Whether you’re a participant, volunteer, family member or community partner, being “all in” for Keshet is a universal feeling. Check out these four spotlight speeches about the power of Keshet’s community of belonging that kicked off the 2024 Rainbow Banquet.
Doug Winkelstein
I am Doug Winkelstein and I am proud to serve as a board member of Keshet.
At Keshet, we believe that if you can be anything, be inclusive. What an incredible message – it’s the way I aim to live my life and it’s why we are all here tonight. It’s truly an honor to be part of this organization.
I am all in for Keshet!
Emma Lookatch & Tali Weiss
Tali: My name is Tali Weiss and I’m a junior at Ida Crown Jewish
Academy.
Emma: My name is Emma Lookatch and I’m a senior in the Keshet
program at Ida Crown Jewish Academy.
Tali: We are so fortunate that our school has a peer buddy program, where we have the opportunity to interact with the students on a regular basis.
Emma: I love when my peers come because we get to talk about what we did over Shabbat.
Tali: Something really special that Emma and I have in common is that we’re both JUF Springboard Chicago 18 under 18 honorees for 2024. We were awarded as teens who uniquely live out our
values as leaders in the community.
Together: WE ARE ALL IN FOR KESHET!
Jonah Kravitz & Karen Frankenthal
Karen: Hi everyone. I’m Karen Frankenthal
Jonah: and I’m Jonah Kravitz.
Karen: Jonah and I are also coworkers at Latham and Watkins, where I am an attorney. Latham prides itself on being a workplace of inclusion. We focus on recruiting diverse candidates and cultivating a culture where people feel comfortable.
I got to thinking, if we’re so focused on inclusion, why shouldn’t that extend to the disability community? What about hiring an employee from Keshet’s GADOL program?
I went to my boss ready to make my case as to why we should hire an employee from Keshet. About 15 seconds into my schpiel, she said, “You can stop. I’m convinced. Who can we hire and when can he or she start?” It was that easy. Fast forward six months and Jonah has been a fabulous employee and is transitioning to coming to work without a job coach. Jonah – can you tell everyone what you do at the firm?
Jonah: I work in the Workplace Experience department where I make sure everyone has everything they need from refilling coffee to helping set up for staff lunches to restocking conference rooms.
Karen: I’d challenge each of you to think about your employers or businesses you visit frequently. Could they have a place for one of Keshet’s GADOL participants? I guarantee you, for as much as Jonah enjoys working at Latham, it brings my colleagues and me twice as much joy to have him as our co-worker.
Together: WE ARE ALL IN FOR KESHET!
Lisa Wolfe
My name is Lisa Wolfe and I am a Keshet parent. My son’s name is David but he calls himself Batman, and Keshet is our Justice League, helping my son play sports, go to camp, have neighborhood time and develop an identity as a part of the Jewish community – not just a crime fighter! We love sharing our family with this group of visionaries and it’s our honor to support Keshet this evening.
The Wolfe family and Batman are ALL IN for Keshet!
