Stories & Voices
i3: A Summit for Women Sparks Change
The i3 Summit brought together 350 women on January 12th to see the changes they could make in the world.
January 13th, 2016
UJA Federation of New York >>

UJA-Federation of New York’s Women’s Philanthropy Division organized the summit, which convened at The TimesCenter in Manhattan.

The women came to broaden their perspectives. To think critically. To hear from women, like themselves, who’ve done and are doing remarkable things.

They heard from trailblazing women like Nicole Hockley, the mom of a first grader killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Nicole founded Sandy Hook Promise to find innovative solutions so that other families might be spared the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence.

They heard from Laura Stachel, co-founder and executive director of WE CARE Solar, an organization that develops solar electric kits to provide medical lighting and fetal monitors for maternal health care around the world.

And they heard from Mindy Richenstein, who’s harnessed UJA’s Women’s Philanthropy as a catalyst for change. Mindy founded UJA’s Supplies for Success in 2001 and, as its chair, she’s led the group to help thousands of disadvantaged schoolchildren get the supplies to start the school year off right.

“It’s a travesty of justice when a child starts without the basic necessities to learn. So if we can provide that, I feel that we are doing justice,” Mindy said in a video presentation. “We are engaging in tzedakah [righteousness], tikkun olam [repairing the world], and chesed [loving-kindness]. And we are doing it as an inspired Jewish community where we’re joining together to help thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish children to start on a more level playing field.”

The women at i3 came to hear from experts. They came to challenge themselves. They came to connect with each other. And they left spurred to action in ways big and small.