J Leaders 2023: A Year of Challenges, Triumphs and Transformations

Peter Hoffman, Founder & CEO of J Leaders and Leya Aronoff, ’22-’23 J Leaders Academy Fellow & Digital Marketing Strategist for J Leaders

In 2023, we were appalled by the spike in anti-Semitism and the pervasive sense of uncertainty and fear. A new Jewish future is coming, one that is different than any of us could imagine. We at J Leaders believe that the future of our Jewish community depends on developing and engaging the next generation of ethical, strong Jewish leaders. And that’s exactly what we do. J Leaders empowers Jewish young adults to become leaders and community-builders.

In this blog, we reflect on the milestones, achievements, and impactful moments that defined J Leaders and our community.

3rd J Leaders Academy Cohort Graduation

In April ‘23, twenty two Jewish young adults graduated from the J Leaders Academy. Fellows attended two weekend Shabbaton retreats, eight virtual Zoom sessions, and one Sunday retreat and commencement. We couldn’t be more proud of the tremendous accomplishments of our Academy fellows and alumni.

60% of the fellows indicated that their own knowledge of their Jewish values and identity increased.
Leadership skills in areas like emotional intelligence, effective communication, and creating healthy teams increased by 65% or more.
74% of Academy fellows expressed interest in remaining a part of the J Leaders community after graduation, participating in our activities, or being a volunteer for J Leaders.

Read more about the impact of J Leaders in our impact assessment.

Kicked off 4th J Leaders Academy

We kicked off our fourth J Leaders Academy with twenty two new Jewish young adults. Throughout the 6-month J Leaders Academy program, these inspiring leaders are engaged in a transformative journey of personal and professional development. They will participate in immersive learning experiences, collaborate with industry experts, and build a network of like-minded individuals who share a passion for positive change.

In their first two months, they participated in:

Their first in-person weekend Shabbaton retreat featuring Duke Leadership Professor Sim Sitkin on the “Six Domains of Leadership”, Teledoc Chief People Officer at Teledoc Arnnon Geshuri on “emotional intelligence”, Former CIO of the Clorox Company Keith Tandowski on “What does it take to be a leader?” and Chief Marketing Officer Monica Rodriguez Kuniyoshi on “inclusive leadership.”
Chavruta buddy conversations between fellows to build on lessons from each session.
A virtual Zoom session with Rabbi David Jaffe on “Changing the World from the Inside Out” (link to video)
A second virtual Zoom session with Adam Dorsay Psy.D., CPCC and Rebecca Geshuri M.A., LMFT, PMH-C, IFS Certified about “Life Balance – Managing Time and Stress”
A community Shabbat dinner for SF Bay Area fellows

Matched 30+ Mentor-Mentee Pairs for the New Mentorship Program

At J Leaders, we believe in the power of mentorship. This past Fall, we proudly launched a new Jewish Community Mentorship Program in partnership with JHTC to empower Jewish young adults through mentorship. The J Leaders mentorship program creates highly-aligned mentee and mentor matches within a time-tested mentee-driven process over six months.

Held Four Jewish Leadership Forums

Our Jewish Leadership Forums feature prominent Jewish leaders and their personal stories as leaders and mensches.

In 2023, we presented four Jewish Leadership Forums with 6 Jewish leaders in total.

In January, Sheila Katz, CEO of National Council of Jewish Women, talked about “Leadership and the Pursuit of Justice”
In March, David M. Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Carlyle Group and NYT Bestselling Author, discussed “How Good Leaders Succeed: The Value of an Inquisitive Mind”
In May, Rabbi Mike Uram, Chief Jewish Learning Officer at Jewish Federations of North America, discussed “Value-Based Leadership in a Time of Political Discord”
In November, we ran a Forum on “Journalism, Jewish Values and Democracy” featuring Samuel G. Freedman, Professor at Columbia Journalism School and award winning author; Craig Newmark, Founder of craigslist and philanthropist; and moderated by Jo Ellen Green Kaiser, CEO of the J. the Jewish News of Northern California

Alumni Engagement is Higher Than Ever

Throughout 2023, the J Leaders National Council has actively engaged the J Leaders community. Through past president Sarah Feldman and current president Andrea Levy, the National Council spearheaded nine community-building events and activities, including Shabbat dinners, mini grants, fireside chats, mentorship, and happy hours. As a part of the J Leaders growing community, many alumni led their own engagement programs throughout the year collaborating with JYA, ENGAJ, Moishe House and other Jewish young adult organizations.

Launched Three New Alumni Programs

J Leaders expanded our alumni community programs in 2023 with three new initiatives to provide Jewish young adults with additional resources to connect, learn, and grow.

First, J Leaders alumni Peter Weltman, ‘22-’23 J Leaders Academy Fellow and Media Strategist at Man of the World Media, developed the Innovation Mini Grant program as an opportunity for J Leaders alumni to grow their leadership acumen for initiatives that make a difference in the Jewish community and the world. This year, eight alumni applied for the mini grant program for Jewish, professional, and personal development programs.

Starting in May ‘23, we ran our first three J Leaders Fireside Chats, conversation-style events with an industry leader, expert, or Jewish educator. These one-off sessions are for small group alumni conversations on a variety of topics, including leadership, Jewish learning, and personal life skills.

Lastly, our most recent initiative is the Jewish Opportunities Hub, a platform for communicating a variety of jobs, leadership opportunities, and volunteer roles for young adults in the Jewish community. Since its launch earlier this month, Jewish organizations have posted opportunities and many Jewish community leaders expressed gratitude for the platform.

Conducted the First Impact Assessment

This year, Denise Sandel, ‘22-’23 J Leaders Academy Fellow, National Council member and statistics professor, took the lead on conducting our first impact assessment. The impact study polled J Leaders Academy alumni through online surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Key insights from the assessment include:

77% of alumni feel their experience of the Academy had a major impact in their lives.
Over 61% of the alumni applied their new leadership knowledge and over 56% had better job opportunities because of their new knowledge acquired in the Academy.
50% of alumni took on a leadership role within their local Jewish communities.
67% of our alumni are more involved in their local Jewish communities than before joining the J Leaders Academy.

Support J Leaders into 2024 and Beyond

We invite you to help empower Jewish young adults and build a strong, engaged Jewish community by supporting J Leaders. Your financial contribution plays a vital role in allowing J Leaders to create transformative learning experiences for Jewish young adults.