A campaign by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
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The Panel

Meet the Judges

A distinguished panel of community leaders and innovators brought their expertise to evaluating every submission in the search for the Next Big Jewish Idea.

Who Judged the Ideas

The judging panel was drawn from across the Greater Los Angeles Jewish community — leaders in philanthropy, education, entrepreneurship, and communal service. Each judge reviewed submissions with an eye toward creativity, feasibility, and potential impact on Jewish life.

Community Leader

Federation Leadership

Senior representatives from The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles brought deep knowledge of the community's needs and a commitment to strengthening Jewish life across the region.

Innovation Expert

Entrepreneurship & Strategy

Judges with backgrounds in social entrepreneurship and nonprofit innovation evaluated ideas for their originality, scalability, and practical path to implementation.

Jewish Educator

Education & Engagement

Experienced educators and engagement professionals assessed how well each idea could connect people to Jewish learning, culture, and community.

Philanthropy Advisor

Grantmaking & Impact

Professionals with grantmaking and philanthropic expertise helped gauge the potential for each idea to deliver meaningful, measurable results for Jews in need.

Community Organizer

Grassroots & Outreach

Judges rooted in grassroots organizing brought a vital perspective on how ideas could resonate at the neighborhood level and inspire broad participation.

Young Adult Voice

Next Generation

Representatives of the next generation ensured that ideas spoke to younger Jews and addressed the evolving landscape of Jewish identity and belonging.

What They Looked For

Every idea was measured against a consistent set of criteria designed to surface the most promising and impactful submissions.

  • Innovation & Originality — Did the idea bring a fresh approach to a real community challenge?
  • Community Impact — How many people could benefit, and how deeply would it resonate?
  • Feasibility — Could the idea be realistically implemented with available resources and partnerships?
  • Alignment with Mission — Did it advance the campaign's goals of engaging the community, ensuring the Jewish future, or caring for Jews in need?
  • Sustainability — Did the idea have the potential to grow and endure beyond an initial launch?

See the Ideas That Rose to the Top

Browse the finalist leaderboard to discover which ideas captured the judges' attention and earned community support.

View Finalists