We are delighted to announce that Sophie Krentzman joins CANVAS this month as our first-ever Vice President of Partnerships.
Sophie brings deep experience with philanthropy, grantmaking, and Jewish Arts and Culture to CANVAS, following more than 13 years in leadership roles at Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Greater Boston. In her new role, Sophie will oversee the growth, strategy, and stewardship of new CANVAS funding partners as we continue to grow this community that is dedicated to a thriving Jewish Arts and Culture sector.
We had a chance to speak with Sophie about her work in the Jewish creative, philanthropic, and communal field, her own artistic practice, and why she is a champion of Jewish Art and Culture:
At Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) in Greater Boston, you served as the first Director of Jewish Arts + Culture. This position was one of just a few at Federations across North America dedicated to elevating contemporary Jewish creativity. You also have deep experience in philanthropy, fundraising, and grantmaking roles at CJP to enrich the Jewish community. What do you hope to bring from your experience at CJP to this new role at CANVAS? Why do you think it is important to invest in Jewish Arts and Culture?
When I first saw this role at CANVAS, I could not believe how perfectly it combined my personal passions and my professional background. I have spent the last 14 years building both grantmaking expertise and a deep appreciation for the power of philanthropy. I started at CJP in fundraising, then moved into strategy and grantmaking in 2019, where I built our investments in Jewish arts and culture from scratch. Along the way I created a fellowship and grant fund that together have put more than $800,000 directly into the hands of Jewish artists and Jewish artist leaders. That experience taught me how to build a program from the ground up and turn it into something lasting.
I have also seen firsthand how incredible Jewish philanthropists are. They are committed, informed, and passionate about continuity and connection, and some of the most meaningful relationships of my career have come from partnering with them. Being able to work with philanthropists to invest deeply in Jewish Arts and Culture is a dream come true for me. What I hope to bring to CANVAS is that same spirit of partnership, paired with a ground-level understanding of what artists need to do their best work. Sitting with a donor to understand what they care about, and sitting with an artist to understand what they need, are two sides of the same coin for me, and bringing those perspectives together is exactly the kind of work I love most.
What questions about Jewish life, identity, or community inspire your work?
Throughout my career, the question that I keep returning to is “why be Jewish?”. It’s a question I ask myself as a human and a mother, and I know many others in our community ask it too, especially in a world where Jewish identity can feel optional or complicated to hold onto. For me, the answer is almost always wisdom, joy, and community. Judaism has given me a framework for living that feels rich and full, not obligatory, and a sense of joy I don’t think I would have found the same way anywhere else.
Part of why I think Jewish Arts and Culture are so critical is because they do such a beautiful job of holding all of those things. They make the wisdom feel alive instead of abstract, and they make the joy something you can actually feel, in your body or in community with other people. That, to me, is what helps people find meaning in modern life – not just being told what to believe, but being given a way to experience it and interpret it for yourself.
You are a lifelong dancer, and arts enthusiast. How has your own creative identity influenced your professional career and your personal practice?
I trained in ballet from childhood until high school, and over the years I have also danced Israeli dance, West African dance, modern, lyrical, hip-hop, and jazz. I have thrown pottery, sewed cross stitch embroidery, made mosaics, played piano, and more. Most of my family are artists, dancers, or musicians, and I grew up knowing that art is an essential expression of humanity and connection. These days I take an adult hip-hop class once a week, and it’s honestly one of my favorite hours of my week.
My arts background and my current creative practice influence everything I do. When I feel confident speaking in front of a room, or when I’m able to see something at work from a different angle, I know that comes from my years in arts and performing. In a more practical way, it shaped my decision to move from fundraising into grantmaking at CJP, so I could build our investment portfolio focused on Jewish Arts and Culture. The way I built that agenda came from the same place, knowing firsthand what it feels like to need a creative outlet, and to need a community around it.
I also know the power of art, both as a way to interpret and interact with our world, and as a tool for inviting people into conversation and shifts in perspective. That’s why CANVAS feels like the right next step for me professionally. I can bring my full self to work and help others appreciate what Jewish Arts and Culture offers us, the chance to be proudly Jewish while also celebrating our shared, universal humanity.
Biography
Sophie Krentzman is the Vice President of Partnerships at CANVAS and a Jewish communal leader with deep experience in philanthropy, arts and culture, community engagement, and organizational strategy. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of relationship-building, grantmaking, and innovation, partnering with nonprofit organizations, artists, educators, clergy, and communal leaders to strengthen Jewish life and create meaningful pathways for people to connect with community.
A lifelong dancer since age four, Sophie credits dance and performance with shaping her understanding of creativity, joy, discipline, and collaboration. Those lessons continue to influence her approach to leadership and partnership-building, grounding her belief that meaningful engagement happens when people bring their full selves into an experience.
Prior to joining CANVAS, Sophie served as Associate Vice President of Jewish Communal Life at Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) in Greater Boston, where she oversaw strategy and investments designed to help people of all ages access vibrant Jewish experiences. Before that, she was CJP’s first Director of Arts and Culture, leading the development of a new strategic focus area and helping strengthen the Jewish arts and culture ecosystem across Greater Boston. She began her tenure at CJP as a fundraiser, building donor relationships and major gifts fundraising experience that would inform her collaborative approach throughout her career.
Earlier in her career, Sophie held roles at Hillel International and Sitar Arts Center. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an alumna of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps.
Sophie lives in the Boston area with her husband and two sons. She can often be found baking bread, dancing, or enjoying family adventures around New England.
