About

The New Normal Project brings together a diverse array of professionals – including consultants, practitioners, and experts who specialize in strategy, change management, and operations in the non-profit space.

Our goal is to help Jewish community organizations understand today’s confluence of challenges and opportunities – predominantly Covid and its ramifications – but also the evolving Israel-Diaspora relationship, increasing community fragmentation and declining allegiance to mainstream Jewish institutions, responses to BlackLivesMatter and rising anti-Semitism – and to learn about potential strategies and actions they can take to better shape their future and that of Jewish life.

We bring together an array of approaches to understand trends, drivers of change, organizational challenges, and market opportunities for nonprofits and philanthropy.  

We offer strategic insights and expertise to help organizations respond to disruption and to adapt to best enable success in the new normal that will emerge in the future.  

We are happy to discuss consulting and partnership opportunities on an individual or a collaborative basis.

To inquire or learn more, contact us.

Principals

Keith Krivitzky serves as the principal of TheIdeaBank Consulting and founder of the New Normal Project, which focuses on helping organizations grapple with change. Previously, he has served in a variety of roles in the Jewish community, including CEO of The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County NJ, VP of Philanthropy at the Federation in Seattle, and Renaissance Man at the Hillel International Center in Washington, DC. He is an alum of Princeton and has an MBA from the Smith School of Business, University of Maryland. His passion is solving problems and figuring out how to rethink and enhance Jewish life. Full CV >

Michael Miloff  has enjoyed a career as an entrepreneur; founder of mutual fund, venture capital, Internet development and consulting businesses; an adviser to private, public and non-profit organizations; and a senior executive in government and non-profit organizations.  Over the last fifteen years, Michael has served as the lead consultant on strategic planning and fundraising processes for a number of camps, day schools and other Jewish organizations.  Michael brings strong process skills and business seasoning to the design and facilitation of approaches that help leaders and professionals to share perspectives, consult with their stakeholders and strengthen their vision, strategy, organization and business practices – as well as explore deep forms of collaboration and/or mergers.  Recently, this has included extensive work on the implications of Covid 19 for financial planning and strategy.  Michael attended Columbia and then McGill, obtaining an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Masters of Environmental Studies, focused on housing economics and urban planning, from York University in 1977. Full CV >

Contributors

Michael J. Weil

Michael is an international strategic consultant. An economist by training, Michael hails from Great Britain and has spent most of his career working in strategic change, organizational development, economic, social and urban planning. Until recently, he was the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and has career experience in the UK, Israel and the USA. Michael was instrumental in leading New Orleans’s Jewish Community’s process of rebuilding and renewal after Hurricane Katrina and spearheaded its flagship program to recruit and engage young Jews to New Orleans. Since then the community has been totally transformed and is growing, thriving and innovating. Michael’s previous experience includes strategic planning, fundraising, and leadership development with the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), World ORT, Megama Management & Planning Consultants, and The Prime Minister of Israel’s office.  Currently, Michael Weil lives in Jerusalem, Israel and Scottsdale, Arizona while travelling frequently in-between, and works on a select number of strategic assignments.

Gail Zucker

Gail serves as principal consultant of Gail Zucker Philanthropic Advising LLC, offering a portfolio of customized consulting services to enhance the strategic impact of foundations and nonprofits and drive positive social change. Prior to launching her consulting practice, Gail served as senior director of consulting for Jewish Federations of North America for 13 years where she led strategic consultations and national initiatives, and also incubated and directed the award winning Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality and Shared Society which continues to thrive. From 2000-2014 she served as the director of planning and agency support for the Jewish Federation of San Francisco. Gail also provided strategic management and organizational development services to an extensive array of public, private and non-profit sector agencies throughout North America, as well as to private voluntary organizations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Simon Klarfeld

Simon is an independent consultant focused on areas of leadership, education, and innovation. He is an expert in the fields of experiential Jewish learning and informal Israel education. Simon has consulted with a wide range of Jewish communal organizations around the world, and with communities ranging from Australia to Ukraine on best practices in youth engagement, informal education, Jewish peoplehood, and leadership. Previously, Simon served as Executive Director of Young Judaea Simon is Executive Director of Young Judaea, Executive Director of Hillel at Columbia University and Barnard College, Vice President of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, and as founding Director of the Genesis program at Brandeis University. Early in his career, he was director of both the British and California-based Soviet Jewry movements, including serving “hard time” in the Soviet Union. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Keele in England and his Master’s degree in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University. Simon and his wife, Dara, have four children – Harry, Isaac, Sophie and Charlie.