An Interview with Elise Bernhardt, Executive Director of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture

June 28, 2010

Elise Bernhardt, Executive Director of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, recently took some time to answer a few questions via email about the work of the foundation for the New Vilna Review.

NVR: For people who may not be familiar with the work of the Foundation for Jewish Culture, can you give us a general sense of the work that the foundation does?

Our mission is to support artists and scholars exploring the Jewish experience. To that end we make grants, convene participants in various disciplines, advocate for the importance of culture and build audiences.

NVR: It seems like your organization gives out many grants each year to individuals engaged in a wide variety of different kinds of projects – is there an overall goal or guiding idea behind which kinds of projects and programs receive funding?

We want to select the best projects in their fields, raise the bar for Jewish culture overall, and constantly stay abreast of developments in the cultural landscape so we can respond to needs as they evolve. Some of our current grants are made through programs that were given special support (i.e: Six Points fellowship) or endowed years ago such as the film fund. Our scholarship program includes a fellowship for students finishing their PhD's as well as recent PhD recipients looking to embark on careers as professors (the Jewish Studies Expansion Program) - we're interested in the trajectory of the creative individuals career.

NVR: The foundation also offers a number of scholarships – do you have a sense of the kind of impact these scholarships make on individuals and their work in the Jewish world?

The Scholarships (in Jewish Studies) have been absolutely critical to the careers of over 400 scholars. Some of our greatest leaders (i.e.: David Ellenson, Jonathan Sarna, Ruth Wisse, etc.)  express their gratitude for being given the time (money) early on to pursue their course of study at a time when the fellowship was a make or break opportunity for them.

NVR: What is the “Six Points partnership” project?  Why was it established, and how has it benefited both the artists involved as well as the broader community?

Six Points - This Fellowship for emerging artists is a partnership between the FJC, Avodah Arts and JDub records. It is supported by UJA Federation of NY.  In its first cohort, 12 artists in 3 disciplines directly reached an audience of almost 10,000, most of them young (between 20 and 40) not to mention millions of hits on websites and numerous press articles. The idea that got it funded initially was based on the Cohen Kelman study that said that young people come to Judaism through culture. The success of the 1st cohort has opened up the doors for a second (to begin in NY in October) and likely cohorts in LA and possibly SF in the not too distant future.

NVR: What is the Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction by Emerging Writers? How does it help to improve the landscape of Jewish literature in America?

While there are numerous book awards, ours is the only one to recognize the first published work of a new writer. This is a major leg up in terms of recognition for a new writer.

NVR: On a personal level, what speaks to you the most about your work at the Foundation for Jewish Culture?

I'm in Jerusalem right now overseeing a new initiative, the pilot American Academy in Jerusalem, at Mishkenot Sha'ananim. To see the remarkable interactions between our advanced fellows and the numerous young artists they encounter is really exciting. And to discover Jerusalem with these fellows is also a gift. They will come back to the US with an understanding of the situation on the ground here that will help people understand the nuances and cultural opportunities and challenges that exist here. Conversely we love to help bring the Visiting Israeli artists to the US to give them a sense of what happens in our country and also for audiences in the States to learn more about the remarkable differences, variations and perspectives (not to mention great art) that comes out of Israel.

All to say that seeing culture as a bridge builder as well as a catalyst for Jewish engagement is always satisfying.