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Very broad question, and of course be careful not to give any info which might allow people to identify you, but…
What changes would you suggest to your yeshiva to make it more up-to-date in how it reaches out to its alumni? EG, ways to improve dinners, general networking ,etc? What upsets you right now about these things, and what could be improved? How would you modernize their alumni programs for the 21st Century without losing the substance?
Which yeshiva specifically are you talking about?
I think what needs to be done is copy from colleges. Colleges and universities know how to network among their alumni.
They have people whose sole job it is to keep track of Alumni. They invite the alumni to events and solicit donations from them.
One differnce though. I dont know why this is, but in the academic world, they try to solicit for the endowment. Very few yeshivas have endowments or try to solicit for one.
In a university a chair is endowed for example. One person donates enough money so the salary of a professor can teach a course.
I dont know why in yeshiva, a person could be endowed to learn all day
Well, the reason I asked is that not all yeshivos are the same or may be perceived as doing things in a way that drastically need to bring them into the 21st Century, as you suggest.
Incidentally, many yeshivos do fine with the UPSP. I get alumni and dinner updates in the mail on a weekly, almost daily basis, from yeshivos I never heard of or certainly never attended.
So you want to protect us online here but improve systems to keep track of yeshiva alumni? I think they know how to get in contact with their yeshiva if they want to be kept updated. No?
Any Alumni Association wants to know about their Alumni , thats how you get a fundraiser list
The lists are also rented and sold to also raise funds, so if you get a solicitation from a place you never heard of, its likely your name was rented from somewhere that you are involved with
They should focus on trying to make the current students want to maintain the kesher when they leave. Then, since they want to, they will.
Many yeshivos fail to realize that today’s students are tomorrow’s alumni.
Facebook
Universities have guest lectures, trips and other programs
Why cant yeshivas have guest Maggid Shiurs, perhaps trip to Israel or kevarim of Gedolim in Israel (Like the Brezlov to Uman)
You can raise money and get people involved in the yeshiva
pba is absolutely correct, Jothar. Last year someone from my Yeshiva (which I graduated in 1993!) wanted to know the entire class list since pre 1A! He would like to make a special Alumni melave malka. I told him sorry buddy you’re a tad late. y’know, juuuust missed it, by about,say,….2 decades!!!!!
From graduation, the yeshiva better keep tabs on each student and continue to keep some sort of kesher. You can’t come back 20 years later! I don’t even feel like it was my yeshiva anymore. They messed up, big time!
Jothar, who said anyone suggested that anyone did not want to maintain a kesher with their yeshiva???? In fact, I alluded to the fact that alumni do want to be in touch and know how to do that.
Anyway, I hope you find a system you like to keep control over alumni information no matter what purported reason you say it is for.
the yeshiva i went to sends out a newsletter every beginning of zman. not just with pics of new campus and rabbaim, not with commercialize sounding, cheesy dvar torahs. they manage to make it feel more like a very well-presentd email from a friend, with personal touches and mazel tovs. try making melava malkas and sunday morning breakfasts BUT- heres the trick- dont make it all official with four speakers and a slideshow. give the most-loved rebbe in yeshiva a two minute slot, and dont invite more then two hanhala members. keep in relaxed ie danishes and coffee. the maaleh of this is that the chevra will keep feeling like a chevra, mimeilah theyll feel conneted. invite based on classes/years in bais medrash. and hire me. lol.
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