I Am Out Of the Race :-(

I received this letter in the mail today (it was sent out last week, but addressed with an incorrect zip code).

January 22, 2008

Dear Mr. Kulwin,

Thank you for applying to the Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation at Brandeis University.  We received 229 applications from all over the world – a remarkable testament to the Jewish community’s desire for continuity and renewal!

As you can imagine, it was excruciatingly difficult to narrow this large group down to five finalists.  We certainly received far more good ideas than we have finalists!

I am sorry to inform you that your proposal was not among those selected.  I know that this comes as disappointing news.  Let me nevertheless convey, on behalf of the entire selection committee, our appreciation for your time, vision, and commitment.  The Jewish community is indeed fortunate to have such creativity in our midst.

Thank you again and best of luck with your project.

Sincerely yours,

Jonathan D. Sarna
Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History
Director, Hornstein Program

My Show Made It To Broadway!!

Actually, it might be more appropriate for me to write in this blog, “my show made it to the Habimah Theater!”

Maya Norton graciously posted a summary of my Bronfman contest book proposal on her blog, The New Jew: Blogging Jewish Philanthropy.  The article on my proposal is part of her “Big Ideas Series” of articles, which showcases book proposals that were submitted as official contest entries.  As of today, it appears that Maya has received six proposals; mine was the third to be posted on her blog.  I certainly enjoyed reading the previous two proposals (from the Anti-Racist Blog and Shai Litt), and I (along with many other readers, to be sure) are looking forward to reading the next three.

My thanks to Maya, and my best wishes to the other contest participants; I hope that we will all get a chance to meet each other in Waltham, MA, sometime soon!

Good News!

I was able to obtain two letters of recommendation: one from a former colleague, and the other from a former “client” (a student of mine while I served as a Hillel director).  Both are good friends, and I appreciate their support.  The administrator of the contest informed me that my “application is now complete”; in addition, “the selection committee has begun reviewing applications and we hope to let you know your status by the end of January.”  I guess that I will keep blogging and waiting until then…

The Blog Begins…

This is the first post on my new WordPress blog, which is focused on a book proposal that I wrote as a submission in a very unusual, high-stakes essay contest.  To read more about that contest, click here.  To read what I submitted, click here.

For the time being, both this blog and a separate website are dedicated to describing the proposal.  Eventually, I might get rid of the website and just stick with the blogging.  We shall see…