First launched in July 2006, ROI is an international community of young Jewish leaders, innovators and professionals. Collaborating across the globe on projects that strengthen their local and global Jewish communities, the ROI community is a dynamic network engaged in a wide range of projects and initiatives aimed at changing the Jewish world.

ROI stands for “return on investment”, a common business term which refers to achieving a desirable outcome through wise investment. Furthermore, ro’eh in Hebrew alludes to the word Shepherd which in our tradition has always symbolized a position of leadership.

ROI is a global community of young Jewish innovators that was created by Lynn Schusterman in the summer of 2006 as a partnership between the Center for Leadership Initiatives and Taglit-Birthright Israel.

The Jewish world today boasts a brilliant and diverse spectrum of interests and initiatives. A generation of tomorrow’s leaders has already sprung into action, forging new frontiers for exploring and strengthening Jewish identity within their individual communities. ROI was designed to gather a cross-section of the leading innovators who are the “brains” behind local initiatives and transform them into an active, global community that will work together on the fields that motivate them in their Jewish communal engagement. The ROI Summit creates a hub in time and space (in Jerusalem – THE hub of time and space) for inspiration and engagement, and serves as a springboard for long-term collaboration – both face-to-face and virtual – between ROI community members for the betterment of the Jewish people.

The unique characteristics of ROI that keep that differentiate it from the myriad of other Jewish leadership programs are as follows:

The international nature of the community: The fact that the ROI community includes over 350 members from some 30+ countries is one of the most powerful examples of ‘global Jewish peoplehood’ in action today.

The diverse profile of members: The common thread that links ROI members is the innovative nature of their Jewish ideas and initiatives – whether they are independent social entrepreneurs focused on the Jewish world, Jewish communal professionals, government and public sector professionals, private sector workers, or social entrepreneurs who apply their Jewish values to non-Jewish settings. Furthermore, the range of fields that members operate within is continuously expanding and includes artists, environmentalists, media, techies, Israel advocates, youth workers, and more.

ROI’s definition of innovation: ROI recognizes that in today’s Jewish world innovation is often a function of setting and that innovative ideas can come from every field. What would be considered innovative Jewish programming in El Salvador probably wouldn’t fall under that same category in New York City. Moreover, the act of learning about an innovative initiative and seeking to replicate it another community is inherently innovative. By providing a forum for members to learn about each other’s communities, ROI serves as a platform for idea sharing that encourages the adoption of innovative practices in diverse communities throughout the world.

Taking place in Israel, the four-day ROI conference is an intense series of networking and collaboration sessions in which ROI participants enter into partnership with like-minded individuals – and with people from other disciplines and outlooks – and work together to propel their ideas and projects forward. At the Summit, participants share project ideas, provide real time feedback, refine, and collaborate for ventures that will continue far beyond the conference. It also includes a day of community service. The Summit is an exciting social gathering that sows the seeds for longtime friendships and professional collaborations, and after it is over, participants continue to engage with each other through a variety of online and offline methods.

The ROI Summit is a selective, application-based program in which young innovators – frequently nominated by others within their home community – are invited to attend. From “seasoned” organization and project directors to lone visionaries, creative artists and young philanthropists, ROI attendees are Jewish leaders and innovators who represent the diversity found throughout the Jewish world. What connects Summit attendees is their engagement in this international community and their desire for collaboration and mutual support of participants’ projects. The Selection Committee accepts individuals based on a variety of criteria, including their engagement in a specific track, the innovation of their projects, and intensity of their engagement in Jewish community. The goal is to draw together an eclectic, vivacious and geographically diverse group together for each track, in order to create a mutually supportive global cadre of leadership.

ROI Summit participants are selected through an online application process that takes place 3-4 months before the summit itself. The opening of applications and related deadlines are announced on this Web site and others, and are widely distributed via email.

The application process for the 2010 ROI Summit will launch on February 2010.

We usually send out responses 2 to 3 months before the Summit.

The ROI Summit happens annually in Israel. This year’s summit will take place between Sunday July 4th - Thursday July 8th, 2010, at Kfar Maccabiah, Ramat Gan, Israel.

ROI recognizes its members’ commitment and the active roles they play within their respective communities. In honor of this commitment, ROI will be hosting invitees at the conference in Israel. All expenses, including airfare from specific “gateway cities” around the world to Israel; accommodations; meals; and program fees will be covered by ROI.

There is a $250 USD participation fee for people from abroad and of 250 NIS for Israeli participants.

Participants are responsible for their travel to and from “gateway” airports, as well as their ground travel from Ben Gurion International Airport to the ROI summit at Kfar Maccabiah, near Tel Aviv.

Applicants for the ROI Summit will be selected based on their involvement and interest in a specific track (Tikkun Olam/Social Service, Arts & Culture, Visions of Israel, Environmentalism, Bridge Building, New Media and Jewish Education – for more information about each of these tracks, click here).

While individual applicants may be involved in more than one of these areas, they are asked to define the one track that corresponds most closely to their core area of activity. The summit Selection Committee groups applicants according to track, with a goal of forming a dynamic, eclectic, and international pod of leaders in each specific field. Intra-track communication – as well as cross-talk with participants from other tracks – forms the basis of an exciting synergy that resonates during the Summit and beyond.

ROI is designed as a living community that fosters communication and mutual support at the Summit and beyond. The ROI website serves as a “social portal” linking hundreds of ROI activists, whether or not they attended the conference together, and its membership-driven content (blogs, forum postings, and video uploads) make it a dynamic tool for publicity and collaboration. Along with the flagship Summit in Jerusalem,

ROI sponsors regional gatherings including conferences, seminars and events in Europe, Latin America, North America and Israel. Structured to meet the needs of specific geographical areas, these events will allow participants to experience the uniquely powerful way in which the ROI model promotes friendship and cross-discipline collaboration among young Jewish innovators and activists. Attendees at these regional gatherings pool their knowledge and learn new skills, while gaining access to the combined resources of the international ROI community.

The ROI Speakers Bureau is an initiative that facilitates the booking of ROI alumni as presenters at Jewish conferences. Many past Summit participants have spearheaded innovative projects that are of intense interest to communities throughout the world. The ROI Speakers Bureau serves as a resource for organizations seeking leading-edge content for their programs, and – through the generosity of philanthropist and ROI sponsor Lynn Schusterman – provides travel subsidies for ROI alumni who have been invited to present their views at conferences far from home. In this way, ROI is helping the Jewish world’s most exciting young voices be heard. For more information about the ROI Speaker’s Bureau, click here.

Beginning in 2007, Lynn Schusterman launched a grantmaking program, aimed at supporting innovative projects being led by members of the international ROI community. All Summit alumni are eligible to apply for these grants that are meant to kick-start projects and encourage collaborations. For more information, click here

ROI Grants was launched in July 2007 at the ROI Summit by Philanthropist Lynn Schusterman in order to support and inspire innovative projects being led by members of the international ROI community. All past participants of ROI Summits are eligible to apply for ROI Grants that are meant to kick-start projects and encourage collaborations. In 2009, ROI will launch 2 new funds aimed at placing investments in over 35 innovative, entrepreneurial and socially driven projects. The ROI Small Grants Fund will offer seed funding to projects around the world for up to $10,000, and the ROI Innovators Fund will focus on five advanced-stage projects. ROI Grants will be awarded based on innovation, project reach/impact and the potential for replication by other communities in the future. For detailed information about ROI Grants and the application process, click here.

This website is updated regularly with news about ROI activities, so come back often. Don’t forget to check out our blog section, where ROI alumni from around the world spread the word about what they’ve been up to. Should you need to contact us you can send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact us.