The inaugural cohort of the Community Leadership Initiative is well underway.  Eight Jewish organizations have sponsored 19 emerging lay leaders from throughout the South/Central New Jersey and Philadelphia communities to learn the key components to becoming a long-term successful lay leader.

These communities include: East Brunswick, Edison/Highland Park, Long Branch, Springfield and Philadelphia.  Thus far, the cohort has had the opportunity to learn organizational management and strategy from key presenters, including, Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Rabbi Josh Joseph and Rabbi Elazar Muskin.  Utilizing the academic resources of Yeshiva University, the CLI has been able to convene the talents and wisdom of professors from the Sy Syms School of Business, including Lisa Rosh, Michael Strauss and Charlie Harary.

In addition to the live monthly seminars where the participants collaborate and role playing real-life scenarios that arise in the leadership arena, the program utilizes interactive video-conferencing and a virtual classroom.  This allows busy lay leaders to have access to virtual gatherings, where they can continue to explore the core competencies needed to manage a Jewish non-profit organization.

This robust program has already covered strategic planning, politics and governance, online marketing and Torah leadership.  In the coming months, participants will learn how to succeed in the areas of fundraising, managing volunteers and paid professionals and how to lead in the face of adversity.

The program, however, would not be complete if it did not also holistically address the bigger picture of life as a Jewish leader.  President Richard Joel, Rabbi J.J. Schacter, Dr. David Pelcovitz and Suzy Schwartz  will be presenting on how to balance the larger Jewish community, while juggling one’s own family obligations and responsibilities.

The Community Leadership Initiative instills the confidence and tools needed for today’s leaders to work in concert with their organizations to drive positive, lasting and meaningful change to benefit and strengthen the entire Jewish community.

http://yu.edu/cjf/community-leadership-initiative

Hundreds Attend YU Jewish Job Fair Seeking Communal and Educational Careers 

Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) and Institute for University-School Partnership hosted their annual Jewish Job Fair on YU’s Wilf Campus on February 28. More than 50 Jewish day schools and 20 community organizations from across North America, including the Orthodox Union, Nefesh B’Nefesh, Repair the World and others, participated in the event, which was free and open to the public, with YU students and alumni given one hour of priority access.

“Our annual Jewish Job Fair is a natural outgrowth of our mission to support and strengthen Jewish communities and organizations around the world,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, David Mitzner Dean of the CJF. “It also provides a platform for talented Jewish leaders to connect with opportunities that will allow them to make their mark on the Jewish world and beyond. We consider it our responsibility to make sure that our graduates are given opportunities to share their unique talents in shaping the Jewish communal landscape.”

More than 300 YU students, alumni and other job seekers gathered for the chance to meet so many employers in Jewish education and nonprofit in one place. But the event also attracted talent and employers from greater distances.

Suzy Richman, director of operations at University Jewish Chaplaincy, traveled from the United Kingdom for the fair. “We place rabbinical couples around university campuses all over the United Kingdom and we’ve had great luck with Yeshiva University students, so it was important for us to be here,” she said.

Jenn Baumstein, program coordinator at Eden Village Camp, decided to participate in the job fair because of its opportunity to tap a unique audience. “We think the folks at YU have a lot to bring to the table and we’re hiring for key positions that require a combination of Jewish knowledge and communal experience,” she said, noting that those positions range from camp nurse to assistant director. “With all the programs offered here, we thought we’d reach a high-range, high-caliber and mature crowd at the fair.”

The job fair was especially notable for job seekers in the Jewish education field. “Schools had the chance to meet with the best and brightest educators, including promising new talent entering the field for the first time,” said Rabbi Maccabee Avishur, associate director for teaching and learning at the University-School Partnership and one of the event organizers. “Job seekers got face-to-face access to school leaders from outstanding institutions around the country. It’s a great way to advance the field of education by continuing to professionalize the candidate search and placement process.”

Edith Koslowe, a Stern College for Women graduate and current student at YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education, agreed. “It’s great to be able to get a feel for schools and see if you match here instead of scrolling through job listings online or calling every school to see if they’re hiring,” she said. “Here, I can just walk into a room and see who’s looking.”

Eruvin Exhibition and Lecture Add Context and Insight to Daf Yomi Study

What purpose do eruvin [ritual enclosures] serve? Where can they be constructed? What makes them kosher?

As Jews around the world delve into the subject of eruvin for daf yomi, the daily cycle of Talmud study, Yeshiva University and the Orthodox Union sought to shed light on an ancient practice that is still very relevant to Jewish life today. An evening of programming on March 13 fused the historical, cultural and practical dimensions of eruvin showcased in a new Yeshiva University Museum exhibition with rich halakhic grounding provided by RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Schachter. A leading halakhic authority, Schachter delivered a shiur [lecture] titled, “Eruvin: The Streets, the Strings and the Shabbat.”

“Seeing the issues faced by Manhattan and other Jewish communities in completing an eruv­—when a train track goes up and when it goes down, is the sea wall kosher or not—and hearing from such a wide range of people who struggled to bring klal Yisroel out of their homes on Shabbat takes Torah learning to a unique and different level,” said Edward Stelzer ’90YC, a member of the YU Museum’s board of directors. “Many of us don’t have an opportunity to check an eruv on any given Friday, but this museum has the power to help us internalize the issues of eruvin and experience them almost firsthand by bringing the topic home to us in an immersive, powerful way.”

More than 240 visitors began the night with special curator tours of “It’s a Thin Line: The Eruv and the Jewish Community in New York and Beyond,” an exhibition that brings to life the process through which the rabbinic precept of the eruv has been dynamically interpreted and applied, as well as challenged, in New York and its surrounding communities. Drawing on artifacts that range from tie clips and belts designed to make keys wearable to a replica of the elaborate, decorative eruv holders of 19th-century Central Europe, the exhibition illustrates the complex development of eruvin throughout history and around the world. Modern elements, including light poles and an aluminum gate from the current Manhattan eruv and an intricate string sculpture by R. Justin Stewart depicting in the evolving form of the eruv in Manhattan over time, highlight the changing Jewish American culture that has made eruvin a staple of Jewish communities all over the United States.

After the tour, Schachter delivered a detailed shiur that took listeners on a tour of intellectual Jewish history, explaining how philosophies about everything from what constituted a public space to what kinds of structures could be used in an eruv had developed in multiple veins of Jewish thought. He also discussed the process for setting up an eruv such as the YU eruv and noted popular misconceptions about eruvin.

“People now feel as if when Rav Moshe Feinstein said that you could not make an eruv in Manhattan, he was the major position and the Chazon Ish came along afterward with his unusual position that you could,” said Schachter. “It was not so. Feinstein writes himself that he had original opinions about this subject which were contrary to Tosfot and the Shulchan Orech, whereas the Chazon Ish was repeating the traditional opinions offered by poskim [halakhic decisors] before he was born.” He added, “The Chazon Ish was the one who really made Masechet Eruvin understandable to the public. Before his time, many people really didn’t know much about it.”

For Rabbi Eitan Rubin, it was an eye-opening and personal evening. The exhibition features a comprehensive guide to the Five Towns’ eruv compiled using satellite imagery, a blend of age-old practice and modern technology, which Rubin helped to develop. “It was a tremendous accomplishment and a bit tiring,” he said. “It took us three months of walking and many long nights by the computer on Google Maps.”

Now responsible for maintaining the eruv in Great Neck, Rubin was fascinated by the history and diverse traditions behind the tasks he has been carrying out for years. “It’s fascinating to see all the different periods eruvin have gone through over such a span of time,” he said. “I feel like Masechet Eruvin is what we see in this room.”

The night was hosted by YU’s Center for the Jewish Future and the YU Musuem in cooperation with the Orthodox Union.

“What sustains us in many ways as a people is the notion of our constructing boundaries, and the beauty of an eruv is that it does not lock us in and does not lock us out,” said YU President Richard M. Joel. “It’s a reminder that we’re a community, and based on that community, we can take on the world.”

To learn more about It’s a Thin Line, on view through June 30, visit the Yeshiva University Museum website at www.yumuseum.org or www.yumuseum.tumblr.com/ItsAThinLine.

Yeshiva University Commemorates 20th Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik with Day of Learning

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Rabbinical Theological Seminary (RIETS) and Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) will commemorate the 20th yahrtzeit [anniversary of death] of “the Rav,” Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l, Torah luminary and YU Rosh Yeshiva with a full-day learning program for all audiences on Sunday, April 14 on YU’s Wilf Campus, 500 West 185th Street, New York City. The program will run from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and will include lectures, discussions and presentations on the Rav’s life and legacy.

YU will commemorate the Rav’s 20th yahrtzeit with a day of learning on April 14.

“Over the course of almost half a century, Rabbi Soloveitchik served as a mentor and role model for tens of thousands of Jews around the word and ordained close to 2,000 rabbis. Through his landmark public lectures and writings he became, and remains, well-known for his unparalleled Talmudic scholarship and religious leadership,” said Marvin Bienenfeld, a member of the RIETS Board of Trustees and the chair of the event.

“The Rav is also widely recognized as the architect of Torah Umadda, the synthesis of Torah scholarship with secular wisdom, which serves as the motto and guiding ideology of Yeshiva University. There is no better way to honor his memory and his legacy than with a day of in-depth Torah learning.”

In what promises to be a fascinating presentation, “Multiple Faces of the Rav” will bring together Rabbi Soloveitchik’s daughter, Dr. Atarah Twersky (Former Chair of School Committee at Maimonides School), and several students of the Rav, including Rabbi Hershel Schachter, RIETS Rosh Yeshiva; Dr. David Shatz, YU professor of philosophy; and Rabbi Kenneth Brander, David Mitzner Dean of the CJF, to examine the many and varied roles played by the Rav during his lifetime.

The keynote lecture, “Mesorah & Modernity: The Role of the Rav,” will be delivered by RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mayer Twersky, a grandson of the Rav.

Following lunch, the programming will take on a more interactive format with breakout sessions led by members of the YU and RIETS faculty. In the first time slot, Rabbi Schachter and RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Menachem Genack will lead a discussion on the Rav’s unique Derech Halimud [approach to learning]; Dr. Shatz and Dr. David Berger, dean and Ruth and I. Lewis Gordon Professor of Jewish History at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, will tackle Rabbi Soloveitchik’s thoughts and rulings on interfaith relations; and Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought and senior scholar at the CJF, will explore the importance of the Rav’s teachings in modern society.

In the second time slot, Rabbi Shalom Carmy, YU assistant professor of Jewish philosophy and Bible, and Rabbi Michael Taubes, head of school at Yeshiva University High School for Boys, will delve into the Rav’s philosophy on prayer; and Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld, rabbi emeritus at Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, and Rabbi Julius Berman, RIETS Board of Trustees chairman emeritus, will take an in-depth look at the Rav’s policies on relating to and engaging with other denominations in the Jewish community.

Throughout the day, participants can tour a special exhibition titled Celebrating the Rav: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, which will include rare photographs of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s early years through his tenure at Yeshiva University.

The multi-faceted learning program is made possible in part through the generous support of Rabbi Max N. Schreier and family. For a full list of sponsors and to register for the event, please visit: www.yu.edu/the-rav.

Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) launched a new Women’s Beit Midrash Program on February 5 at Stern College for Women’s Israel Henry Beren campus in Manhattan for participants of all ages.

The six-week program, developed in conjunction with the University’s Office of Alumni Affairs and New Jersey and Long Island Regional offices, features Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought and senior scholar of the CJF, and Yeshiva College Jewish Studies faculty member Rabbi Hayyim Angel.

“At Yeshiva, we seek to not only provide our students with a rich and meaningful education, but to make that knowledge available to the broader community and the world at large,” said Yeshiva University President Richard M. Joel. “The new Women’s Beit Midrash Program promises to accomplish just that by giving participants prime and personal access to some of our foremost scholars and the opportunity to experience Yeshiva firsthand.”

Titled “The Contemporary Significance of the State of Israel and Jerusalem,” Rabbi Schacter’s weekly class examines the contemporary theological significance of the State of Israel, taking into account the miracle of its establishment and the challenges it continues to face for its very survival.

Rabbi Angel’s class, “The Torah: Morals, Mefarshim, and Mesopotamia,” applies a modern understanding of the ancient Near East to discover new layers of meaning in passages from the Torah and traditional commentaries.

“As the CJF’s direct response to feedback received from lay leaders at the annual ChampionsGate conference, this new program will create unique educational opportunities for Jewish women across the tri-state area by presenting them with an opportunity to take full advantage of the resources of Yeshiva University,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, the David Mitzner Dean of the CJF. “This joint effort with the University’s alumni and regional offices will give participants a spiritually fulfilling and intellectually satisfying experience and will continue to strengthen the ties between Yeshiva University and the greater Jewish community.”

For more information, please visit www.yu.edu/sternlearn.

PARTICIPANTS ON YESHIVA UNIVERSITY EXPERIENTIAL JEWISH EDUCATION CERTIFICATE PROGRAM PROFESSIONALIZE THEIR PASSION 

(NEW YORK, New York – January 14, 2013) Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future recently completed the second seminar of its groundbreaking Certificate Program in Experiential Jewish Education (EJE) at the Shalom Institute in Malibu, CA.

From January 2-9, the 21 participants – educators ranging in age, affiliation, work experience and areas of field interest – explored how experiential Jewish educators can facilitate and engineer meaningful and identity-focused experiences for their students.

“Using Experiential Jewish Education methodologies, the participants created multi-sensory experiences designed to appeal to diverse audiences and students on multiple levels of intelligence. They focused primarily on creating social experiences that incorporate text, values and the Experiential Jewish Education Content Development Model,” said Shuki Taylor, CJF’s director of Jewish Service Learning and Experiential Education Programs.

The seminar – the second of four seminars for which each cohort convenes over the course of the year – encouraged participants to re‐imagine Jewish education through infinite possibilities while focusing on adaptability and immediate applications.

Building on the content from the program’s first seminar, “Cohort II” guided participants through the recurring stages of creation, reflection, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation as they created fun, content-rich experiences meant to affect and enrich the Jewish identities of their students.  The seminar incorporated lectures, Bet Midrash learning, participant-led programming, hikes, group exercises, and a communal Shabbat experience, and took full advantage of the Shalom Institute’s state-of-the-art facilities and innovative approach to Experiential Education.

“Our mission is to give intentionality to the field of Jewish Education,” said Los Angeles resident Rhoda Weisman, a senior consultant and mentor in the EJE program who previously served as the Chief Creative Officer at Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. “At present, Experiential Jewish Education impacts Jewish identity in numerous ways, but it lacks theory, deliberate outcomes, and accepted measures and metrics.

“We want to develop theory, goals and measurements so that educators can align their personal and organizational goals with field-wide goals, have true measurements for success and understand the direct correlations between a variety of settings in experiential education, so that a lengthy career path is visible and can be carefully orchestrated and developed.”

Highlights of the seminar included workshops and in-depth discussions with some of the Jewish World’s most dynamic educators, including Los Angeles-based actress and neuroscientist Dr. Mayim Bialik, and non-profit coach and consultant Rhoda Weisman.

The Certificate Program’s ties to the Los Angles Jewish community run even deeper, as five Angelenos have joined the ranks since the program’s inception – three in “Cohort I” and two more this year.

“With the help of the YU’s Certificate Program, I have been able to further identify my current strengths as a Jewish educator – where I have to be clearer in my intent, vocalizing my thoughts and views, and where I can create meaningful programming that will inspire the teens and volunteers with whom I work on a daily basis,” said Melissa Hertwig, Program Associate for Pacific Western Region of BBYO and a current resident of Los Angeles.

The YU Certificate Program in Experiential Jewish Education  is made possible by the generous support of and partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation. The Los Angeles seminar is partially supported through a unique local partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, the largest manager of charitable assets and the leader in planned giving solutions for Greater Los Angeles Jewish philanthropists. This pioneering grant is the first time that a local body has partnered to support and recognize the impact that Experiential Jewish Education can have on the broader Jewish community.

Yeshiva University is now accepting applications and nominations for Cohort III of the Certificate Program in Experiential Jewish Education.

Over the past two years, the YU Certificate Program has selected and trained 40 excelling Jewish educators, including:

• Teachers and student life directors working in Supplementary, Community and Day Schools
• Directors, Rabbis and associates from Chabad and Hillel Campus Centers
• Regional directors and associates from BBYO and NCSY
• Federation, Agency and JCC professionals.
• Executive directors and Rabbis working at Synagogues and Kehila Centers
• Service Learning specialists

For the Cohort III, YU seeks reflective, creative and motivated in-service educators looking to further their careers and broaden their impact in the field of Experiential Jewish Education.

The Certificate Program boasts cutting edge seminars scheduled for June 2013, January 2014 and June 2014. The seminars are held in New York City and in Malibu, CA. In addition, the program offers mentorship and networking opportunities.

Preference is given nominated applicants. Additionally, institutions are encouraged to contact YU to learn about unique partnership opportunities.

The deadline for application is February 25, 2013.

To learn more about the Certificate Program, to nominate a candidate or to apply, please visit www.eJewisheducation.com