By Leya Aronoff, ’22-’23 J Leaders Academy Fellow and Digital Marketing Strategist for J Leaders
Developing leadership doesn’t happen by reading a book or listening to a talk; it is cultivated through taking action and reflecting on those actions. True leadership flourishes when these actions align with a person’s values and are directed towards serving others.
J Leaders Academy fellows integrate learning-by-doing through small group project experiences. These projects utilize project-based learning to reinforce the concepts and skills taught in the Academy. By working in small groups, fellows not only enhance their leadership abilities, but also form deeper relationships within a close-knit subgroup of the cohort.
However, these small group projects don’t exist in isolation. Each group of 4-5 fellows embarks on a mission to serve the community through a Tikkun Olam impact project—whether it’s a virtual or in-person event, they collaborate with other Jewish young adult organizations.
For our most recent Academy, small groups led five impactful projects across various focus areas relevant to our community. Let’s dive into each one.
Navigating Your Jewish Identity in the Workplace
Antisemitism has recently been increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, many in our community have felt the need to hide their Jewish identity in professional settings. One of our small groups, Small Group 4, created a program to address this challenge. Small Group 4 partnered with American Jewish Committee (AJC) San Francisco for a hybrid panel event to discuss navigating Jewish identity and Israel in the workplace. Speakers included:
- Senior Product Manager at Google, Mark Balch,
- Chief Executive Officer and Founder of GTM Flow, Joelle Gropper Kaufman,
- Physical Therapist at Stanford and Board of Trustees Member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Leigh Krauss.
The panel was moderated by Assistant Director of AJC San Francisco, Oleg Ivanov.
“We had about 50 attend in-person,” said Daniel Krigel, member of Small Group 4. “It is clear many are eager for community…. We need to continue to share our experiences and learnings, both in order to better navigate work spaces and to continue to build Jewish community.” (quoted in the J.)
This initiative underscores the need for open dialogue and solidarity in the face of rising antisemitism, empowering individuals to embrace their identity with confidence.
Setting Healthy Boundaries in the Workplace
Many driven, ambitious professionals find it difficult to set boundaries at work. They either burnout to deal with all the tasks on their plate, take on too much to people please, or prioritize work over a healthy lifestyle.
Recognizing these issues, the small group Super Jews hosted a workshop on how to set healthy boundaries in the workplace for a more comfortable, peaceful corporate environment. Super Jews partnered with Shalom Bayit, an organization dedicated to fostering the social change and community response necessary to eradicate domestic violence in the Jewish community.
In the words of team member Rebecca (Prim) Primoff, “Our amazing partner organization – Shalom Biyat – helped us identify our passion for creating safe spaces within the workplace. We closely collaborated with our partner and landed on our topic of setting healthy boundaries in the workplace. Shalom Biyat’s Liana Thomason was a great partner in helping us plan and execute a dynamic workshop.”
Helping Our Neighbors Who Live Outside: Hygiene Kit Assembly
Unhoused. Houseless. People experiencing homelessness. All of our neighbors who live outside remain in desperate need of hygiene kits to keep themselves and others healthy. One of the small groups, EDGE, created a program to do their part in helping our neighbors.
EDGE partnered with Abrahamic Alliance International (AAi) — an organization dedicated to a world where all Jews, Christians, and Muslims co-exist peacefully — to run a community service program to assemble hygiene kits. Their initial goal was to box 1000 kits in only 3 hours.
“It was really good!” says Gita Kaminar, member of EDGE. “The event went by super fast. There were probably 40-50 volunteers and we were done packing all the kits in just under an hour.”
This initiative demonstrated the power of interfaith collaboration in addressing urgent local needs and fostering community unity.
An Energizing Celebration of Jewish Resilience: A Purim Workout
Purim is the ultimate story of Jewish resilience even when faced with seemingly impossible obstacles. So how do you put an innovative spin on a timeless Jewish narrative?
The small group L’Chaim added a modern healthy twist for participants to experience the Purim resilience! L’Chaim partnered with Jewish Silicon Valley (JSV) for a lively workout with fellow Jewish young adults. L’Chaim teamed up with Spenga, a dynamic fitness studio, to deliver an exhilarating workout experience.
“The workout class was a great way to connect with community,” said Andrea Levy, event attendee and J Leaders’ National Council President. “We learned about the story of Purim while learning a new type of workout.”
This event showcases how modern interpretations of traditional narratives can foster community engagement and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Guac Off
In many Jewish communities, individuals with varying religious observances can segment themselves off. This leads to isolation in a world where it’s imperative for the Jewish community to stand united.
The small group WorldTravelers created an event surrounding a topic that held the power to bring people together of all Jewish backgrounds — Food! The program was a Gauc Off, an event where attendees made guacamole from scratch.
“The 1st Annual Guac Off consisted of guacamole enthusiasts stepping up to showcase their smashing in an epic guacamole-making competition, with the winning team crowned the ultimate guac champion,” said Eric Fleishman, team member of WorldTravelers. “The event attendees enjoyed the camaraderie and competition and left with full bellies and hearts.”
By focusing on a universally-loved activity, the event fostered a sense of unity and camaraderie, bridging gaps within the community.
Concluding Thoughts
These diverse small group 2024 projects exemplify the essence of the J Leaders Academy. Each initiative not only reinforced essential leadership skills, but also made a tangible impact on our community, from promoting workplace well-being to fostering interfaith collaboration. These projects highlight the power of collective action, and that it’s up to all of us to make a difference in the world. You can also learn the skills and tools to lead your own impact project.
Applications for the next 2024-25 J Leaders Academy are open through August 22. We encourage you to apply to join our next cohort.