“Leadership today is all about taking on responsibility” President Joel Lunches with JCS Students

On April 1, 2009, President Richard Joel met with over 20 Jewish Communal Certificate students, several Wurzweiler faculty members, Dean Gelman and a Wurzweiler board member for a private luncheon in the presidential boardroom. Sitting around the conference table, President Joel engaged the students in a frank and honest exchange about current challenges facing Jewish nonprofits and Yeshiva University in sustaining their missions and program commitments in the face of the severe economic downturn. As President Joel addressed future leaders of the Jewish communal world in a lively question and answer format, discussion topics ranged from the meaning of leadership, the value of professional practice in communities outside of the tri-state area and the current challenges and new opportunities facing Jewish agencies. His remarks reflected a balance between a serious appraisal of today’s difficult economic realities and optimism for a brighter future for Jewish communal life with new and creative professional opportunities to make a real and lasting contribution.

President Joel described the way in which the nature of Jewish communal leadership has changed in the past few years. As he affirmed, “Leadership today is all about taking on responsibility.” The new generation of professional leaders has the responsibility to provide communities with the proper tools and resources to make choices for themselves. An education in social work practice along with knowledge of the Jewish community and its needs and changing organizational structure is a valuable combination of assets for the new generation of Jewish communal leaders. President Joel strongly emphasized the importance of having dedicated, passionate and skilled individuals with creative visions of vibrant Jewish life, in this field, and nods of agreement rippled across the boardroom.

Students of the Jewish communal track were enlightened and encouraged by the luncheon.

“It was such an honor to hear insight from such a predominant figure in the field of Jewish communal service. As an aspiring professional, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to hear from someone who has so much experience in the field,” commented Danielle Skurnick, a first year Wurzweiler student.

Chana Topek, a second year student, also reflected glowingly on the experience. "President Joel gave an uplifting and realistically positive perspective for our future as individuals involved in Jewish leadership.”
(Thanks to Adena Stern, guest editor.)