J Leaders Academy

The J Leaders Academy is designed in three cascading phases:

Fall – Personal Empowerment
Winter – Building & Leading High Performance Teams
Spring – Being a Force for Good in an Organization & the World

2024-25 J Leaders Academy Syllabus
Presenters still being finalized; Schedule subject to change.

• Wednesday, November 6, 6 to 7:30 pm Pacific Standard Time – Academy Kick-off Session – Creating a Culture of Belonging (Wendy Verba) – Zoom 1
• Friday, November 22, 5 pm to Sunday, November 24, 1 pm PST – Fall Weekend “Personal Empowerment” Retreat – (Jill Rosenberg, Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia, Keith Tandowsky) – In-Person, Camp Newman, Sonoma County, CA
• Wednesday, December 4, 6 to 7:30 pm PST –  Changing the World from the Inside Out – (Rabbi David Jaffe) – Zoom 2
• Wednesday, December 18, 6 to 8:00 pm PST – Leadership is not Fluff: Our Behaviors Define our Effectiveness (Sim Sitkin)  – Zoom 3
• Friday, December 27, 6:30 pm PST – Cohort Shabbat Dinner (in-Person)
• Wednesday, January 8, 6 to 8:00 pm PST – Leading with your Values (Noah Alper & Michael Sosebee) – Zoom 4
• Sunday, January 12, 10 am to 4:00 pm PST – Winter One Day Retreat, “5 Dysfunctions of a Team” & “Working Genius”, (Jeff McColloch) – in-Person at the Los Gatos JCC and on Zoom
• Wednesday, February 5, 6 to 7:30 pm PST – Impactful Storytelling (Tina Rosenblum) – Zoom 5
• Wednesday, February 19, 6 to 7:30 pm PST – Informal Leadership (Linda Lubin Thompson) – Zoom 6
• Wednesday, March 5, 6 to 7:30 pm PST – Repairing the World (Rachel Sumekh) – Zoom 7
• Wednesday, March 19, 6 to 7:30 pm PST –  Combating Antisemitism (Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen) – Zoom 8
• Friday, March 28, 5 pm to Sunday, March 30, 1 pm PST – Spring Weekend “Being a Force for Good” Retreat (Harold Goldberg)- In-Person, Camp Newman, Sonoma County, CA. Commencement streamed on Zoom for guests.

Professional Skill Development Outcomes:

• Make intentional decisions that are aligned with their Jewish values.
• Lead others from the inside out – from a place of strength and balance
• Deliver a short, compelling story that captures their personal brand.
• Build a personal network of mentors, advocates, sponsors, and supporters.
• Develop personal strategies to build resilience and overcome obstacles.
• Build and strengthen relationships using emotional intelligence and relationship-based engagement skills.
• Communicate effectively through impactful storytelling.
• Lead a healthy team towards a shared vision.
• Identify and adopt inclusive practices.
• Influence others positively through informal leadership practices.

Jewish Engagement Outcomes:

• Be more confident to practice ethical leadership based on their Jewish values.
• Believe in their own ability to make a difference in the world.
• Develop positive, trusting relationships with other Academy fellows.
• Be more engaged in a community of Jewish young adults and the larger Jewish community.
• Be motivated to step up as a leader to enhance their Jewish community

The small groups process uses project-based learning to reinforce Academy concepts and skills for fellows. Small groups are a critical component of the Academy, and offer a chance to form deeper relationships with a small subgroup of the cohort. Small groups of 4-5 fellows select their own community impact project – a virtual or in-person event held through a collaboration with another Jewish young adult organization. Small groups do most of their work on their project outside of regular Academy sessions.

For organizations interested in being considered by a small group for a project collaboration, please complete the following form.

Jewish wisdom provides insights and timeless principles that can guide personal growth, ethical decision-making, and pursuit of meaningful leadership roles. Throughout the J Leaders Academy, we explore topics such as ethical leadership, emotional intelligence, community building, effective communications, and building high performing teams. By integrating Jewish wisdom with practical leadership skills, we aim to empower our fellows to become compassionate, insightful, and impactful leaders in their communities and beyond.

However you define and express your Jewish identity, you are welcome. For more about J Leaders’ principle of “illuminated by Jewish Wisdom” click here.

The 2024-2025 J leaders Academy will be facilitated by Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia, Chief Community Officer for Jewish Silicon Valley and other members of the J Leaders Academy steering committee. Throughout the Academy experience, fellows are encouraged to introduce presenters and facilitate sessions – as they are comfortable and interested.

Academy Steering Committee:

• Liz Laber, Chavruta Process
• Peter Hoffman, Founder and CEO of J Leaders
• Alex Mayorkis, Assistant Academy Director
• Denise Sandel, Small Group Projects and Impact Assessment
• Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia, Academy Facilitator

J Leaders understands that there are times when fellows are not able to attend every session. That said, if you know that you will not be able to attend weekend retreats or more than 2 virtual sessions, we respectfully request that you not apply, and allow someone else to take that space.

We reserve the right to ask participants to leave the program if they have too many absences. We are not able to refund the registration fee for anyone who leaves the program, whether our decision or yours. We are happy to discuss your specific situation. Please contact the Academy leadership team if you have questions.

Once you graduate from the J Leaders Academy, you become a part of a vibrant community of Jewish young adults with additional networking and professional development opportunities available to you. J Leaders alumni programs include the 6-month JMentors program, the J Leaders Innovation Fund Mini-Grant program (apply for up to $250/year) Fireside Chats with Jewish business and community leaders, J Leaders Shabbat dinners, serving on the J Leaders National Council, and leadership roles on the Academy steering committee.

Yes. your synagogue or Jewish organization can identify and sponsor a Jewish young adult to become a fellow in the next J Leaders Academy. Through a J Leaders Fellowship, your organization can help fund the fellow’s tuition, and in turn, the fellow will collaborate with you on your shared objectives. Learn more about the J Leaders Fellowships at Temple Beth El in Aptos here. For more info on partnering with J Leaders, click here.

J Leaders Fellowship: From Learning to Impact 

You can see a list of all previous J Leaders Academy presenters here.

You can see the roster of 2024-25 J Leaders Academy fellows here.

You can see a list of J Leaders Academy alumni here.

The selection process will be based on the following:

• Young adults in their 20s and 30s
• Commitment to actively engage and participate in the entire program
• An upfront commitment to attend both in-person both weekend retreats, as well as most Zoom sessions
• Desire for self-reflection and self-improvement
• Interest in exploring and learning more about Jewish values and wisdom
• Desire to be a part of a growing and active Jewish young adult community
• Interest in giving back to and making a difference in the Jewish community and making the world a better place
• Submission of online application

Finalists will be interviewed by representatives of the J Leaders Academy leadership team. Interviews will allow J Leaders to better understand your qualifications and interest, and equally important, provides candidates the chance to ask questions and learn more about the program.

Tuition for the 2024-25 Academy starts at $895, based on sleeping room selection for the retreats. Academy tuition includes the full Academy experience including two Shabbaton weekend retreats (housing, food & meeting center), an all-day Sunday retreat, and nine Zoom sessions. This tuition rate provides a sleeping room for 3 or 4 people at both retreats. Double and private rooms are available for an additional fee (to cover the added cost). Please request your first and second choice. Due to limitations of available sleeping room configurations, not all requests can be met, but we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Tuition payment will be requested upon acceptance into the Academy.

* The additional fee for double and private guest rooms covers our increased cost from the retreat center.

The cost of the J Leaders Academy is heavily subsidized thanks to the generous support of our many generous donors. The true cost of the Academy is $4,000 per fellow. Our tuition is approx 20% of the program cost. Even so, we recognize that this subsidized rate may not be affordable for everyone. The J Leaders board of directors is committed to ensuring that the Academy is accessible to all qualified prospective fellows, regardless of their economic circumstances.

Financial aid is provided as a grant to fellows for a 3 to 4 person shared room at both retreats. Financial aid does not cover 100% of the tuition. J Leaders awards financial aid on the basis of demonstrated need and the availability of funds. Financial aid decisions are made independently from program acceptance decisions and does not affect a candidate’s chances for acceptance. If at some point in their future, fellows are in a position to pay-it-forward for other deserving candidates, donations will be eagerly accepted and appreciated.

The financial aid application form can be found at: https://forms.gle/bUCePujR7t7yDgQq6

Your application will be carefully reviewed by our J Leaders Academy leadership team. Applicants will then be invited to an interview between August 26 and September 6. Interviews will allow J Leaders to better understand your qualifications and interest, and provide  you the chance to ask questions and learn more about the program.  

We expect to communicate program acceptance decisions between September 19 and 23.  While you are waiting to hear back from us on your application, we encourage you to hold Academy session dates and times on your calendar. You can find the full syllabus with dates, times and locations of all sessions in the first FAQ (What’s the curriculum for the Academy?) Thanks.

Yes, the criteria are general guidelines only.

Yes, the Academy is open to participants who are not Jewish. That said, please share in your application why you’re interested in being in a “Jewish” leadership program.

The application process is your chance to tell your story about why you should be selected to be in the J Leaders Academy. Online Application

Finalists will be interviewed by representatives of the J Leaders Academy leadership team. Interviews allow J Leaders to better understand your qualifications and interest, and equally important, provide you the chance to ask questions and learn more about the program.

Not everyone who applies for the Academy is accepted.  Please take a look at an earlier Q&A on the criteria to better understand our decision making selection and process. One of the most important aspects of selecting cohort fellows is identifying those individuals who are committed to actively participating in the full program.

Yes. The Academy is designed for Jewish young adults who want to make a difference as an influencer of others. Being an impactful leader requires a desire to step-up and make a difference, and a commitment to grow your personal/professional skills.

Many past fellows have been reimbursed for their J Leaders Academy tuition by their employer. We encourage you to find out if your company or organization reimburses employees for professional development. As well, consider if you know any community organizations (Jewish organizations, service clubs, foundations, etc) who might provide you a scholarship to cover your tuition. Let us know if you’d like us to provide you with a tuition payment receipt.

The J Leaders Academy tuition includes two full weekend retreats (includes accommodations, food and meeting space), one all-day Sunday retreat, two online assessments, nine virtual sessions, two Shabbat dinners, the small group community impact project, some fun J Leaders’ branded swag (a journal, mug and pen), and more. The actual cost for J Leaders to run the Academy is over $4,000 per fellow.

Highly Recommended:

• Changing the World from the Inside Out: A Jewish Approach to Personal and Social Change, Rabbi David Jaffe (To Purchase Through Amazon)

Recommended:

• The Six Domains of Leadership, E. Allan Lind Ph.D. and Sim Sitkin Ph.D. (free PDF)
• 5 Dysfunctions of a Team (Amazon)

Additional supplementary reading and video materials will be recommended for some of the sessions. As well, two self-assessments will provide fellows with important insights for understanding their own strengths and competencies.

Cancellations made in writing on or before Wednesday October 16th are eligible to receive a refund, minus a 10 percent administrative fee.

Cancellations made in writing or before Monday November 4th are eligible to receive a refund, minus a 30 percent administrative fee.

No refunds are available after November 4th.

Please send refund requests to peter@jleaders.org.

The J Leaders Leadership Academy is a five-month blended learning program that combines face-to-face and virtual learning. The 2024-25 J Leaders Academy includes two Shabbaton weekend retreats, a Sunday retreat (in-person and virtual), two in-person shabbat dinners, and nine virtual (Zoom) sessions. Virtual sessions are typically held every other Wednesday evening from 6 to 7:30 pm PT.

The J Leaders Academy kick-offs with a Zoom session on Wednesday, November 6, from 6 to 7:30 pm PT.

The weekend retreats are an integral part of the Academy program. Both retreats will be held at the beautiful URJ Camp Newman located in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. The Academy includes retreats on November 22-24, 2024 and March 28-30, 2025. Weekend retreats will start with a Friday night Shabbat opening reception and dinner, and then go through Sunday lunch. Camp Newman is a nut free community. Gluten free, dairy free and vegan options are available.

Camp Newman is located at 4088 Porter Creek Road in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. Camp Newman is located approx. an hour and a half drive from San Francisco and 3 hours from the South Bay area (San Jose). During Friday rush hour traffic expect delays and we  give yourself extra driving time.  We encourage you to consider taking the day off from work on the Friday before the retreats and get to camp early.

The base tuition provides for three or four fellows per cabin/room. Two person and private rooms in the upscale, hotel-style Village 2 are also available, based on room availability and an increased tuition fee that covers the additional cost.

An in-person Academy commencement ceremony will be held on Sunday morning, March 30th as the final part of the Spring weekend retreat at Camp Newman. The commencement includes a special commencement address, short presentations from fellows on the impact of the Academy, and the presentation of certificates. We hope to provide family, friends and other guests the opportunity to view the commencement through a virtual option.

You can find an interactive map of the Camp Newman Koret Conference Center at: https://newmanretreats.org/retreat-center-map/

Yes, you are welcome to apply. Our hybrid in-person/Zoom approach allows fellows to participate from outside of the SF Bay Area, with the understanding that you agree to attend both weekend retreats in-person (November 22-24 and March 28-30). With an exception of the Shabbat dinners, other aspects of the program are accessible virtually.

One of the guiding principles of J Leader’s is the importance of partnering with other like-minded Jewish organizations towards our shared vision of empowering and engaging Jewish young adults through values-based leadership development. J leaders is pleased to collaborate with Jewish communal organizations interested in increased engagement of Jewish young adults in their community.

We welcome the opportunity to talk with you about partnering with you to bring the J Leaders Academy and the JMentors program to your community. For more information on bringing the J Leaders Academy to your area, please contact J Leaders.