“Lessons from the Fall of the Iron Curtain, Israel Advocacy, ADA and creating Welcoming Jewish Communities into How We Create Possitive

Change”Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

• Symphony or Steam Engine?• How did I learn about Theory of Change?- Started at age 13 on this! Learned from family- Read heavily on topic, actively seek and use mentors- White House, GOVERNING, Gov’t Executive etc. past clients- Many conferences/trainings on topic- My coach is Marty Linksy, a professor at Harvard Business School (see

http://cambridge-leadership.com/index.php/about_us/staff/linsky)- Executive Training at Harvard (see

http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/pmno/Pages/default.aspx and https://exed.hks.harvard.edu/programs/ue/overview.aspx )

- Site visits, asking questions- No fear of failure. LEARN FROM MISTAKES.

Necessary vs. Sufficient

The Challenge

• Gorbachev was allowing for elections• Pro-Democracy side: not organized• Pro-Democracy side: fragmented• Fear of public that if they voted against Communists there was risk• No money for campaign • No experience with elections• No clear message

Action

• FOCUS the message• Bring in experienced team

CASE STUDY 1: Fall of the Berlin Wall/End of FSU

• People process negative information more quickly and deeply than positive information.

• Three is a the magic number. Need a message TRIANGLE, not an octagon!

• More than 6 things/choices is too many.

• Message repetition is key – generally takes being touched at least 7 times to move behavior

Rules to work by

• Perfection is the enemy of the "good enough.“ Good results on a great plan are always faster, more efficient and effective than perfection.

• Work backwards from the finish line with a strong theory of change. Determine the goal you want to achieve, and then work your plan and timeline backwards from your goal.

How to Raise Money for Great Causes!

Rules to work by

Remember to K.I.S.S. – Keep it Short and Simple

If you can’t explain in 8 words or less why people should care, you will fail!

Started it at JFN with other JFN Members-

Action

• Ignore “Amen Choir” and focus on swing voters

• Laser sharp messages• Leverage all investments broadly

CASE STUDY 2:The Israel Project

• Had a strong business plan and team• Constantly checked performance metrics and refined plan• Collaborated with DOZENS of other leaders/groups

Message Pyramid

• >1 Elected Officials/Experts

• 10 Percent: Opinion Leaders

• 15 Percent: Informed Public

• 75 Percent: Politically Passive Voters

Who Can/Will Really Care About These Issues?: Maslow’s Hierarchy

Focus on the “Swing Voter”

25%

50%

25%

Amen ChoirSwing VotersAlways Against You

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Page 12 |

Allies

Isra

el

No

t W

ell

At

All

Ver

y

Wel

l

Sports, culture , and music

Speak English

Friendly people

Free dom and e qual ity

Protects ci tiz e ns from terrorists

Spre ads democracy

W orks for pe ace

No human rights violationsTrading partne r

High Te ch

Share s re l igious values

Supports U.S. pol icie s

Democracy

Not At All Important Very Important

Traits of allies: Where Israel measures up

*Data based on October 2005 opinion elite survey

Israel SupporterPalestinian Supporter

Neither/Undecided

Thinking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, please tell me whether, in general, do you think America should be...

58%

9%

23%

Voters believe the U.S. SHOULD support Israel

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

68%

60%

71%

46%51%

43%

23%

14%

2% 4% 3%

11%6% 7%

10%

8%

24%30%

23%

38%34%

48%

61%

71%

7/2002

10/2002

4/2003

5/2005

10/2005

5/2006

12/2007

3/2008

Disengagement Lebanon

7/2008

6%

14%

69%

9/2008

7%

23%

59%

11/2008

6%

12%

66%

Jan. 2009

1/2009

9%

23%

58%

Approximately 70% of working-age Americans with disabilities don’t have jobs.

This figure hasn’t changed in 24+ years since the passage of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

While women, African Americans, Hispanics and others have made improvements, employment gap for PwDs has INCREASED

57 million Americans with disabilities (18.6% of population - that’s 1 in 5 of us).

PwDs face 3 P’s: Poverty, Powerlessness & Prison.

ADA! CASE STUDY 3:FAILURE OF ADA TO ENABLE PwDs to Get Jobs!

Failed Theory of Change

A + B + C = D

• 12% of Federal spending (more than 400 billion a year) goes to working age people with disabilities – yet outcomes WORSE

• Hundreds of foundations are investing in programs/supports for PwDs – yet outcomes WORSE

• 95% of voc rehab work done for PwDs who have been longterm unemployed FAIL http://respectabilityusa.com/implementation-of-wioa-lessons-from-research-on-employment

• We are giving PwDs fish, not empowering PwDs to fish!

CASE STUDY 3: NO IMPROVEMENT SINCE ADA!

Failed Theory of Change

A + B + C = D• “Theory of change” must work. For example, ADA is

necessary, but not sufficient. • Voc. Rehab. ALONE is not the answer. Must break down

silos and coordinate and collaborate. • Employers need to be a part of the new plan and the plan

must match both the workforce needs of employers and the demographics and talents of the population

• Focus on “Better Bottom Line.”• Foundations should be on team. Stop funding failure.

Theory of Change Needed!

Must Measure Outcomes, Not Outputs

Funders and government officials invest in programs that do not work! We need best practices to increase opportunity for all

Resources for best practices: http://respectabilityusa.com/resources/for-policy-makers (RespectAbility, NACDD, PVA, Best Buddies, NCIL, NOD)

Hundreds of leaders learning from webinars including:

http://respectabilityusa.com/implementation-of-wioa-lessons-from-research-on-employment

Implementing the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the National Governors Association's: Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities: Lessons from the Front Line

Moving from “Business as Usual” to “Best Practices”

People with a Disability & Families

Employers

Providers

Support System

FutureEmployment

Limited Belief & Aspirations• Can’t• Not Ready• Passive• Perceived Safety of Segregation• Benefit Risk• Reliance on System• Unprepared for Transition To: Full Belief & Desire• Yes I Can• Yes You Can• Active• Dignity of Risk & Integration• Benefit Management• Utilize System to Bolster Natural Supports• Prepared for Transition

Fragmented, Agency Centric To:• Silo’s• Not my mission• Focus on Person’s Deficits• Measured on Process• Lack of Coordination• Funding Gaps• Policy Deterrents

Coordinated, Person Centric• Integrated• Common Goals• Focus on Person’s Abilities• Measured on Outcomes• Coordinated• Sufficient & Flexible Funding• Policy Enablers

Benevolent Agnostics To:• Sympathetic Hiring• Lack of Knowledge• Randomly Solicited• Tolerant of Job Coaches• Cost / Risk Focus

Active Recruiters• Asset Based Hiring• Knowledgeable• Relationship Based Matching• Respect for Job Coaches• Cost / Benefit Focus

Current Employment

Service Definition Driven• Focus on Person’s Deficits• Legacy Services• Readiness Model• Little Collaboration• No Standard Training• No Certification• Outsider to Employers• Process Compliance Driven• Low Pay / Esteem To: Holistic Outcome Driven• Focus on Person’s Abilities• Best Practice Services• Trained / Certified• Part of Employer Team• Rewarded for Outcomes• Improved Pay / Stature

Area Mental HealthVocational RehabilitationDept of Social ServicesSocial SecurityWorkforce Development Housing AuthorityDPICommunity CollegesUniversitiesCommunity Agencies

“Employment First”Vision

What Must Change?

Goal: IncreaseEmployment for

People withDisabilities

New Rule 503, Executive Order and Veterans rules mean expanded Federal opportunities

Fiscal cliff for SSDI in 2016. On Bi-partisan Policy Commission Special Committee

WIOA Law means we have law and money on our side List of Federal contractors who now need 7% of all

employees in all job categories to be PwDs. See: http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?stateCode=MD&sortp=u&detail=0&datype=T&reptype=p&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO

OPPORTUNITY

New York State 73.3% of persons without disabilities aged 18 to 64 are employed.3

32.2% of PwDs aged 18 to 64 are employed.3

68,800 persons aged 16 to 20 have a disability.1

997,500 persons aged 21 to 64 have a disability.1

2,171,581 civilians with a disability live in the community in NY.3

The Employment Gap between PwDs and people without disabilities has decreased 0.7 % pts between 2010 and 2011.3

601,407 people ages 18-64 received SSDI or SSI benefits in the year 2012.3

In 2012, NY’s total expenditure on SSDI benefits for PwDs was $8,018,808,000.3

Voc. Rehab. obtained 12,386 jobs for PwDs in NY in 2012.2

Voc. Rehab. received 36,015 general applicants and 1,099 blind applicants in NY in 2012.3

Governor Andrew Cuomo (D)

1. 2012 Disability Status Report: New York, disabilitystatistics.org2. StateData: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes, 20133. Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized people aged 16 to 20 in New York in 2012

Figure 1. Scatter plot and cluster analysis of competence and warmth ratings for 20 groups.

From Universal dimensions of social cognition: Warmth and competence by Susan T. Fiske, Amy J.C. Cuddy, and Peter Glick

People with Disabilities seem as warm, but not Competent: Must Reduce Stigma!

PARTNER : HOLLYWOOD/CELEBRITIES

• Every community needs role model employers - Walgreens, EY, AMC Theaters, Hospitals, Senior living among others have found they can “do good and do well” at the same time.

• http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=4272981&page=1#.UcyOVD7wKA0

• http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/19562689#19562689

Showcase Employer Heroes

Partner with Other Stakeholders

RespectAbility partners with existing nonprofit disability organizations and leaders

28

Work with Elected Officials

Positive change will require strong bipartisan cooperation and public-private partnerships

Elected officials need to see Americans with disabilities as a powerful voter group

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Senator Tom Harkin

Congressman Pete Sessions

Congressman Brad Sherman and Lisa Sherman

Gov. Jeb Bush

Former SoS. Hillary Clinton

Gov. Christie and John Pare of National

Federation of the Blind

Work with Potential 2016 Candidates

Gov. Walker (WI) with disability leaders

Business Plan Toolkit

Toolkit created by: RespectAbility, Best Buddies, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), Paralyzed

Veterans of America (PVA), National Organization on Disability (NOD)

Business Plan and Toolkit

• Focus Groups– Capitol Hill- Congressional Staffers– People with disabilities looking for work– Parents and providers of PwDs looking for work– Maryland- Jewish Parents with no personal connection to disability– Texas- Jewish parents with no personal connection to disability- Special thanks to Joan

Alexander and Linda Burger

• Polls– JerusalemU- Young Engaged Jews– Disability Community – Foundation for Jewish Camp (Laszlo Strategies)– Senate Battleground Voters– Nationwide Voter Survey– American Jews- Special thanks to Jay Ruderman and the Ruderman Family Foundation

Case 4: Creating a Welcoming Community

Agree/Disagree with the statement… Strong

ly Agree

18-29Somew

hat Agree

18-29

Somewhat

Disagree

18-29

Strongly

Disagree

18-29

Really not sure

18-29

Jewish events and organizations should be as welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities as everyone else.

89% 88% 9% 10% 1% 1% * * 1% 1%

Raising my children to be Jewish is very important to me. 81% 75% 12% 17% 2% 4% 1% 1% 3% 4%

Caring about Israel is a very important part of my being Jewish.

80% 63% 15% 27% 2% 5% 1% 2% 2% 2%

Israel is the spiritual center of the Jewish people. 71% 65% 22% 25% 4% 6% 2% 2% 1% 3%

Having a Jewish spouse/partner is very important to me. 71% 62% 16% 19% 5% 8% 5% 7% 4% 4%

North American and Israeli Jews share a common destiny. 47% 33% 34% 41% 9% 11% 3% 3% 7% 12%

JU Poll- 2607 Jews

Answer Options Response Percent

I HAVE A DISABILITY 10.8%I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WITH A DISABILITY 30.3%

I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND WITH A DISABILITY 15.7%

NONE OF THE ABOVE 51.4%

Do you have a family member, close friend, or yourself have a disability? Please check all that apply.

Answer OptionsRespon

se Percent

ROUGHLY 1 OUT OF EVERY 5 JEWS HAS A DISABILITY. SOME ARE BORN WITH A DISABILITY, BUT FOR OTHERS IT COMES FROM ACCIDENT, AGING OR ILLNESS. CHANCES ARE HIGH THAT EVENTUALLY EVERYONE WILL AT LEAST FACE TEMPORARY CHALLENGES SUCH AS CRUTCHES. WHATEVER THE REASON PEOPLE HAVE A DISABILITY – JEWISH INSTITUTIONS NEED A PLAN, SKILLS AND BUDGETS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DISABILITIES.

10.7%

THROUGH INCLUSION, WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, THOUGH EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, ALL PEOPLE WERE CREATED EQUAL AND IN THE IMAGE OF G-D, “B'TSELEM ELOKIM BARA OTO.” THE TORAH TEACHES US THAT SOME OF OUR GREATEST LEADERS HAD DISABILITIES-- MOSES HAD A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, JACOB HAD A LIMP, AND ISAAC BECAME BLIND.

12.5%

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN JEWS TO BE ENGAGED IN JEWISH LIFE. AS WE DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK, WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL THAT THERE ARE MANY JEWS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ALREADY WANT TO BE INVOLVED JEWISHLY AND ARE HAVING A CHALLENGING TIME GAINING ACCESS TO OUR AGENCIES, SYNAGOGUES AND COMMUNITY.

6.9%

WE ARE A STRONGER COMMUNITY WHEN WE LIVE UP TO OUR VALUES—WHEN WE ARE WELCOMING, DIVERSE, MORAL AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND OTHER FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

33.6%

JEWISH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE THE SAME HOPES AND DREAMS AS EVERYONE ELSE, EVEN IF THEY FACE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEIR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IS WELCOME AND MEANINGFUL TO US ALL.

29.4%

INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN BE AS EASY AS GIVING A CHILD A HEADS UP BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO A NEW ACTIVITY OR OPENING THE DOOR FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN. WE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IF WE START BY ASKING PEOPLE WHAT WE CAN DO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE FULLY AS EQUAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

6.9%

Which of the following is the most convincing statement on why inclusion of Jews with disabilities should be a more important priority for the Jewish community?

Answer Options Response Percent

Equal Opportunity 9.6%

Equitable 2.3%

Inclusion 16.7%

Welcoming 23.5%

Respect 20.0%

Open Tent 4.7%

Understanding 12.1%

Ethical 11.1%

Which of the following words makes you feel most positive about including more Jews with disabilities in our community?

Pictures that work

It isn’t just about a beautiful and happy person. Elements that make images less effective are: Staged Religious Observance PwDs Alone Isn’t Inclusion

What doesn’t work

• WE ARE A STRONGER COMMUNITY WHEN WE LIVE UP TO OUR VALUES—WHEN WE ARE WELCOMING, DIVERSE, MORAL AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND OTHER FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

• JEWISH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE THE SAME HOPES AND DREAMS AS EVERYONE ELSE, EVEN IF THEY FACE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEIR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IS WELCOME AND MEANINGFUL TO US ALL.

Winning Messages

Download PDF-- Click Here

1. Have serious experts do your public opinion research. Don’t short-cut message testing or targeting. It’s not what you say that matters, it is what people HEAR.

2. Say "NO" to good ideas.There is never enough time, talent or "treasure" (i.e. money) to do everything. It is critical to be disciplined enough to say "yes" to GREAT ideas. A good idea is to expand opportunities to send someone who already goes to Jewish day school to Jewish camp, or more people who have no interest in Judaism on Birthright Israel. Great ideas are enabling someone who WANTS to be Jewish to be included. Who are our swings?

Rules to Work By

Develop the Message and Monitor Public Opinion

• Focus Groups• Polls• Dial testing

Leveraged Delivery

• Share research• Training partners• Creating on-message

materials

Media Relations

• Media briefings/ events• Fact sheets• TV ads for press• Direct mail to press• Email to press• Online references for press

Must be data driven

TOC

Be Clear About Your Targeted Goals: Build your database and contact management system

Don’t expect people to come to you – go to them (Selebs, Google analytics, Social media etc.)

Real metrics: Are you getting what you paid for?

Rules to work by

Focus on outcomes, not outputs.Real results can take a marathon, not a sprint. Breaks enable you to take a step back and re-evaluate people, processes and performance metrics. The best ideas for work are often made the far away from the office.

Smile.Work, no matter the hours and intensity, should be fun. Leaders with a "glass half full" mentality will get more productivity and positive outcomes from their teams. After all, life is short. Why not make it fun?

Rules to work by

Jewish Survival Through Inclusion

• Has a person who is blind and who uses adaptive computer technology

checked your website and facilities for accessibility?

• Do the videos you use have captions? Do you have a way to communicate with people who are deaf or use other adaptive supports?

• Do you employ individuals who have disabilities? If so, what are their

jobs? Do they receive the same compensation and benefits as all other employees in like positions?

• How you educate your staff, board of directors, trustees and other key people about serving and partnering with people with disabilities?

My ask to you: Don’t fund discriminaton

• Does your organization have policies and/or programs that support meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities at all levels? Are they prominent on your website and materials?

• Does it have a disability advisory committee / inclusion committee, and if so, are Jews with disabilities themselves and their family members on the committee?

• Will ALL people with any kind of disability be welcomed to participate? If not, why

not? If so, how do you plan to identify, reach, and welcome them? • Do you serve Jews with disabilities in an inclusive way (welcoming them inside the

full community), or are they forced into segregated “special needs programs” which are inherently unequal?

• Has someone who uses a wheelchair personally check the physical accessibility of

your offices and programs for people who use wheelchairs?

GO, FIGHT, WIN!

Jennifer Laszlo MizrahiCo-founder/director, Mizrahi Family Charitable Trust

9800 Avenel Farm DrivePotomac, MD 20854

www.RespectAbilityUSA.orgwww.LaszloStrategies.com

Cell: (202) 365 – 0787JLM@LaszloStrategies.com

JenniferM@RespectAbilityUSA.orgTwitter:

https://twitter.com/respect_abilityhttps://twitter.com/jewishinclusion

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RespectAbilityUSAhttps://www.facebook.com/RespectAbility4All