Natasha Dresner, speaker - COJECO

Our programs:

Roots Research Project

Project Roots enables Russian-speaking Jewish families conduct genealogical research and explore their family roots by accessing archives and materials in the US, Eastern Europe and former FSU with the assistance of a professional researcher.

BluePrint Fellowship

The program empowers RSJ change makers to create their own community-building initiatives, with the support of a network of peers, educational workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and mini-grants for project implementation.

B'nai Mitzvah RSJ Family Journey

A customized, year-long family program for Russian-speaking Jewish parents and their children leading up to Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

COJECO Virtual Academy of Jewish Heritage

The Virtual Academy of Jewish Heritage offers a series of top-notch Jewish and Israel-related educational sessions in English and Russian. Learn more on how to attend these free virtual lectures and help support the academy!

RJKrug

Interested in a unique Jewish learning program co-created by Russian-speaking Jewish families and leading Jewish educators? RJKrug, an Innovative Jewish Learning Program For Children and Parents, will soon begin its cohort for 2023-2024.

Germany Close Up

Bringing Russian-speaking Jewish young adults on 8-day educational trips to Germany to explore the past and present of Jewish life in Germany, and to experience modern Germany first hand.

COJECO New Jersey

We have launched a successful program for adults, children, teens, and families in Northern New Jersey, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

Ukraine: Refugee Resources & Ways to Help

As the war in Ukraine rages on, our community is welcoming more refugees from Ukraine every day. COJECO has been working tirelessly to help people impacted by the War in Ukraine to resettle in New York and New Jersey. Read more about our efforts and Join!

COJECO Anniversary Gala

Join COJECO in celebrating its annual gala honoring the RSJ Community. Stay tuned for details about the 2024 annual gala!

Natasha Dresner

CEO of Natasha Dresner Nonprofit Development Consulting

ndresner@nycap.rr.com

Natasha Dresner has 20 years of experience working in the Jewish nonprofit world, and holds a B.A. in Management and an MBA from The Ukrainian-Finish University of Business and Management. Natasha came to the United States in 2001 from Kiev, Ukraine, where she was deeply involved in Jewish life. In New York City, Natasha ventured into the for-profit and consulting world for a time before moving to the Berkshires to take the Executive Director position with Congregation Knesset Israel in Pittsfield, MA, where she still lives with her husband, Avi, and sons, Lev and Sasha. She joined the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp 180 in 2005, not long after the program’s inception, and has helped shape it into what it has become today. Natasha is a CEO of Natasha Dresner Nonprofit Development Consulting firm that provides consulting services in Governance and Board Development, Fundraising, Strategic Thinking and Planning as well as Leadership Coaching. She works with a diverse array of nonprofit and for-profit clients, and she is a frequent presenter, speaker, and facilitator at conferences. Natasha is a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer, and she writes a bimonthly nonprofit column, called "The Nonprofit Prophet", for The Berkshire Eagle, which also appears in eJewish Philanthropy and elsewhere.

Organization

Mission: