We are really excited to be partnering once again with Yeshiva Ohavei Torah for the launch of their Synergy campaign. We want to show you the film we produced for the campaign, and also take you through the creative process of why we made certain choices in the film - with the campaign in mind.
First let me tell you what impresses us the most about this private boys high school in Riverdale:
The yeshiva takes care of its teachers in every area, so that they, in turn, can do that for the students.
Every rabbi there goes above and beyond for the boys - marking their achievements, helping when they're down, and above all - believing in them and expecting the best of them. What these boys achieve both in their studies and in their character development is a level beyond what most places expect of their students. We see the seniors there with a high level of both discipline and joy - a rare combination - and they are ready to excel in any field - whether in religious studies or in secular studies.
Here's the film attached to the fundraiser:
Ohavei's Synergy campaign launches today; you can donate here. (Full disclosure - Margelit is managing this campaign with Executive Director Rabbi Yaakov Tesser.) How to Make Your Fundraiser Stand Out Fundraising is hard. There's no denying it. Especially now that most campaigns are online and on an even playing field with every other online fundraiser going on at any given time. So you're not just competing now with local entities who could also make a live event during pre-COVID times, but every other entity in the world is online, too, looking for your donor's dollars. So how can you make your nonprofit stand out? How do you get your nonprofit onto the top of a donor's priority list? No one gives money because of stats, rationale, or convincing arguments. Money is given because of an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. A connection to you, to your org, to the cause, and to the people involved. But an EMOTIONAL one. So, what you need to do is to grab your donors and potential donors by their heart and let them FEEL why they give or will want to give in the future. We are not asking in this film for money for an institution, but rather for the Rebbeim who teach our precious children. It all boils down to the children, because there are two main things that Jews care about: The Jewish Past, and The Jewish Future. While for last year's fundraiser we created a film in which we highlighted the work and impact of the Rebbeim on their students, this year we focused on how the parents feel about how the teachers and staff at Ohavei handle the precious gems parents have handed over to them - their children. Parents are the drivers of this campaign - and all parents of the Yeshiva have fundraising pages they've set up. We wanted parents to see themselves - to see how other parents feel about the impact that Ohavei has on its students. Therefore we let the parents make the case on behalf of the yeshiva. Because after all, it's their children's future that's at stake here. So we designed the campaign - together with Ohavei - around the parents and their testimonies of how the rebbeim at Ohavei impact their sons' learning, and their lives. Because in the end, education is all about the continuation of Torah, our investment in the future, and the only thing we have left in this world when we leave it. We structured this film as a conversation between rabbis and parents, as a way for the parents to say thank you to the teachers of their sons. This is a pre-cursor to how parents are hustling this week to show their appreciation by fundraising on behalf of the Yeshiva. There is no more impactful way to show gratitude. To sponsor our personal page for Ohavei's Synergy campaign, please donate here.
The boys at Ohavei are learning an extra 10 hours this week in order to get sponsorships and raise funds, on top of their already rigorous learning schedule.
They're all in. So are we.
Your cinematic rising is still evident, although it's now difficult to see how much higher you can go. I noticed a piece in your score that worked magic.