Fundraising Seminars Enlighten Future Shluchim

Merkos Suite 302’s Machon L’Shlichus launched a new seminar series last week to bring fundraising training to kollel yungeleit. Attended by about 20 participants, the pilot program, which was held in four parts last Sunday through Wednesday, aimed to give participants early preparations for fundraising tactics and challenges before going out on shlichus.

Hosted in the Merkos Conference Room at 770, each night of the seminar featured a different lecture with a different speaker, followed by personalized question-and-answer sessions with Merkos vice chairman Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, seasoned fundraiser and shliach Rabbi Eli Kornfeld, fundraising coaches Rabbi Nosson Blumes and Rabbi Mendel Duchman, and new shliach Rabbi Kushi Schusterman.

Organizer Rabbi Levi Schectman of Machon L’Shlichus, a division of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch’s Suite 302, explained that the seminar, which was intended “to jumpstart the shlichus process even before the shlichus itself is determined,” presented basic fundraising concepts and taught participants the importance of having a game plan. The seminars were very much in sync with the general mission of Machon L’Shlichus, which offers educational services, resources, and mentorships to shluchim in their first five years of shlichus, preparing them to become “one-man shops” responsible for everything from event-planning to education to fundraising and beyond.

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, commented, “This innovative training is crucial in preparing for the realities of shlichus.” Explaining that these measures enhance education and leadership, he added, “Such revolutionary programming is key to sharpening how our shluchim approach fundraising, and it teaches applicable skills in a supportive and inspiring way.”

The material, which showcased a gamut of opinions, ideas, and diverse perspectives for all kinds of shlichus and styles, was described as “a good mixture of the practical with inspiration” and was presented clearly in an intimate setting.

Participants thoroughly enjoyed the presentations, and feedback was even better than expected. Participant Rabbi Leibel Kudan said the seminars gave him clarity and were “absolutely advantageous” in addressing many of his questions about shlichus. “I gained lifetime strategies for how to work within a community,” he said, adding that he left the seminar filled with new ideas of the practical ways to successfully find financial support and new markets for future Chabad Houses.

One of the most beneficial elements of the event is that it gave participants a chance to network with likeminded people who are looking to go on shlichus soon, Rabbi Kudan said.

“It was nice to see that most of our questions could be answered and that our goals are doable, that other people have done this in the past,” Rabbi Kudan noted, adding, “Rather than reinventing the wheel, we learned the strategies and concepts that other people took years to develop.”

Based on all the positive feedback, Rabbi Schectman hopes to run similar seminars for kollel yungeleit in the future. Forthcoming seminars might discuss other shlichus-related issues in addition to fundraising.