creating protocols for emergency emotional support programming, filling gaps in the domestic violence services in their area, or gathering 300 women from across nine zones for a virtual women's Passover seder, PK-trained leaders were prepared to adapt, assess, and react to the changing needs of our communities. At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 PK asked that all in-person meetings be canceled and staff began to work with the grassroots activists to re-imagine leadership in isolation. The needs of vulnerable populations became immediately apparent- vast food insecurity, loneliness and anxiety, increased rates of domestic violence, unemployment and financial devastation. Between March - December 2020, PK-sponsored entities held over 1,500 virtual group meetings and webinars attended by a total of 38,155 participants. Programs included support groups, webinars on mindfulness and stress management, weekly Torah study, workshops on feminist activism, and global 100-person celebrations for holiday celebrations on Zoom. PK content made over 2,000,000 impressions on the Internet with fact-based articles on COVID, resources and tools for victims of domestic violence, and tools for reducing stress. Volunteers have provided care packages with groceries and PPE to over 1000 Jewish families and elderly people in the region.Ending Domestic ViolenceProject Kesher programming for the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, engaged thousands of community leaders, activists, and staff in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Israel. PK launched several initiatives as part of the campaign in November 2020: PK hosted US-based Hollaback (a global, people-powered movement to end harassment) in partnership with LXOral Paris for their first Russian-language training on street harassment for 70 women Project Kesher Ukraine trained police officers in Krivih Rih to improve intervention in gender violence Community-wide digital billboard campaign defining gender violence and offering resources for victims in Ukraine Project Kesher Israel's Executive Director, Rabbi Olya Weinstein, spoke on Israeli Russian Radio and TV stations about violence against women in Israel. The PK network hosted a global Zoom roundtable discussion on the state of gender violence legislation and enforcement in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Israel and strategies for 2021Leadership Program for YouthA cohort of newly trained PK leaders between the ages of 14 and 18 have started to initiate new youth-led programs. Their first continuing program, the Project Kesher Youth English Speaking Club, provides an opportunity for young girls in the PK network to learn English through the study of Jewish traditions, values, and leadership. The program itself is designed to fit the needs and interests of the girls, and enables them to get to know each other, exchange ideas, and enjoy meaningful conversation. Women's Health ProgrammingAs Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine face a worse second wave of COVID-19, PK-trained activists are on the ground, monitoring the needs of their communities and responding proactively to crisis. PK is highly respected in the community amongst medical institutions, has many exceptional connections in the public sphere, and continues to be a trusted resource for information on women's health.When women put their own healthcare on hold, leaders in the PK network innovate to remind women to prioritize their healthcare and self-care, even in a pandemic. We are proud to share the latest from leaders in Ukraine and Russia, who are promoting breast health campaigns on massive public billboards throughout their countries. Messages encouraging self-exams and regular screenings even during the pandemic are featured on 75+ public LED Boards and billboards in Ukraine and Russia, each reaching thousands of people every day.Additionally Project Kesher Russia is running a hotline for pro bono telemedicine consulting, including access to a board of health experts. Due to the pandemic, many women are afraid to go to medical institutions because of the risk of infection, causing some patients to postpone planned treatment. In addition, as a result of restrictions on routine appointments, visiting doctors of different specialties is much more difficult. The Women's Health Program of PKR partners closely with various medical institutions. Twenty-six highly qualified doctors from eleven regions of Russia expressed their willingness to become online consultants on a wide range of women's health issues during this time. Anyone can call and ask these specialists questions related to physical or mental health. Doctors are taking note of repeat questions and preparing answers, which will be published on our social networks for our communities to learn from.

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