I recently met with a foundation who, after hearing about JGSI’s massive expansion and growth over the last 11 years, told me they wouldn't help us because we aren’t “big enough”. When I asked what that meant, they responded: “we want to see more staff, more buildings, you know, bigger.”  

That made me think. On the one hand, we are actively trying to hire more talent to serve the burgeoning numbers of grad students and alumni coming through our doors (8,000 last year alone!). But on the other hand, I don't expect JGSI to ever have a staff of hundreds. I don’t plan to start building buildings. Why not? I truly believe that the nonprofit world has evolved: in 2022 nonprofits don’t need a huge infrastructure, budget, or bureaucracy to be successful at their missions.

You don’t need to be “big enough” to win. After five months of the Ukraine war, the world is still in shock at how Ukraine has withstood defeat by a superpower like Russia. But warfare has also evolved: State of the art fighter jets and helicopters? Easily shot down with a Stinger missile. Tanks which once dominated the battlefield? One Javelin missile can destroy it instantly.

At JGSI, we have our javelin and stinger missiles: our volunteer student leaders whom we empower to cultivate Jewish community on their grad campuses; our popular emails and social media presence; our grassroots network of executives and attorneys. That’s how we are able to serve 121 grad campuses with a team of only 5 full-time and 15 part-time. JGSI isn’t building buildings; we are building a movement.

After all, isn’t that how we Jews – we who the Torah refers to as “the smallest of peoples” – have always operated? While others throughout history amassed strength, conquered nations and built monuments, the Jews were busy planting far flung communities and formulating ideas which changed the world to this day.

I love punching above our weight class and I want to stay that way forever. I love the feeling that we can give a supporter more bang for their philanthropic buck. And I feel confident that in this day and age, nonprofits can excel at their mission while keeping overhead lean. Looking towards the upcoming 2022-23 school year, I know that's what JGSI intends to do!