Eight Jewish nonprofits join the OU Impact Accelerator’s seventh cohort

Eight innovative nonprofits from across the United States, including two local ones, have been selected to join the seventh cohort of the OU Impact Accelerator, an Orthodox Union division dedicated to supporting promising Jewish nonprofits with the potential to transform the North American Jewish communal landscape.

“Master Your Life,” led by Caleb Breda of Teaneck and launched in 2024; and “Pillars,” led by Shoshana Rube and Sarah Leah Friedman of Spring Valley, N.Y., launched in 2010, are the local social Cohort Seven entrepreneurs/nonprofits.

“Master Your Life” empowers students to strengthen their character through the study and practice of Shmiras HaLashon and positive mindset development. Through daily learning and student-led initiatives, the program helps participants use their speech intentionally and create a more positive school environment.

“Pillars” supports girls who have experienced the loss of a parent by providing mentorship, resources, and meaningful programming in a nurturing environment. Through ongoing support and community-building, the organization helps participants develop resilience, confidence, and the tools needed to navigate life’s challenges.

Members of the new cohort were chosen from among 77 applicants through a merit-based process that included an online application, interviews, and a final pitch night before a committee of OU’s lay and professional leadership.

The OU Impact Accelerator, founded in 2018, provides education, coaching, and early-stage grants to select entrepreneurs working to address priorities within the Jewish community, including Jewish education, mental health, chessed, and financial literacy. Over the last seven years, the department has allocated $430,000 to 33 new ventures developing innovative approaches to address pressing communal issues.

During the seven-month program, cohort members will participate in an intensive nonprofit management curriculum focused on management, strategy, operations, marketing, and fundraising. There will be monthly Zoom workshops and in-person summits, and networking and mentorship opportunities with professional and lay leaders from the OU and other major nonprofits.