By Dona Standel, Engagement Manager at Jewish LearningWorks
Beet red and a bit shaky, I spoke in front of a Board of Directors for the first time as a college student in 2006. Five years later, I was in the board room as a board member but with little ability to share my thoughts. Five years after that, I was in a new board room. I was selected uniquely for my positioning and interest in Jewish education and leadership in the Bay Area. Straddling my professional role and leadership role, I felt deeply committed to my responsibilities and now compelled to share my thoughts — still beet red and a little shaky.
And yet five years after that, I was managing several committees including board processes. Spanning the last twenty years I have remained a dedicated Jewish professional at 10 distinct organizations, sometimes concurrently. They include Hillels, camps, preschools, synagogues, and the Federation. Can I tell you something? There is one organization that has remained a constant presence either by my side or in my view. Jewish LearningWorks.
It is Jewish LearningWorks that is distinctly committed – not to a single issue, one impact area, or even one type of organization — but truly to the field. At our alumni events, you will meet Jewish professionals, leaders, and educators spanning denominations, geography, diversity, years of experience, level of authority, and organization. The depth and breadth of impact is expansive.
They say hindsight is 20/20. Immediately after emphatically joining the professional team at Jewish LearningWorks, I remembered seeing Israel posters that garnered deep dialogue with our logo. I remembered being in the Jewish LearningWorks board room with the Board Chair taking her time with me, ensuring I have the background I needed to be a successful and contributing member. And of course I remembered the stunning fellowship that was uniquely crafted for middle-management women+ professionals that supported my personal, professional, and leadership development while at the Federation. I realized then, 20 years after the first time I spoke in front of a board of directors beet red and shaky, that the Jewish LearningWorks professionals, tools, strategies, and connections I had made were the reason I am still here. Navigating crises, layoffs, uncertainty, love of the work, questions, seeking mentorship, etc… Jewish LearningWorks was there.
And so I come to you today, not as a professional on the Jewish LearningWorks team. In fact I come to you as a former Hillel professional, preschool teacher, Federation professional, board member of multiple orgs, camp professional, and actually as a current religious school teacher. I see now that each and every one of my roles and places of work are better because of the support and training I’ve received from Jewish LearningWorks. With high caliber, unmatched intention, Jewish LearningWorks is creating avenues for the many individuals creating the broad, welcoming Jewish communities we seek.
I could have gone a long time ago. But Jewish LearningWorks keeps me engaged, growing, challenged, supported, and nourished. And I’m just one. With 600+ “educators” that we know of, I hope you can imagine the enormity of this impact. How many Jewish communal leaders has Jewish LearningWorks supported? How many professionals has Jewish LearningWorks connected? How many organizations have we touched from those committed individuals? And imagine… How many dedicated decades of our Jewish future has Jewish LearningWorks ensured? While we can’t know these answers for sure, I can say that it is absolutely inspiring, and ensures hope beyond measure.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for committing to the field of Jewish life and leadership in the Bay.